Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1967. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

A good understanding of the solidification process of a cast material is essential to understand how the combination of alloy composition and the casting process variables combines into the solid cast component and its performance. The wrong combination may result in poor performance or casting defects. Spheroidal graphite has been well researched in ductile irons (SGI) where it is predominant. Spheroidal graphite is also present in smaller amounts in compacted graphite irons (CGI), but its nature and role in this material is less understood. Recent associations of spheroidal graphite in CGI with shrinkage porosity problems highlights the need for better understanding in this area. The importance of the dendritic austenite structure to the properties and solidification behaviour of cast irons has been highlighted in recent research. However, progress is to a degree limited by lack of practical means to characterize the structure. In the present work, the transition of a cast iron from SGI to CGI though remelting was studied. As the fraction of SG dropped, the tips of the compacted graphite tended to lose contact with the melt at a later stage. After this occurred, solidification appeared to be dominated by spheroidal graphite. Compacted and spheroidal graphite was found to solidify mostly segregated, and the increased recallescence induced by a higher fraction of compacted graphite displayed small influence on the size distribution of spheroidal graphite apart from the total number and fraction. The partitioning of Si, Mn and Cu in SGI and CGI was found to agree well with each other, as well as with theoretical predictions under the assumptions of zero diffusion of the elements in the solid. This shows that the proportions of spheroidal and compacted graphite has small or no influence on the evolution of these elements in the melt during solidification. A method for characterization of the dendritic austenite in quenched cast irons was introduced and evaluated. The method includes a technique for producing a visual contrast between the ledeburite matrix and the dendritic austenite, and a scheme for producing binary images from the resulting micrographs which are suitable for automatic image analysis. Measurements of the volume fraction and surface area per unit volume of the dendritic austenite structure using the introduced method was found to agree reasonably with traditional point counting and line intercept techniques. The difficulty in finding the exact boundary was proposed to be the major source of systematic disagreement. / En god förståelse för stelningsprocessen av ett gjutet material är väsentligt för att förstå hur kombinationen av legeringens kemiska sammansättning och gjutprocessens variabler resulterar i den stelnade komponenten och dess prestanda. Fel kombination kan resultera i sänkt prestanda eller gjutdefekter. Sfärisk grafit är väl studerad i segjärn (SGI) där grafitmorfologin är dominant. Mindre mängder sfärisk grafit är dock närvarande även i kompaktgrafit, där dess karaktär och roll är mindre känd. Samband mellan sfärisk grafit i kompaktgrafitjärn och krympporositet understryker behovet av bättre förståelse inom detta område. Dessutom har betydelsen av den tidiga dendritiska austenitstrukturen för senare delen av stelningen uppmärksammats. Utveckling inom detta område är dessvärre till en grad begränsad av bristen på kunskap om praktiska metoder för att karaktärisera dess struktur. I detta arbete studerades övergången från segjärn till kompaktgrafit genom omsmältning. Vid sänkt fraktion sfärisk grafit visade sig kompaktgrafiten tappa kontakten med smältan vid senare stadie av stelningen. Efter detta inträffade, dominerades stelningen till synes av tillväxt av sfärisk grafit. Kompaktgrafit och sfärisk grafit bildades i huvudsak segregerade. Ökad rekallesens till följd av ökad fraktion kompaktgrafit visade sig ha låg inverkan på storleksfördelningen av eutektisk sfärisk grafit bortsett från dess totala antal och fraktion. Omfördelningen av Si, Mn och Cu mellan stelnad matris och smälta i segjärn och kompaktgrafitjärn fanns stämma bra överens med varandra, samt med teoretiska värden med antagande om försumbar diffusion i stelnad matris. Detta visar att proportionerna av sfärisk och kompaktgrafit har liten eller ingen inverkan på halten av dessa ämnen i smältan under stelningen. En metod för karaktärisering av den dendritiska austenitstrukturen i släckt gjutjärn introducerades och utvärderades. Metoden inkluderar en teknik för att åstadkomma kontrast mellan ledeburitmatrisen och den dendritiska austeniten, och en teknik för att producera binära bilder från resulterande mikroskopbilder som är lämpliga för automatisk bildanalys. Mätningar av volymfraktion och yta per volymenhet av dendritstrukturen genom tillämpning av den introducerade metoden visade rimlig överensstämmelse med traditionella punktfraktion‐ och linjetekniker. Svårigheten att hitta den exakta gränslinjen mellan dendritisk struktur och ledeburit föreslogs vara den huvudsakliga källan till systematisk oöverensstämmelse.

