Effect of rapid solidification on sliding wear of iron castings

2003-Effect of rapid solidification on sliding wear of iron castingsWear 254 (2003) 154–163

Effect of rapid solidification on sliding wear of iron castings
Antoni Władysław Orłowicz∗ , Andrzej Trytek
Foundry and Welding Technology Department, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics, Rzeszów University of Technology, ul. W. Pola 2, Rzeszów 35-959, Poland Received 22 May 2002; received in revised form 7 October 2002; accepted 1 November 2002

Abstract The effect of the surface structure on sliding wear, has been presented for a non-alloyed spheroidal-graphite cast iron. The materials tested were sand castings hardened by foundry methods using chills, bulk hardened by heat treatment or surface hardened through rapid solidification using gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) surface remelting. The material of the surface refined by melting in an argon atmosphere exhibits the lowest intensity of frictional-wear. The effect of the loading force and sliding speed on the wear was determined for this material. The geometric structure of its surface is also analyzed. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Spheroidal cast iron; GTAW process; Surface layer; Sliding wear

1. Introduction Due to their operational characteristics and competitive cost of production compared to other iron alloys, the cast irons find application for making castings in the range of sizes from several millimeters to some tens of meters and masses from several grams to scores of tonnes. Iron castings have a variety of applications. Special operating requirements are expected for many of them. Resistance to a frictional-wear may serve as a good example. Although the magnitude of abrasive wear of iron castings depends on the characteristics of the tribological environment [1], such as the types of abrasive, the relative movement of the wear surface, the loading conditions, the existence of an aggressive chemical species and the relative temperature of the triboenvironment,