The Influence of Lamellar Graphite Cast

Iron Annealing on Hardness and Structure

Abstract

An analysis has been carried out of the influence of annealing time at the preheating temperature of 650 °C on the change in hardness
and alloy structure of lamellar graphite cast iron in the working as well as in the laboratory conditions. This preheat temperature is
common during reclaiming welding of castings with complex shapes. The changes in unalloyed cast iron EN-GJL 200 to EN-GJL 300
according to ISO 1690 standard and cast iron with low amount of elements such as Sn, Cu, Cr, and Mo and their combinations were
assessed. It was found that the cast iron of higher strenght grades has better hardness and structural stability. Cast iron alloyed with
chromium or its combinations has the highest stability. In unalloyed cast iron, a partial degradation of pearlite occurs; in alloyed cast iron
the structural changes are not conclusive.
Keywords: Welding cast iron, Annealing, Cast iron hardeness, Structure stability

structural phases whose presence in the casting worsens

1. Introduction
machinability or even makes it impossible. At the same time, the
brittleness of the casting rises in the welding joint area. Therefore,
it is imperative to slow down the heat removal from the welded
Many cast iron castings may have local defects, disruptions
joint by local or full-body preheating of the casting. We can also
or some other damage that can be fixed by welding up. In foundry
partially prevent the occurrence of brittle phases by choosing an
practice, oxy-fuel welding or arc welding are commonly used
appropriate chemical composition of the additive material.
processes. The welding area must be rid of any impurities before
The casting preheating temperatures are chosen according to
welding, cleaned and treated so as to make a good and solid
the type of cast iron, its chemical composition, the casing wall
connection.
thickness, its complexity and the welding process in the range
Fusion welding of graphite cast iron is complicated due to the
from 250 to 700 °C; in more complex castings with bigger wall
metallurgical processes that occur during metal melting of the
thickness from 550 to 700 °C. These preheating temperatures
cast, interaction between the basic metal with the additional metal
correspond approximately to the highest temperature of the
and consequently during solidifying and cooling of the welded
annealing temperature
joint. At welding temperatures, the graphite is dissolved in the
range to reduce the
metal matrix and at fast cooling during solidifying a ledeburite
internal stress.
structure may occur locally. During the subsequent fast cooling of
During welding the
the metal below transformation temperatures A1, martensite may
internal stress is
occur. Ledeburite and martensite are exceptionally hard and brittle
reduced, which prevents the possibility of cracks and casting sample for thermal analysis, chemical analysis and a test bar for
deformations. At the same time, however, the preheating mechanical tests is taken from each 2200 kg ladle. The thermal
temperatures are close to the temperatures for low temperature analysis results are used operatively to make the ladle available
for casting. Thermal analysis itself is used to find out the content
ferrite annealing that range from 700 to 760 °C for unalloyed cast
of carbon, silicon, and carbon equivalent.
iron, and for ferritization the delay of 1 to 3 hrs is long enough – The standard mechanical tests include a tensile strength test
Fig 1. and the measurement of hardness by Brinell method carried out
Fig 1: Transformation temperatures for common Si contents on samples from separately cast ø 30 mm test bars.
in GJL cast iron [1] Metallographic analysis is carried out in irregular intervals.
Long-term heating at temperatures that are reaching eutectoid Casting hardness is tested after the finishing process
transformation values may cause a change in the structure according to the customer’s needs. The customer’s requirements
for hardness usually concern reaching the minimal hardness in
particularly the creation of globular pearlite and its partial
specific parts of the casting. Since the castings are large, complex
breaking into ferrite – this transformation is accompanied by a and inaccessible, Shore scleroscope is used to measure hardness.
decrease in hardness of the casting material. After welding EutecTrode 2-26 electrodes by Castolin Eutectic for fusion
witness a significant drop in hardness, in some cases even below welding repairs are used. This electrode has a recommended
the required standard, is often detected. preheating temperature of the castings in the range of 550 –
The aim of the research is an analysis of the influence of the 700oC. The preheating temperature of 650°C is used unanimously
preheating temperature delay on the change in mechanical in the foundry. The preheating is done in the continuous heating
gas furnace. The castings are slowly cooled in the furnace cooling
properties of unalloyed and low-alloy cast iron with lamellar
branch after welding up. The thermal regime and time delay of the
graphite. castings in the furnace depend on the working regime at the
welder’s workplace and these are not stable for individual castings
during a working shift. When the repair is finished, the hardness
as per Shore at certain places is measured. The castings that fail
2. The influence of preheating on cast the hardness test are discarded or heat-treated again.
iron properties The aim of the present research is to verify the influence of
the preheating time of the castings on the change in the structure
and mechanical properties that are represented by hardness on
2.1. Types of cast iron observed, and cast iron of different chemical composition, cast in the stated
foundry workshop.
conditions for melting and casting repair