Automotive industry products portfolio includes a wide variety of complex‐shaped cast iron products, such as truck engine components, that need to withstand a constant trend of higher demands, especially urged by stricter environmental regulations on emissions. Combined with this continued demand on properties improvement, cast iron industry faces a process problem related to the lack of understanding of solidification and mechanisms behind defect formation. Casting products are highly affected by the product design and the manufacturing method itself, which governs the final microstructure and hence the final mechanical properties. Wall thickness of the moulding material strongly influences the solidification time, varying the microstructural coarseness, resulting in a component with different properties depending on the local shape of the casting. The main objective of this work is the characterization of the primary austenite microstructure and its coarsening process, which has been poorly documented in cast iron literature, to allow the prediction and control of these microstructural features present in the casting. The microstructural evolution of the primary austenite in hypoeutectic lamellar graphite iron (LGI) is studied under isothermal coarsening conditions. The dendritic microstructure suffered major morphological changes that included dendrite fragmentation, globularization, and coalescence. Empirical relations based on morphological parameters are introduced to predict the microstructural evolution of primary austenite. A novel technique for colour‐etching and semi‐automatic image analysis for the characterization of quenched dendritic microstructures in cast iron is presented. A new experimental technique for production of graphitic iron with varying nodularity is presented as a solution to control the production of compacted (CGI) and spheroidal graphite iron (SGI) under laboratory conditions. The nodularity evolution is controlled as a function of the holding time and the residual Mg, allowing the study of the primary solidification and primary microstructures of hypoeutectic CGI and SGI in future investigations.

In Diesel engine blocks properties such as tensile strength, heat conductivity, sound damping, engine vibration and noise are strongly influenced by graphite shape and volume percent in the matrix microstructure. In this study, the engine blocks were produced at ELBA Basin&ccedil / li D&ouml / k&uuml / m Od&ouml / ksan Cast iron foundry in Osmaneli Turkey by performing casting into furan resin sand and preparing cast iron liquid alloy in induction furnace that were treated with Mg by using ladle method. The main purpose of this study is to achive 0 &ndash / 25% volume nodularity and remaining is compacted graphite in the produced engine blocks. The shape and volume percent of graphite particles were characterized by an image analyze system. In the first part of this work, after the diesel engine blocks were produced at ELBA Basin&ccedil / li D&ouml / k&uuml / m Od&ouml / ksan Cast iron foundry in Osmaneli Turkey, the blocks were cut and samples were obtained from 14 different thicknesses of diesel engine blocks. Afterwards, the samples were examined under optical microscope, Soif XJP-6A. The nodularity and compacted graphite values were obtained numerically with the help of Materials Plus image analyzer systems, which is attached to the optical microscope. v In the second part of the study, the diesel engine blocks which are produced at Od&ouml / ksan were examined by ultrasonic test that was done by using USM 35 flaw detector test machine. Solidification &ndash / time and temperature &ndash / time simulations were also done by using NovaCast NovaFlow simulation code. Finally mathematical formulas for 13 different thickness of diesel engine blocks were obtained by using excel linest code. The compacted graphite volume percent observed at different sections of the diesel engine blocks were found to be a function of cooling rate and chemical composition. Best results were obtained when chemical Mg/S ratio was approximately 1 and C.E.V. was between 4.40 &ndash / 4.50.

