Gray iron has been produced
in various forms for thousands of years, making it the
most recognized type of cast iron. Gray irons can be
alloyed to increase strength and hardness while cast,
or to increase their response to heat treatment. Gray
iron castings can be machined easily and are used for
damping or controlling vibration in a variety of applications.
The mechanical properties of gray iron are determined
by the combined effect of its chemical composition,
processing technique in the foundry, and the solidification
and cooling rates. Properties of gray iron castings
are affected by its shape, size and wall thickness as
well as on the iron that is used to pour it.