The analysis of the influence of the preheating time on the 2.2. Cast iron assessed
change in casting hardness was carried out in the foundry
workshop, which works with cast iron with lamellar graphite. This
The research was carried out on unalloyed and low-alloy cast iron
foundry makes mainly medium size products with complex
commonly cast in the given foundry workshop corresponding to
shapes that are used for agricultural machinery, trucks and other
the quality standard of GJL 200, GJL 250 and GJL 300. Alloying
heavy machines with weight ranging from 30 to 400 kg. The
is made up to the contents of 0.3 %Cr, 0.65 %Cu, 0.10 %Sn and
castings are mostly of complex shapes with many cores, internal
0.35 %Mo – tab. 1. These materials can be labelled as:
walls and with different wall thicknesses ranging from 15 to 45
- GJL 200
mm. The moulds are made using high pressure moulding from
- GJL 250
bentonite mixtures, cores from CO2 or Cold-box mixtures.
- GJL 250 Sn 0,1
Unalloyed and low-alloy cast iron of GJL according the ISO
- GJL 300
1690 standard is cast in the foundry. Unalloyed cast iron GJL
- GJL 300 Sn 0.1
200 is used for castings with low mechanical stress, cast iron GJL
- GJL 300 Cu 0.3
250 that is cast either as unalloyed or alloyed with tin and for
- GJL 300 Cr 0.3
castings with high mechanical stress either unalloyed GJL 300, or
- GJL 300 Cu 0.5 Cr 0.3
alloyed with Sn, Cu, Cr, Mo or their combinations to obtain the
- GJL 300 Cu 0.6 Mo 0.3
required properties are used. The choice of the alloying elements
and their content is linked to particular casting items.
The basic cast iron is melted in a cupola furnace in 2.3. Assessing the change in hardness of the
combination with a channel-type induction furnace. Metal is
poured from the channel-type furnace into a transport ladle, which castings during reclaiming welding in foundry
serves for casting as well, where it is alloyed and inoculated. A conditions
 with different wall sizes. Consequently, a common operating heat
We selected three same castings of every cast iron type from the cycle of preheating and cooling was carried out. Hardness was
range of products. (Since the chemical composition often measured again in the same spots after cooling and a
corresponds to a particular production item, for every cast iron metallographic analysis was conducted on some samples.
type we compare castings that are different in shape.) Hardness as Hardness was measured three times in the same spots, therefore, 9
per Brinell and Shore was measured in every casting in two areas measurements as per Brinell and Shore altogether were made on
every casting type from the same alloy

.
 Alloy Cast Nr. %C %Si %Mn %P %S %Cr %Cu %Mo %Sn CE Rm [MPa] HB

1 3,45 2,19 0,69 0,059 0,060 0,07 0,08     4,20 240 178
GJL 200 2 3,46 2,00 0,62 0,069 0,085 0,07 0,11     4,15 252 179
18 3,41 2,14 0,64 0,091 0,066 0,09 0,09     4,15 241 192
19 3,48 2,04 0,59 0,064 0,075 0,08 0,10     4,18 242 178
3 3,41 1,91 0,65 0,053 0,079 0,08 0,11     4,06 270 194
GJL 250 4 3,38 1,93 0,67 0,052 0,072 0,07 0,11     4,04 264 194
20 3,39 1,88 0,73 0,071 0,071 0,08 0,09     4,04 271 199
21 3,39 1,85 0,64 0,058 0,085 0,08 0,08     4,03 265 193
5 3,40 1,81 0,62 0,047 0,072 0,07 0,09   0,09 4,02 287 206
GJL 250 Sn 6 3,44 1,92 0,72 0,069 0,068 0,07 0,12   0,10 4,10 280 201
22 3,37 1,81 0,65 0,084 0,080 0,08 0,08   0,09 4,00 283 203
23 3,38 1,92 0,75 0,078 0,061 0,07 0,08   0,08 4,05 274 204
7 3,30 1,91 0,86 0,076 0,081 0,18 0,28     3,96 303 212
GJL 300 8 3,37 1,71 0,62 0,083 0,083 0,11 0,10     3,97 303 207
24 3,28 1,58 0,73 0,079 0,073 0,07 0,11     3,83 306 206
25 3,31 1,69 0,74 0,059 0,092 0,07 0,07     3,89 303 209
GJL 300 Sn 17 3,34 1,82 0,83 0,075 0,091 0,08 0,12   0,10 3,97 290 211
34 3,31 1,70 0,76 0,049 0,066 0,08 0,11   0,09 3,89 306 215
9 3,27 1,72 0,82 0,097 0,080 0,13 0,33     3,88 322 216
GJL 300 Cu 10 3,27 1,86 0,79 0,066 0,075 0,06 0,33     3,91 318 212
26 3,27 1,65 0,80 0,070 0,061 0,07 0,31     3,84 322 214
27 3,27 1,75 0,76 0,053 0,075 0,09 0,33     3,87 315 213
11 3,33 1,82 0,90 0,057 0,061 0,35 0,90     3,96 321 216
GJL 300 Cr 12 3,30 1,75 0,78 0,060 0,063 0,30 0,10     3,90 318 214
28 3,28 1,61 0,77 0,076 0,076 0,30 0,09     3,84 322 219
29 3,26 1,74 0,79 0,074 0,067 0,29 0,11     3,86 318 215
13 3,30 1,70 0,84 0,072 0,087 0,31 0,47     3,89 318 225
GJL300
CuCr 14 3,27 1,78 0,79 0,063 0,066 0,30 0,50     3,88 322 227
30 3,26 1,73 0,76 0,090 0,068 0,35 0,52     3,87 322 216
31 3,28 1,68 0,77 0,063 0,071 0,30 0,51     3,86 331 228
15 3,33 1,74 0,74 0,061 0,067 0,09 0,60 0,35   3,93 344 240
GJL 300
CuMo 16 3,28 1,85 0,81 0,077 0,062 0,09 0,60 0,36   3,92 360 232
32 3,29 1,72 0,76 0,058 0,060 0,08 0,60 0,37   3,88 347 233
33 3,33 1,70 0,80 0,072 0,067 0,09 0,66 0,38   3,92 331 237
Tab 1: Chemical composition, hardness and strength of test bars in the cast state