Resumo: Nesse trabalho foram desenvolvidas três composições à base de Si3N4 com quantidades e tipos de aditivos diferentes, com objetivos de desenvolver cerâmicas densas de altas resistências, para posteriores testes como ferramentas de corte na usinagem de torneamento do ferro fundido cinzento, ferro fundido vermicular e a liga Ti-6Al-4V. As composições utilizaram aditivos Y2O3/Al2O3 (10%) e AlN/Y2O3 (15 e 20%), e foram sinterizadas pelo processo de sinterização normal. Em seguida foram caracterizadas quanto as propriedades físicas e mecânicas, apresentando bons resultados. Posteriormente a composição de melhores propriedades (SNYA20), foi transformada em inserto para usinagem de corte de acordo com a norma ISO 1832. Os testes de torneamento foram realizados no ferro fundido cinzento com variações de parâmentros, onde para Vc=300m/min, f=0,32mm/rot e ap=1,00mm, alcançou um comprimento de corte de 6533m, superior aos encontrados em literatura, com diminuição dos desgastes, para maiores Vc e ap. O torneamento da liga Ti-6Al-4V em alta velocidade (Vc=180m/min, f=0,10mm/rot e ap=0,50mm), alcançou comprimento de corte de Lc=466m, para um desgaste VBmax=2,20mm. No torneamento do ferro fundido vermicular, com variações de parâmetros, alcançou resultados superiores aos encontrados na literatura com ferramentas cerâmicas comercial, utilizando Vc=200mm/min, f=0,20mm/rot e ap= 0,50mm, obteve-se comprimento de corte Lc=1658m. Os resultados de usinagem obtidos nesse trabalho estão relacionados com as propriedades e fases obtidas. Entretanto alem dos resultados obtidos essas ferramentas apresentam custo em torno de 50% das comerciais e redução de 17- 20% de custo no processo, devido ao uso de fluido refrigerante e proteção ao meio ambiente. / Abstract: In this work three compositions to base Si3N4 with amounts and types of different additives had been developed, with objective to develop dense ceramics of high strength to possible test as cutting tools in turning of gray cast iron, compacted graphite iron and titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V). The compositions had used additives Y2O3/Al2O3 (10%) and AlN/Y2O3 (15 and 20%), and were sinterized by process normal sintering. After sintering the physical and mechanical properties had been characterized, showing interesting results. Posterior the composition the best properties (SNYA20), was transformed into cutting tools to machining in the stand norm ISO 1832. The turning tests had been carried in gray cast iron with different parameters, where to Vc=300m/min, f=0,32mm/rev and ap=1,00mm, obtained a cut length of 6533m, achieving value superior at found in literature, with important reduction to larger cutting speed and cut depth. The turning of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy in high cutting speed (Vc=180m/min, f=0,10mm/rev and ap=0,50mm), obtained cutting length of Lc=466m, to VBmax=2,20mm. In turning compacted graphite iron, with different parameters, obtained value superior at found in literature, when utilize cutting tools ceramics of commercial materials, using for this Vc=200mm/min, f=0,20mm/rev and ap = 0,50mm. These condition obtained cut length of Lc=1658m. The results achieved in this work have been associated with the important physical and mechanical proprieties and phase of cutting tools. However the results obtained with these cutting tools present lower cost (50%) when compared with commercial cutting tools of similar material e reduction of cost in around 17-20%, because the do not use coolant, beside of protection at environment. / Orientador: Sérgio João Crnkovic / Coorientador: Olivério Moreira de Macedo Silva / Doutor

The aim of this thesis was to assess the degree of conformity between the mechanical properties evaluated by numerical simulation in software MAGMA5 and the measured values of hardness and ultimate tensile strength of lamellar graphite iron castings. The theoretical part of this thesis deals with the classification of cast iron, structural components of lamellar graphite iron, and the factors defining the resulting mechanical properties of the material. The practical part presents an attempt to find empirical dependencies between input parameters and results evaluated by simulation software. At the end, an analysis of the correlation between reality and simulation software is performed.

