This article discusses the production process, testing methods, quality control, and common defects found in heavy-section ductile iron (DI) castings, along with analyses of industrial examples. The common defects include shrinkage defects, graphite-particle-related defects, and chunk graphite defects. The recommended chemical compositions for certain section thicknesses in ductile iron grades are presented in a table. The article illustrates the relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties of DI by using either industrial examples or castings produced under laboratory conditions.

The International Committee of Foundry Technical Associations has identified seven basic categories of casting defects: metallic projections, cavities, discontinuities, defective surfaces, incomplete casting, incorrect dimension, and inclusions or structural anomalies. This article presents some of the common defects in each of the seven categories in a table. It discusses common defects determined during the examination of samples of ductile cast iron in Elkem's research facility in Norway. The article reviews common defects, such as shrinkage cavities, blowholes, hydrogen pinholes, nitrogen defects, and abnormal graphite morphology, found in gray iron. It concludes with a discussion on surface defects in compacted graphite iron.

This article focuses on the concepts involved in heat-transfer modeling, thermomechanical modeling, and microsegregation modeling of hot tearing. It discusses the modeling of solidification defects, namely, inclusion entrapment, segregation, shrinkage cavities, gas porosity, mold-wall erosion, and hot-tear cracks.

This article is an atlas of fractographs that helps in understanding the causes and mechanisms of fracture of cast aluminum alloys and in identifying and interpreting the morphology of fracture surfaces. The fractographs illustrate the brittle fracture, microvoid coalescence, fatigue striations, and microstructure of these alloys. The components considered include fractured sand-cast carrier trays, broken extension-housing yokes, helicopter tail-rotor drive assemblies, fractured bell-crank fittings, chain-hoist hooks, and automotive connecting rods.

This article is an atlas of fractographs that helps in understanding the causes and mechanisms of fracture of maraging steels and in identifying and interpreting the morphology of fracture surfaces. The fractographs illustrate the tensile-test fracture, low-cycle fatigue fracture, fibrous fracture, crack-initiation zone, microvoid coalescence, fatigue-crack surface, hydrogen embrittlement, and fatigue striations of these steels.