Comparison of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Cast Steel Carried out on Cast-on Samples and Samples Cast Separately

The results of microstructure examinations and UTS, YS, El, RA carried out on low-carbon cast steel containing 0.15% C. The tests were carried out on specimens cut out from samples cast on a large-size casting and from samples cast in separate foundry moulds. It has been shown that significant differences in grain size observed in the material of the separately cast samples and cast-on samples occur only in the as-cast. In the as-cast state, in materials from different tests, both pearlite percent content in the structure and mean true interlamellar spacing remain unchanged. On the other hand, these parameters undergo significant changes in the materials after heat treatment. The mechanical properties (after normalization) of the cast-on sample of the tested cast steel were slightly inferior to the values obtained for the sample cast in a separate foundry mould. The microscopic examinations of the fracture micro-relief carried out by SEM showed the presence of numerous, small non-metallic inclusions, composed mainly of oxide-sulphides containing Mn, S, Al, Ca and O, occurring individually and in clusters.