EFFECT OF WALL THICKNESS AND HEAT TREATMENT VARIABLES ON STRUCTURAL PROPERTIE OF AUSTEMPERED DUCTILE IRONS [ ]


The most rapidly growing area of cast technology is that of ADI or Austempered Ductile Iron. ADI is a heat treated Ductile Iron or S.G. iron with a unique micro-structure: Ausferrite which consists of high carbon Austenite and Bainitic ferrite with graphite nodules dispersed in it. This unique microstructure yields excellent properties: high strength, toughness, good wear resistance, good machinability and all that at low cost. The use of this type of cast iron as an engineering material has been increasing day by day since its discovery. These properties can be achieved upon adequate heat treatment which yields optimum microstructure for a given chemical composition. But this type of treatment is bit tricky, since it requires controlled heating and isothermal holding of the material.