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Compacted graphite:
• Low residual magnesium and/or rare
earth’s from poor nodularising practice,
high temperature or long holding times.
• Excess sulphur in the base iron not
balanced by sufficient magnesium.
• Excess titanium in iron from
compacted graphite iron returns.
Exploded graphite:
• Excess rare earth additions,
particularly when high purity charges
are used. Normally found in thick
section castings or at higher carbon
equivalents.
• Sudden drop in base iron sulphur
content from change of raw material
lots (steel scrap, pig iron, recarburiser).
Chunky graphite:
• Excess rare earth additions when high
purity charges are used.
• Low Sulphur to RE ratio.
• Promoted by poor inoculation
(pronounced segregation effects).
• Similar causes as exploded graphite.
Spiky graphite:
• Very small amounts of lead (Pb),
bismuth (Bi), or antimony (Sb) that
have not been neutralized by rare
earth’s. This has a catastrophic effect
on mechanical properties.
• Insufficient addition of rare earth’s to a
contaminated charge.
Nodule alignment:
• Low carbon equivalent.
• Poor inoculation causing hypo-eutectic
solidification and coarse dendrite
structures. Nodule alignment at
dendrite arms.
• High pouring temperatures.