Chemical elements content in wt.%

Note: CE = C + 1/3(Si + P)
The average drop in hardness in certain places ranges
approximately from 0 to15 HB or 15 to 45 Sh - Tab 2.
The continuous annealing furnace used does not allow
precise measurement of the heat cycle. The heat cycle period was Tab 2: The change in casting hardness after the heat cycle in
not the same for all the castings as it always corresponded to a foundry conditions
regular working regime in the foundry shop.
After conducting the whole heat cycle, both measurement Point 1 Point 2
methods showed a drop in hardness in all the types of cast iron. Cast iron Wall Δ HB Wall Δ HB
 thickness thickness bars). Every bar was cut into five samples of 30 mm in length.
[mm] [mm] These samples were used for subsequent heat treatment, for the
GJL 200 28 5 25 9 hardness tests and for the metallographic analysis.
GJL 250 31 16 26 8 Fig 2 shows the tensile strength (left scale) and hardness
GJL 300 15 16 35 6 values (right scale) on the test bars in the as-cast state. (as an
average value of all the samples for a particular cast iron). It is
GJL 300 Cu 42 -1 27 4
obvious that alloying the cast iron increased the strength and
GJL 300 Cr 17 9 36 2
hardness in all cases and the influence of the combination of the
GJL 300CuCr 43 12 12 3 Cu Cr or Cu Mo alloying elements is more significant than each
GJL 300CuMo 15 16 36 0 of these elements individually.

*The values of the hardness change are always the average values
from 9 measurements for every cast iron type and a measured
place. The positive values Δ HB show the hardness drop after the
heat cycle.

Hardness values have a significant range of scatter and no

correlation between the types of cast iron or correlation that
would depend on the wall thickness was found. We can merely
state that during the common welding cycle process there is a
hardness drop in almost all the cast iron types. No evident
changes can be found on the microstructures before and after the
heat cycle. Because of the ambiguous conditions of the heat cycle,
the tests were subsequently carried out in the laboratory
conditions.

2.4. The influence of annealing on the Fig 2: The dependence of Rm and HB in the as-cast state
structure and hardness of the cast iron during
The individual parts of the test bars, were annealed in the
heat treatment in the laboratory conditions
laboratory furnace at the temperature of 650 oC. Every 1.5 hrs one
part from each type of the cast iron was taken out of the furnace
The influence of the long-time annealing on the cast iron was
and cooled in open air. The last pieces were taken out of the
examined in the laboratory conditions at the BUT Department of
furnace after annealing for 6 hrs. The Brinell hardness HBW
Foundry Engineering. The purpose of this measurement was to
10/3000 was measured on the grinded front surfaces.
carry out the tests with higher accuracy and in the uniform terms
Grafs on Fig. 3 show dependences of the hardness change on
of the heat treatment for all cast iron assessed, which cannot be
the annealing time for each type of cast iron. Every point is the
obtained in the working conditions.
average of three hardness measurements and every curve in the
Tensile test bars (ø30 mm and 300 mm in length), which are
graph assesses cast iron from a different ladle (not quite uniform
commonly cast during casting manufacture, always one bar from
chemistry – see Tab 1). The graphs show that the scatter of the
each ladle of a particular type of cast iron, were used as samples
values measured between the properties of the individual samples
for every type of cast iron to assess the influence of the annealing
of the same sort of cast iron is rather small, and therefore the
time on the change in hardness. From every cast iron type we
working process stability is quite high. Fig 4 shows the overall
assess four bars from four different ladles. The measurement set
hardness on annealing time dependence. (Sample numbers in the
comprised of 34 samples (for the GJL 300Sn cast iron only two
grafs correspond to casting Nr. in the table 1.)
Fig. 3: Dependence of hardness on annealing time (sign of curves correspond to cast Nr. in table 1)
 sample to the annealing temperature there is a period of a
significant hardness drop. The hardness drop gradually slows
down with the annealing time. The hardness change is connected
to the initial pearlitic structure stability as the subsequent
metallographic analysis proved. Fig. 5 shows that in unalloyed
cast iron, more stable types are those with a higher strength grade.
Hardness stabilizes especially by alloying with chromium or its
combinations with other alloying elements. Alloying with copper
does not ensure structural stability.
The hardness decrease ΔHB by 90, 180, 270 and 360 min
annealing time and average decrease per hour is course of 6 hrs.
annealing is stated in Tab. 3 and represented in fig.6.

