Technical guide · 2026-08-14
White and Alloyed Cast Iron
White and alloyed cast irons intentionally retain carbide-rich structures for severe abrasion or alloy the matrix for corrosion and heat service, trading machinability and toughness for specialized surface life.
01
Definition and boundary
This group covers wear- and service-alloyed cast irons, not general gray or ductile components; grade must follow the actual abrasion, impact, corrosion and temperature regime.
Reference information only: final acceptance is controlled by the ordered product specification, condition, dimensions and certified test results.
02
How the material system works
Rapid cooling or composition suppresses free graphite and retains carbides.
Chromium-rich carbides resist abrasion.
Nickel and chromium tailor matrix hardenability and thermal or corrosion behavior.
03
Representative grades and systems
| Grade or system | Selection focus | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| ASTM A532 Class III | High-chromium abrasion-resistant cast iron family. | Confirm the governing product specification, delivery condition, section size and acceptance tests before treating designations as interchangeable. |
| Ni-Hard 4 | Nickel-chromium white iron requiring exact specification. | Confirm the governing product specification, delivery condition, section size and acceptance tests before treating designations as interchangeable. |
| ASTM A518 Grade 3 | High-silicon corrosion-resistant iron for defined chemical service. | Confirm the governing product specification, delivery condition, section size and acceptance tests before treating designations as interchangeable. |
04
Properties and trade-offs
Very high abrasion resistance
Low machinability and impact tolerance
Grade-specific corrosion or heat resistance
05
Product forms and supply conditions
06
Applications and selection
Applications and selection
- Mill liners and slurry pumps
- Crusher parts and rolls
- Acid-service and furnace castings
Properties and trade-offs
- Separate low-stress abrasion from impact-abrasion.
- Map required hard depth and attachment method.
- Use corrosion data for the exact chemistry and process stream.
07
Fabrication, durability and inspection
Plan casting-to-size or grinding rather than conventional machining.
Avoid sharp section changes and unsupported impact zones.
Qualify weld attachment or repair with compatible consumables.
08
Procurement checklist
- State wear mechanism, particle size and impact level.
- Define chemistry, hardness profile and microstructure.
- Specify casting soundness, grinding allowance and repair restrictions.
09
Standards, sources and review
Standards and designation context
- Applicable ASTM A04 iron-casting specification
- Buyer drawing and foundry process qualification
- Agreed test-coupon and inspection standard