Online Metals is pleased to announce that we are now carrying cast iron bars!
However, these aren’t just any iron bars, they are Dura-Bar® Cast Ductile Iron and Dura-Bar® Grey Iron.
Dura-Bar®?
As the name implies, the grades of ductile iron are specialty grades designed for high ductility and more. Specifically, these grades offer high wear resistance and strength. This is especially true when compared to other ferrous iron grades. Also, the tensile and yield strengths are comparable to 1040 steel in the “as-rolled” condition.
While, Grey Iron is non ductile, it is extremely durable and easy to machine.
If the material is in many ways comparable, you may wonder why use iron instead of steel?
The answer is simple, lower cost.
The cost of the cast iron bars themselves is affordable. Also, because they are easier to machine than steel, each individual part takes less time and effort to machine. Lastly, the excellent durability of this material mean your parts will last longer and with lower maintenance costs.
Grades
These Dura-Bar® come in three grades: 80-55-06, 65-45-12, and G2.
80-55-06: This grade also offers excellent consistency and ease of machining. 80-55-06 can also be oil-quench hardened at 1600 F (885 C). This raises the exterior hardness of the bar to Rockwell C 50.
65-45-12: Excellent machinability, optimal impact resistance, and high fatigue resistance are the best attributes of this grade. This iron is a good replacement for low-carbon steel grades such as 1018, 1117, 1212, and 12L14. However, this iron is not designed for hardening operations.
G2: The Grey Iron grade, this iron is designed for applications requiring high wear resistance, vibration dampening, and good response to heat treatment. G2 can also be oil-quench hardened at 1600 F (885 C). This raises the exterior hardness of the bar to Rockwell C 50.
Continuous Cast
Part of what makes Dura-Bar® so exceptional is the casting process. This is a specialty process called “Continuous Cast.” Which is a purpose designed crucible filled with molten iron with a die fitted to the bottom. The iron is pulled through the die to bring the material into shape. Dross, slag, and other impurities typical to cast iron float to the top. Because of this, they do not contaminate the bars.
This eliminates most problems inherent to cast iron. Slag, porosity, hard spots, shrinkage, and flashing are all absent from cast iron Dura-Bar®.
Typical Applications
The various positive attributes of these cast iron grades make them popular across a wide range of industries and applications.
Automotive – gears
Fluid Power – cylinder blocks, gerotors, glands, manifolds, pistons, rotors, valves
Machinery – barrel rollers, bushings, chain sheave rollers, chuck bodies, die blocks, flywheels, gear racks, gears, housings, pile drivers, press rams, pulleys, rams, rotary tables, tie rod nuts
Misc – core boxes, dies, disamatic pouring rails, mill liners, pattern plates, plunger pin
Power Transmission – gears, pulleys
Pumps and Compressors – gears, housings, liners, pistols, rotary screws, rotors
Transportation – gears, motorcycle disc brakes, pulleys, rail spacers
Mechanical Properties
- Tensile Strength – 80,000 psi min
- Yield Strength – 55,000 psi min
- Elongation – 6% min
- Tensile Strength – 65,000 psi min
- Yield Strength – 45,000 psi min
- Elongation – 12%
- Tensile Strength – 40,000 psi min
- Yield Strength – N/A, Grey Iron is non ductile
- Elongation – N/A, Grey Iron is non ductile
Chemistry
- Carbon (C) – 3.5-3.9%
- Silicon (Si) – 2.25-3%
- Manganese (Mn) – 0.15-0.35%
- Sulfur (S) – 0.025% max
- Phosphorous (P) – 0.05% max
- Carbon (C) – 3.5-3.9%
- Silicon (Si) – 2.25-3%
- Manganese (Mn) – 0.15-0.35%
- Sulfur (S) – 0.025% max
- Phosphorous – 0.05% max
- Carbon (C) – 2.6-3.75%
- Silicon (Si) – 1.8-3%
- Manganese (Mn) – 0.6-0.95%
- Sulfur (S) – 0.07% max
- Phosphorous – 0.12% max
We carry Dura-Bar® in Cast Iron Round Bar, Cast Iron Square Bar, Cast Iron Rectangular Bar, and Cast Iron Hollowbar.
Would you like to know more?
Perhaps you’d like some specific project examples of how to use Dura-Bar®? Actually, we’ve got a blog post about that very thing!
