The application of ductile castings in railways and diesel engines

Ductile iron castings are made from ductile cast iron, which is a type of cast iron with properties close to those of steel. Generally, regular iron does not possess the same performance as steel, but the properties of ductile cast iron are essentially the same as steel, making its applications very widespread. The superior performance of ductile iron castings enables their use in many areas.

Applications of Ductile Iron Castings

1. Ductile Iron Parts for Rail Transit and High-Speed Train Equipment (Low-Temperature Ferritic)In recent years, the development of rail transit and high-speed train equipment has been rapid. Many foundries in the country have begun to provide ductile iron castings in bulk to well-known domestic and international rail transit companies, including low-temperature ferritic ductile iron parts for temperatures of -20°C, -40°C, and even -60°C.

2. Crankshafts for High-Power Turbocharged Diesel Engines

Engine crankshafts are typical components of ductile iron applications in our country. Research and development have been early, with a wide range of applications and high production volumes. According to statistics, there are more than 30 medium and large-scale producers of ductile iron crankshafts in China, with an annual production of approximately 450,000 tons of various types of ductile iron crankshafts for engines, exceeding 10 million pieces.

With the development and promotion of turbocharging technology, ordinary grades of ductile iron crankshafts can no longer meet the performance requirements of high-power turbocharged diesel engines; thus, high-strength and high-toughness ductile iron and ADI have been developed.Due to the superior properties of ductile iron castings and their relatively low prices compared to steel, the demand for ductile iron castings is indeed very high.