Reducing the nickel content in steel casting

[stanislasdz]

as the nikel price is about 54,000 $ these days !!!

How can steel casting reducing the nickel composition as low as possible without reducing the mechanical proprieties ?

Can Heat treatment sibstitute this garde with a minimal amount of nickel ?

is ther a scientific study on the effect of nickel on the mechanical proprieties ?

 

[CRMagruder]

You need to specify what grade of alloy you want to discuss.

Foundries will reduce the amount of Ni, Cr, and other expensive alloy to the bare minimum as a practice to optimise profit, provided they can still make the required chemical and mechanical properties. The specification for the alloy will limit the minimum amount of Ni that must be present.

Ni is added for toughness, corrosion resistance, low-temperature ductility, and in austenitic stainless alloys it is an "austentite former" that balances against Cr and other "ferrite formers" to make the correct balance of ferrite.

Heat treatment can improve ductility and toughness in some steel alloys, but we need to talk about specifics.

Perhaps a savvy trader could buy Nickel futures as a hedge against the rising price of Ni.

Regards,

Chuck

 

[arunmrao]

Ni prices are affecting the prices of steel castings severely. There are no means of reducing Ni in the alloy for you need to adhere to the specs. The only way foundries can improve their performance is by reducing wastages and better utilization of the foundry returns.

Alternately it is the end user who can specify substitute alloys and foundries have no role to play.

Quote safely,have a stable source of Ni containing scrap if you need to be in this business ,else get out and produce other grades of castings like I am doing now.

" All that is necessary for triumph of evil is that good men do nothing".
Edmund Burke

 

[stanislasdz]

Thanks all..

But in some cases costumers need mechananical proprierties and not chemical composition.

Exemple ; you produce steel casting with the minimal composition in is 1.1 % Ni what about if you reduce this composition to 1% Ni and you can prove to the cosutmer tha will no have any impact on his parts ?

 

[metengr]

stanislasdz;
Adjusting the chemical composition of alloy steel to produce "lean" versus "rich" chemical compositions is commonly done. The problem you will face with customers or end-users like myself is unfortunately liability, if you fall out a range with a particular element (like Ni or other elements).

Material specifications that are under recognized or established international standard are developed to assure minimum properties are obtained for the end-user.

In most material specifications, you have reported min to max ranges or max ranges for alloy elements to allow producing a lean alloy.

Getting an end-user to accept an alloy steel that is not in conformance with a specified chemical composition range is risky, and will not be acceptable to an end-user. In this case, working directly with an end-user to suggest an alternative alloy steel or heat treatment is a better approach.

 

[stanislasdz]

Thank you metengr !!!

 

[arunmrao]

stanisladz,
Altering the chemistry by 0.1% is not going to help you,but might land you in trouble. Try looking for leaner alloys if you must,but whatever you do,have the end user on your side,and if possible get it incorporated in the drawing too!!

" All that is necessary for triumph of evil is that good men do nothing".
Edmund Burke

 

[stanislasdz]

Thanks too arunmrao !