FERROUS &NON-

FERROUS MATERIALS,
CLASSIFICATION OF
STEEL &CAST IRON
 FERROUS MATERIALS
 Ferrousmaterials contain iron, and the one element people
use more than all other is iron.

 Ferrous materials are the most important metals/alloys in the

metallurgical and mechanical industries because of their very
extensive use.

 The principle disadvantage of many ferrous alloys is their

susceptibility to corrosion.
The widespread use of ferrous alloys accounted for
by three factors:
1) Iron containing compounds exist in abundant quantities
within the earth’s crust;
2) Metallic iron and steel alloys may be produced using
relatively economic extraction, refining, alloying and
fabrication techniques; and
3) Ferrous alloys are extremely versatile, in that they may be
tailored to have a wide range of mechanical and physical
properties.
 NON-FERROUS MATERIALS
 A non-ferrous metal is a metal, including alloys, that does not
contain iron (ferrite) in appreciable amounts.
 Generally more expensive than ferrous metals, non-ferrous
metals are used because of desirable properties such as:
1. low weight (e.g. aluminium);
2. higher conductivity (e.g. copper);
3. non-magnetic property or resistance to corrosion (e.g. zinc).
 Important non-ferrous metals include aluminium, copper,
lead, nickel, tin, titanium and zinc, and alloys such as brass.
STEELS
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon.

A. Plain Carbon Steel

i. It is an alloy of iron and carbon.
ii. It is malleable.
iii. Contains from 0.10 to 1.5% carbon.
iv. Carbon steels can be classified as Low carbon steel (or
Mild steel), Medium carbon steel and High carbon steel.
MILD STEEL
Mild steels or low carbon steels may be classified as follows:
i. Dead mild steel- C 0.05 to 0.15%.
Used for making steel wires, sheets, screws, rivets, pipe, nail and
chain.
Tensile strength of 390N/mm2 and hardness of about 115BHN.
ii. Mild steel containing 0.15 to 0.20% carbon has a tensile strength
of 420N/mm2 and hardness 125BHN.
It is used for making camshafts, sheets and strips for fan blades,
welded tubing, forging, drag lines, etc.
iii. Mild steel containing 0.20 to 0.30% carbon has a tensile strength
of 555N/mm2 and hardness 140BHN.
It is used for making valves, crankshafts, gears, connecting rods,
railway axles, fish plates, small forgings etc.
MEDIUM CARBON STEEL
 Medium carbon steels contain carbon from 0.30 to 0.70%.
 Steels containing 0.35 to 0.45% carbon have a tensile strength of
750N/mm2. They are used for making:
Connecting rods Key Stock
Wire and rods Shift and brake levers, etc.
 Steels containing 0.45 to 0.55% carbon have a tensile strength of
1000N/mm2. They are used for making:
Railway coach axles Crank pins on heavy machines
Spline shafts Crankshafts, etc.
 Steels containing 0.6 to 0.7% carbon have a tensile strength of
1230N/mm2. They are used for making:
Drop forging dies Set screws
Die blocks Self tapping screws, etc.
HIGH CARBON STEEL
 High carbon steel contain carbon from 0.7 to 1.5%.
 Steels containing 0.7 to 0.8% carbon have a tensile strength of
1400N/mm2 and hardness of 450-500BHN . They are used for
making:
Cold chisels Pneumatic drill bits
Wrenches Wheels of railway service, etc.
 Steels containing 0.8 to 0.9% carbon have a tensile strength of
660N/mm2 and hardness of 500-600BHN . They are used for
making:
Rock drills Punches and dies
Railway rails Clutch discs, etc.
 Steels containing 0.90 to 1.00% carbon have a tensile strength of
580N/mm2 and hardness of 550-00BHN . They are used for making:
Punches and dies Seed discs
Springs (Leaf and coil) Pins, etc.
 Steels containing 1.0 to 1.1% carbon are used for making:
Railway springs Mandrels`
Machine tools Taps, etc.
 Steels containing 1.1 to 1.2% carbon are used for making:
Taps Twist drills
Threads metals dies Knives, etc.
 Steels containing 1.2 to 1.3% carbon are used for making:

Files Reamers
Metal cutting tools, etc.
 Steels containing 1.3 to 1.5% carbon are used for making:
Wire drawing dies Paper knives
Metal cutting saws Tools for turning chilled iron, etc.
 CAST IRON
Gray cast iron

A low- cost material that can be used for may purposes.