Tab. 3: Hardness decrease ΔHB in course of annealing at 650 oC

in the given period of annealing time (in min.)

  ΔHB180- ΔHB270- ΔHB360- avg ΔHB/hr

ΔHB90-0 in course of 6 hrs
0 0 0 annealing 650 oC
GJL 200 7 29 46 61 10,1
GJL 250 5 22 37 50 8,7
GJL 250
Sn 4 11 31 47 8,0
GJL 300 6 19 34 44 7,5
Fig. 4: Cast iron hardness change during annealing GJL 300
Sn 2 4 10 27 4,5
GJL 300
Cu 10 21 39 52 8,7
GJL 300
CuMo 6 18 35 48 8,1
GJL
CuCr 6 13 19 27 4,7
GJL 300
Cr 4 9 17 22 3,7

Fig. 5: Hardness drop rate during annealing at 650 oC

The rate of hardness drop in the assessed cast iron changes Fig. 6: Average hardness decrease ΔHB/hr
during annealing. After a small hardness drop during heating the
3. The influence of annealing on the structure
Metallographic analysis was conducted on the test bar samples for
hardness tests in the state before heat treatment and after
annealing for 6 hrs at the temperature of 650°C. GJL 250 and
particularly GJL 200 cast iron showed a significant transformation
of pearlite and increase of ferrite proportion from the initial 80-90
% to 40-70 % during annealing – fig. 7a-b. The pearlite also
partially transformed into globular form – Fig. 8a-8l. Perlite-ferite
transformation appears after 6 hrs. annealing in non-alloyed iron
sorts and iron alloyed by Sn – fig 8d. Very massiv perlite-ferite
transformation arise by Cu alloyed iron – fig 8f, accompanied by
hardness decrease. Copper adition doesn´t promote perlite
stability nor in combination with molybdenium. Alloying by
chromium separately or combined with copper supports perlite
stability very considerably. Molybdenum influence is similar to
chromium.
No changes either of graphite form or size appear in course of
annealing.

Fig. 7a: GJL 200 - cast state Fig.7b: GJL200-anneal 6 hrs.

Fig. 8a: GJL 300 – as cast Fig.8b: GJL 300 – 6 hrs

Fig.8c: GJL 300 Sn–as cast Fig.8d: GJL 300 Sn –6 hrs

 Fig.8e: GJL 300 Cu – as cast Fig.8f: GJL 300 Cu – 6 hrs.

Fig.8g: GJL 300 Cr – as cast. Fig.8h: GJL 300 Cr -6 hrs.

Fig.8i: GJL 300 CuCr –as cast. Fig.8j: GJL 300 CuCr - 6 hrs.

Fig.8k: GJL 300 CuMo– as cast. Fig.8l: GJL 300 CuMo – 6 hrs.
considerable to structural stability and slows hardness
4. Conclusions
degradation.

Hardness change and structure stability was assessed during

annealing at temperature of 650°C in the interval of 1.5 to 6 hrs
on unalloyed and low-alloyed lamellar graphite iron with the
content of Sn, Cu, Cr and Mo in different combinations. We Acknowledgement
have found that during annealing a partial creation of globular
perlite and ferritic structure occurs. These changes lead to a drop The contribution was worked out with the support of the
in hardness. These changes occur after a short annealing time of specific research project in Brno University of Technology,
1 to 2 hours intensively and they gradually slow down. The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, evidence No FSI-S-19-5981
degradation process is slower in cast iron of higher tensile Výzkum v oblasti rychlého prototypování za pomocí
grades and cast iron with the Sn content. Alloying only with Cu technologie investment casting.
does not ensure improving the structural stability and properties.
Alloying with Cr and combinations of Cr, Mo and Cu leads
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