Structure and mechanical properties of thin wall nodular iron castings

The purpose of this final thesis is experimental verification of the influence of graphitic inoculants containing different amounts of trace elements on the structure, mechanical properties and internal homogeneity of thin-walled ductile iron casting. This thesis describes the issue with casting of thin-walled ductile iron. Two melts of thin-walled test plates with thickenesses of 3-, 5- and 8 mm were done in experimental part. A total of six types of inoculations with different content of trace elements were tested. Subsequently, an X-ray irradiation analysis was performed on the samples and hardness, tensile strength and ductility were evaluated. Futhermore, the amount of graphite in structure, graphite shape, graphite size, nodularity, graphite nodule count and volume phases of ferrite and perlite in matrix were analysed in thin-walled ductile cast iron by computer-based image analyzer. Finally, the measurement data were processed into tables and charts and conclusions were formulated. An X-ray analysis proved, that all thin-walled test plates containned shrinkage porosity. Furthemore it was confirmed, that content of manganese in inoculant increases tensile strength and hardness. Also content of zirconium in inoculant increases graphite nodule count