Available to the foundry as virgin ingots and selected scraps

Mechanical Special
properties: Casting properties:
properties Machineability:
1. High ‘Self-damping’,
compressive 1. High fluidity Easily machined does not vibrate or
strength. and ability to to a good finish ‘ring’.
make sound once the ‘skin’ has
2.Low tensile castings. Prevents chatter
strength. been removed. when used for
2.Relatively low Forms a machine frames.
3. High rigidity. melting discontinuous
4. High stability temperature chip. Self-lubricating.
after 1130- 1250ºC. Good anti-friction
‘weathering’. properties.
Characteristics:
i. Gray iron is basically an alloy of carbon and silicon with iron.
ii. It is readily cast into a desired shape in the sand mould.
iii. It contains 2.5- 3.8% C, 1.1- 2.8% Si, 0.4- 1% Mn, 0.15% P and
0.10% S.
iv. Gray iron possesses lowest melting point of the ferrous alloys.
v. It possesses high fluidity, high resistance to wear, high vibration
damping capacity, high compressive strength, etc.
vi. It has solidification range of 2400- 2000ºF.

Applications;
vii. Machine tool structures.
viii. Gas or water pipes for underground purposes.
ix. Manhole covers.
x. Cylinder blocks and heads of I.C. Engines.
xi. Tunnel segment , etc.
MALLEABLE CAST IRON
Characteristics:
i. Malleable cast iron is the one which can be hammered and rolled to
obtain different shapes.
ii. Malleable cast iron is obtained from hard and brittle white iron through
a controlled heat conversion process.
iii. It possesses high yield strength, good wear resistance and vibration
damping capacity, high Young’s Modulus, low coefficient of thermal
expansion, etc.
iv. It has a solidification range of 2550- 2065ºF.
v. Malleable cast iron contains 2- 3% C, 0.6- 1.3% Si, 0.2- 0.6% Mn,
0.15% P and 0.10% S.
Applications:
vi. Automotive industry.
vii. Rail road.
viii. Agricultural implements.
ix. Electrical line hardware.
x. Gear case, etc.
NODULAR CAST IRON
Characteristics:
i. Also known as Ductile Cast Iron.
ii. Ductile cast iron possesses very good machineability.
iii. Soft annealed grades of Nodular cast iron can be turned at very high
feed and speeds.
iv. The properties of Nodular cast iron depend upon the metal
composition and the cooling rate.
v. Nodular or Ductile cast iron contains 3.2- 4.2% C, 1.1- 3.5% Si, 0.3-
0.8% Mn, 0.08% P and 0.2% S.
vi. It possesses excellent castability and wear resistance.

Applications:
vii. Paper industry machinery.
viii. Internal combustion engines.
ix. Power transmission equipment,
x. Farm implements and tractors, etc.
WHITE CAST IRON
Characteristics:
i. White cast iron derives its name from the fact that it is freshly
broken surface shows a bright white fracture.
ii. White iron possesses excellent abrasive wear resistance.
iii. White iron under normal circumstances is brittle and not
machineable.
iv. White iron castings can be made in sand moulds.
v. The white iron contains 1.8- 3.6% C, 0.5- 2.0% Si, 0.2- 0.8%
Mn, 0.18% P and 0.10% S.
vi. The solidification range of white iron is 2550- 2065ºF.

Uses:
vii. For producing malleable iron castings.
viii. For manufacturing those component parts which require hard
and abrasion resistant material.
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