Guidelines for the manufacture of heavy ductile iron castings

This study is devoted to the analysis of the impact that the basic constituents of ductile iron (carbon and silicon) and spheroidising treatment combined with inoculation exert on the final properties of heavy ductile iron castings. To evaluate the possibility of the application of ductile iron technology in the manufacture of castings for wind power plants, simulations were conducted on cast hubs of the rotor blades for wind turbines. For this type of product, it is necessary to produce castings characterised by a ferritic matrix (over 90% ferrite) and to reduce the amount of pearlite and graphite to a minimum, both of which are considered as the main structural constituents that affect the casting properties. The key guidelines for the manufacture of heavy castings from ductile iron, wind turbines included, were discussed, with particular emphasis placed on the process of spheroidising treatment and inoculation, both of which are aimed at producing in the structure of castings a spheroidal graphite of a size from 5 to 12 mm (class V to VI) and a ferritic structure in an amount exceeding 90%. This article is the result of the work done by Krakodlew S.A to implement research project No. POIG 01.04.00-12-116/12, supported by the National Centre for Research and Development and financed by the European Regional Development Fund, measure 1.4 POIG (Execution of industrial research and development in the company Krakodlew S.A., 2014).