Diploma thesis in the first part deals with the production, properties and application of compacted graphite iron. After then calculation model which is used in ProCAST software for the predicting mechanical and structural properties of compacted graphite iron is presented and differences between versions 2010 and 2011 are shown. The last part of the thesis deals with simulation of mechanical and structural properties on the test specimen and real casting, which is poured in Heunisch foundry Ltd. and results of the simulation and measured values are compared.

The aim of this research, part of a wider program called SPOFIC, is to investigate how the casting procedure affects the concentration of hydrogen and nitrogen gases in Compacted Graphite Iron used for the production of truck cylinder blocks. Hydris equipment was used for the Hydrogen measurements and the Optical Emission Spectroscopy and combustion analysis methods were used for the nitrogen measurements. The experiment was performed in one of the cooperating foundries. It was found that Hydrogen content is increased during pouring of the melt into the mold but nitrogen content does not seem to be effected by the process. In both cases the gas content never exceeded the solubility limit. The results are comparable with results from similar researches regarding Gray Cast Iron. / SPOFIC

The purpose of this master thesis was to evaluate variations in solidification and cooling rate in compacted graphite iron prototype cylinder blocks and for each position relate this to the microstructure and also relate the microstructure to mechanical properties. This has been done to increase the knowledge to predict mechanical properties in cast iron components. There were three sample categories; reference-, tensile test- and thermocouple samples. The investigation included analysis of cooling curves, SinterCast parameters, image analysis, measured hardness and tensile strength. Thermocouples of type N were used at interesting positions for observation of the cooling behaviour and the image analysis was carried out by the software Axio Vision SE64 by Carl Zeiss GmbH. The hardness was measured according to Brinell HBW 5/750 and tensile testing was performed according to standard SS-EN ISO 6892-1:2009. It is concluded that the microstructure depend on many parameters, one of them is the position in the cylinder block. A relation between solidification time and the microstructure features; secondary dendrite arm spacing and eutectic cell size was observed. Because of dissimilarity in microstructure between the tensile test samples and thermocouple samples it is believed that the thermocouples have contributed with a cooling and/or nucleation effect. Considering the mechanical properties there is not solely the nodularity, eutectic cell size or secondary dendrite arm spacing that are the controlling microstructure feature, more research needs to be made.

Compacted Graphite Iron offers mechanical properties in between of gray cast iron and ductile iron. Thus,the material is seen as a hopeful alternative for engine cylinder blocks and heads satisfying environmentaland performance objectives. Nevertheless, CGI is more difficult to machine than conventional gray castiron due to the presence of MnS and thin wall section of probing high strength. This problem of CGI thenled to the initiation of large Optima Sweden project to study machinability and optimization of related toCGI.The thesis is centered on a study of tool life, cutting force and MRR with regards to machining parametersmainly feed rate and cutting speed for CGI milling. Tool life is measured; flank-wear is observed andcompared between several combinations of cutting parameters.Similarly cutting forces were measured using LMS software for full factorial design experiments. Extensivemachining experiments were carried out. Machining tests was done based on Design of Experiment (DoE)for high cutting data and lower data are performed separately. Comparison is made for tool life and cuttingforces. After data collection, analysis of tool life and force has been followed. Once the data is analyzedand checked its consistency. An approximate model is developed using MODDE software. Further, multiobjective optimization of tool life and Material removal rate (MRR) using cutting parameters mainly feedrate and cutting speed are investigated. Working on optimal parameters will allow for CGI is to becompetitive in manufacturing with gray CI, aluminum alloy, magnesium.Keywords: Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI), face milling, tool life, MRR, optimization, cutting force