Improvement of ductile iron wear resistance through local surface reinforcement

Ductile iron (DI) or spheroidal graphite cast iron is an attractive ferrous material being widely used due to its combination of low cost and good combination of strength, toughness and fatigue endurance. However, under severe service conditions, experienced in seashore, earth-moving and mining applications the performance and reliability of DI are limited due to its poor wear resistance. Wear resistance of DI can be improved through different heat treatment and surface engineering techniques, each having some limitations and drawbacks. Recently, a new method called OPTICA has been introduced, which through local reinforcement with inserts improves wear resistance of ductile iron without compromising other properties.