Steel Casting

Rapid prototyping for
steel castings

What is Steel Casting?

Cast steel is a form of casting involving different steel grades. Cast steel can be used when cast iron does not provide the required level of strength. This is formed by pouring molten steel into a mould. Castings will be shaped according to the product that needs to be produced. The steel casting process is performed only by metalworking specialists.

As a casting material, steel is undoubtedly a master of diversification. This is due to its special composition of iron, carbon and other alloying elements. For your steel castings, we can also individually adjust the chemical composition of the material to your requirements. In addition, heat treatment allows us to adjust the material to your specifications with high precision.

Properties of cast steel

Cast steel can be produced with a variety of properties. The physical properties of cast steel can vary significantly depending on chemical composition and heat treatment. They are selected to meet the performance requirements of the intended application.

Hardness
The ability of a material to withstand wear. The carbon content determines the maximum attainable hardness of the steel, ie the hardenability.

Strength
The amount of force required to deform the material. Higher carbon content and hardness result in steel with higher strength.

Ductility
The ability of a metal to deform under tensile stress. Lower carbon content and lower hardness result in steel with higher ductility.

Toughness
ability to withstand stress. Increased ductility is generally associated with better toughness. Toughness can be adjusted by addition of alloy metals and heat treatment.

Wear Resistance
The resistance of the material to friction and use. Cast steel exhibits similar wear resistance to forged steel of similar composition. Adding alloying elements such as molybdenum and chromium can increase wear resistance.

Corrosion Resistance
Ability of a material to resist oxidation and rust. Cast steel has similar corrosion resistance properties to forged steel. High-alloy steels with high chromium and nickel contents are highly resistant to oxidation.

Machinability
Steel castings can easily change shape by removing material through machining (cutting, grinding or drilling). Machinability is affected by hardness, strength, thermal conductivity and thermal expansion.

Solderability
The ability to weld steel castings without defects. Weldability mainly depends on the chemical composition and heat treatment of steel castings.

High Temperature Performance
Steel operating at temperatures above ambient can suffer from reduced mechanical properties and early failure due to oxidation, hydrogen damage, sulfite scaling and carbide instability.

Low Temperature Characteristics
The toughness of cast steel is severely reduced at low temperatures. Alloying and specialized heat treatments can improve the ability of castings to withstand loads and stresses.

Advantages of steel castings

Steel castings are widely used in many industries. These are also used in household and commercial products. It has become popular and in demand due to the advantages it offers.

Reliable
Steel castings are reliable. With its strength and durability, the parts produced are not easily damaged. It promises longevity to the industry it serves.

Economic Benefits
The price of cast steel is competitive in the market as compared to other castings. You can find them at reasonable prices and still get the same quality and durability you’ve come to expect.

Design Flexibility
With steel castings, you can create even the most complex and unique shapes, designs and forms you require. This is easy to shape and deform if needed. The flexibility of cast steel is ideal for any industry that requires unique and durable castings.

Adaptability
Cast steel can go through any desired process. It adapts well to different chemistries, heat and other procedures required to produce components.

Types of cast steel

There are many types of cast steel. According to the chemical composition, cast steel is divided into two categories. These are carbon cast steel and alloy cast steel.

carbon steel

Carbon steel is a special type of steel. Because it contains a higher concentration of carbon. It also has low carbon steel, medium carbon steel and high carbon steel. With this, it provides more benefits to the users. Carbon steel is stronger and more durable than ordinary steel. It is more resistant to pressure, but can still crack if overexposed. This type of cast steel is used in construction, automotive, and many other industries.

Generally speaking, low carbon steel ZG15 has a higher melting point, but poor casting performance. It is only used in the manufacture of motor parts or carburized parts.

The overall performance of medium carbon steel ZG25~ZG45 is higher than that of various cast irons. That is, it has high strength, excellent plasticity and toughness. Therefore, it is suitable for the manufacture of parts with complex shapes, high strength and toughness requirements. Such as gear trains, forging hammer frames and anvils, rolls, high-pressure valves, etc. It is the most widely used type of carbon cast steel.

