This chapter covers mechanical properties, microstructures, chemical compositions, manufacturing processes, and engineering of gating practices for several applications of gray, white, and alloyed cast irons. It begins with a description of material standards, followed by a section providing information on the practice of stress relieving. Next, the chapter details various ways of eliminating slag entrainment while designing gating and venting systems. Several factors related to the establishment of the optimum pouring rate and time are then covered. Further, the chapter discusses the technology of unalloyed or low-alloyed gray iron castings and white iron and high-alloyed cast irons. Finally, it describes the casting defects that are associated with cast iron and the processes involved in solving these defects. The article includes a number of figures illustrating the topics discussed.

This article covers the metallurgy and properties of gray irons. It describes the classes or grades of gray iron, the types of applications for which they are suited, and the corresponding compositional ranges. It discusses the role of major, minor, and trace elements, how they are added, and how they affect various properties, behaviors, and processing characteristics. It explains how silicon, chromium, and nickel, in particular, improve high-temperature, corrosion, and wear performance.