Causes and Demonstration of Thermal Stress in Castings Made from Gray Iron

Cast iron is a longtime reliable material for the production of heat-treated stressed castings, i.e., those that are long, are cyclically heated, and heat-stressed. The durability of thermally stressed castings used in practice is dependent on the choice of the optimum chemical composition, metallurgy of production, macro- and microstructures, construction, and the way of exploitation. Today, the successful solution of this problem is dominated by simulation programs. The comprehensive analysis of heat stress is very important, i.e., the impacts of various physical quantities on its rise, progress, and size. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of thermal stress mechanisms in gray iron castings, with a particular emphasis on the relationships between the material properties, microstructural characteristics, and component performance under thermal loading conditions. The theoretical foundations are complemented by experimental data, establishing practical guidelines for optimizing cast iron compositions and processing parameters for thermal applications.