High carbon steel ZG55 has a low melting point. Its castability is better than that of medium carbon steel. But its plasticity and toughness are poor. It is only used to make a few wearing parts.

alloy steel

Alloy steels are formed when elements consisting of metals and non-metals are combined with carbon steel. These are used in many industries such as mining, automotive, road construction and many more. Alloy steels are used not only for large components, but also for the manufacture of small and basic household appliances.

According to the total amount of alloying elements, alloy cast steel can be divided into two categories: low alloy steel and high alloy steel.

Low alloy cast steel. my country mainly uses manganese series, manganese silicon series and chromium series. Such as ZG40Mn, ZG30MnSi1, ZG30Cr1MnSi1, etc. Used to make gears, hydraulic press working bearings and hydraulic parts ZG40Cr1 is often used to make high-strength gears, high-strength shafts and other important stress-bearing parts.
High alloy cast steel. It has special properties such as wear resistance, heat resistance or corrosion resistance. Such as high manganese steel ZGMn13. It is a wear-resistant steel. It is mainly used in the manufacture of parts used in dry friction conditions. Such as the front wall and bucket teeth of the excavator grab, the track of the tractor and the tank, etc. Chromium-nickel stainless steel ZG1Cr18Ni9 and chromium stainless steel ZG1Cr13, ZGCr28, etc. High corrosion resistance. Acid is mainly used in the manufacture of chemical, petroleum, chemical fiber, food and other equipment parts.

In contrast, while both types of steel are useful and in demand, their properties are completely opposite. Alloy steel is more corrosion resistant than carbon steel. But it is not as strong and durable as carbon steel. There are many different properties and elements between carbon steel and alloy steel. But in the end, both are very useful for many industries and industries.

Application of steel castings

Steel castings are effective in many applications. Therefore, it becomes a hot item in the market. Its worldwide popularity is still growing.

railway locomotive

Steel castings are used in many critical components of railroad locomotives. You’ll likely find them in components like side frames, wheels, couplers, and support pads.

Power station equipment

Different components of thermal and nuclear power plants use steel castings to ensure durability and efficiency. Cast steel has properties that make it a reliable component in this industry.

Construction Equipment

The construction industry requires tools and equipment that can withstand high stress and pressure. Therefore, cast steel is well suited for the manufacture of construction equipment and components such as wheels, load bearing wheels, etc.

mining equipment

Mining is a fragile industry. Everything used in its operations must be durable and provide safety and security for employees. Steel castings are carefully used to manufacture the equipment required by the industry.

Aerospace equipment

Even long ago, steel castings were used in different aerospace equipment. Some critical components used in aerospace are made of cast steel, such as engine mounts, brake support plates, etc.

agricultural machinery

Many agricultural machines work in harsh conditions, which makes steel castings very efficient.

FAQs

Can investment casting also be used to cast steel?

Yes, ceramic molds can be used for investment casting of all common steel alloys. The ceramic molds produced by Minghe are particularly heat-resistant and can withstand temperatures of 1,800°C or higher.

Which materials can be used at high temperatures?

For operating temperatures up to approx. 820°C: Ferritic SiMo cast iron, e.g. GJS-SiMo 40-6
At higher temperatures up to 950°C: Austenitic cast irons such as GJSA-XNiSiCr35-5-2, also known as D5S
In the range up to 1,000°C and slightly above 1,000°C: high-alloy, austenitic heat-resistant steels, e.g. 1.4849 to 1,100°C, or nickel-based alloys, e.g. Inconel 625 up to 1,050°C

Is Minghe also developing new alloys?

Minghe also works with customers, development partners and suppliers to develop new alloys. Of course, we also modify the alloys according to customer requirements by specially adapting individual alloy components. Therefore, the properties of the alloy can be tailored to its intended use.

Cast Steel Manufacturers and Suppliers

Cast Steel Manufacturers and Suppliers
Minghe is a leading manufacturer and supplier of stainless steel investment castings. Our company is located in Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, China, and the company has been providing customers with the best products and services. Our products and services involve different materials, including carbon steel, alloy steel aluminum and so on. We can produce castings for different industries such as agriculture, construction, railways, etc. Any castings needed, Minghe will surely provide them with the highest quality and efficiency.