Effect of nodule count on austenitising and austempering kinetics of ductile iron castings and mechanical properties of thin walled iron castings

In the present work, the potential for producing thin walled ductile iron castings with an ausferritic matrix is presented. Experimentally, thin walled iron castings of 2 mm in thickness were obtained and characterised by a nodule count of 1992 mm⁻². In addition, a reference casting was produced with a 25 mm thick wall and a nodule count of 330 mm⁻². Austenitising was carried out at 920°C, whereas austempering was implemented in the 300–400°C temperature range. The austenitising and austempering transformation rates were determined by dilatometry, and the results were confirmed by microstructural analyses. It was found that in thin walled castings, the austenitising and austempering times were reduced by either one-half or one-third of the ones corresponding to the reference casting. The exhibited mechanical properties of the thin walled castings were also determined as a function of austempering time and temperature. It was found that austempering at 300°C for 1200 s leads to thin walled castings with a tensile strength of 1500 MPa. Accordingly, from this work, it is plausible to produce high strength thin walled castings that satisfy all the ASTM 897M grades of ausferritic ductile iron through proper heat treating.