Structure and Properties of Carbon Steel Cast by the Ablation Process

Ablation casting is a relatively new casting technique which can improve the mechanical properties of castings. In this paper, the microstructure and mechanical properties of plain carbon steel castings produced by conventional casting and ablation casting techniques were compared. It was found that ablation increased the ultimate strength from 638 to 1094 MPa and tensile elongation increased from approximately 13 to 16% as a result of severe microstructural changes from ferrite and pearlite to acicular ferrite, bainite, and martensite. Ablation increased the core hardness of the casting from 182 to 467 HB and the surface hardness from 205 to 508 HB.