Ductile iron is finding increasing application for a very wide range of components in which it can replace gray iron because of its superior properties. Examples of automotive applications are crankshafts, exhaust manifolds, piston rings, and cylinder liners. The use of ductile iron in these applications provides increased strength and permits weight savings. Gray iron spun pipes have been largely superseded by ductile iron pipes having a high degree of ductility and thinner walls, and many fittings are also made of this material. In agricultural and earth-moving applications, bracket, couplings, rollers, hydraulic valves, sprocket wheels, and track components of improved strength and toughness are made of ductile iron. General engineering applications include hydraulic cylinders, mandrels, machine frames, switch gear, rolling mill rolls, tunnel segments, low-cost rolls, bar stock, rubber molds, street furniture such as covers and frames, and railway rail-clip supports. For these applications, ductile iron has provided increased performance or weight savings.

Ductile iron can be used to replace many more expensive components previously made in wrought or cast steels or other metals because of its higher strength-to-weight ratio, lower damping capacity, better machinability, and better castability. Examples include brake caliper and cylinders, steering gear and other safety-critical components, turbochargers, connecting rods, gear boxes and gears, valve bodies, pump components, bulldozer parts, nuclear fuel containers and transporters, bridge rollers and railing supports, coal and mineral crushing components, crane wheels, oil well equipment, mining roof supports, overhead switchgear, shaft and spindles, railway axle boxes and fittings for rolling stock, and low-pressure turbine casings.

Advantages of Ductile Iron Casting
Ductile Iron Casting provides Higher Tensile Strength, Less Deflection Under Load Conditions, No Straightning Required in Most Instances, No Problems With Hot Tears and Cracks, Good Machinability, Easier Feeding of Difficult Designs...

Typical Applications for Ductile Iron Casting
Ductile Iron Casting is particularly well suited for Valves, Pump - Gears and Rollers, Spring Hangers, Suspension Parts, Wheel Hubs, Bearing Caps, Hardware, Universal Joints, Threadless Connectors and Flanges, Various Automotive and Agricultural Items.

Ductile iron gears have performed well in non-critical engineering and agricultural applications, but austempered ductile iron offers a combination of strength, fatigue properties, and wear resistance that makes it of great interest for heavy engineering and automotive gears - applications in which the use of austempered ductile iron is likely to increase. Many new engineering components are likely to be amenable to design with ductile iron.