Choosing the Right Casting Material: Iron, Steel, Nickel Alloys & More

Choosing the right casting material for your project is one of the most important decisions you can make for the success of your operation. The material you select will directly impact your component’s performance, durability, cost, and overall quality. Whether you are manufacturing parts for construction, automotive, energy, or general industrial applications, understanding the differences between common casting materials can help you make an informed choice.

In this blog, we’ll break down the key casting materials used in manufacturing today, their common applications, and what factors to consider when selecting the best option for your project.

Why Casting Material Matters

Castings are used in a wide variety of industries to create components with complex shapes and superior mechanical properties. Choosing the wrong material can lead to premature failure, higher maintenance costs, and performance limitations. The right material ensures that your part will withstand stress, resist wear, and meet the demands of its intended application.

At Quaker City Castings, we specialize in a variety of casting materials, including iron, steel, and high-performance nickel alloys. Each offers unique properties suited for different needs.

Common Casting Materials Explained

Metal casted gears

Iron Castings

Iron is one of the most widely used casting materials thanks to its affordability, excellent wear resistance, and vibration-dampening characteristics. Cast iron comes in several forms, including gray iron, ductile iron, and white iron. Gray iron is often used for machinery bases, engine blocks, and housings where strength and vibration resistance are important. Ductile iron, on the other hand, offers improved toughness and is often selected for applications involving moderate impact or bending stresses.

Steel Castings

Steel is a versatile material favored for its high strength, toughness, and impact resistance. Carbon steels and alloy steels are commonly used to produce parts exposed to heavy loads, high stress, or harsh environments. Steel castings are frequently chosen for structural components, gears, valves, and other critical parts. They also offer excellent weldability and machinability, making them a flexible choice for many manufacturing applications.

Stainless Steel Castings

Stainless steel is widely chosen for its corrosion resistance and ability to withstand harsh environments. It is used in food processing, medical devices, marine equipment, and chemicalprocessing due to its ability to resist rust and contamination. Various stainless steel grades provide enhanced strength, temperature resistance, or wear resistance, depending on the application.

Nickel Alloy Castings

Nickel alloys are the preferred choice when exceptional strength, heat resistance, or corrosion resistance is required. These alloys are often found in energy, chemical processing, and marine applications. Nickel alloys can maintain their integrity in extreme environments, including high temperatures and corrosive atmospheres, making them ideal for demanding applications where failure is not an option.

Other Materials

Beyond iron, steel, and nickel alloys, many manufacturers also use bronze, aluminum, copper alloys, and other specialty metals depending on the application. Aluminum castings are valued for their lightweight properties, making them suitable for automotive and aerospace components. Bronze and copper alloys offer excellent corrosion resistance and thermal conductivity, often used in bearings, bushings, and marine parts.

Alloy Types Produced by Quaker City Castings

Quaker City Castings offers a comprehensive selection of iron, steel, stainless steel, and nickel-based alloys to meet the demands of various industries.

Nickel-Based Alloys:

  • HC 250 (ASTM A532)
  • CW12MW (ASTM A494), CW2M (ASTM A494), CW6MC (ASTM A494), CW7M (ASTM A494)
  • Hastelloy (ASTM A494)
  • Heat Resistant Nickel Base Alloys: 400, 401, 404, K-500, 405, 600, 617, 625, 690, 718, X-750

Gray Iron:

  • CL-30, CL-35, CL-40, CL-50
  • HC 250 (ASTM A532)
  • White Iron (ASTM A532)

Ductile Iron:

  • 60-40-18, 60-45-10, 60-45-12, 65-45-12 (2% Cr.), 80-60-03, 80-60-03 (CHR), 100-70-03
  • D2, D2B, D3, D3A, D4, D5, D5B (ASTM A439)
  • Type 1 NR, Type 2 NR, Type 3 NR, Type 4 NR, Type 5 NR (ASTM A436)

Carbon & Alloy Steel:

  • 1010, 1015, 1020, 1025, 1030, 1035, 1040, 1045, 1050
  • 4130, 4140, 4150, 4320, 4330, 4340, 8040, 8050, 8615, 8620, 8630, 8640, 9060
  • A487 Gr.4 Mod., NiCu Steel
  • WC1, WC4, WC6, WC9 (ASTM A217)

High-Strength Cast Steel (ASTM A148 & A487):

  • 105-85 (8Q & 13Q), 115-95, 120-95 (14Q), 120-100, 135-125, 150-125
  • 2N, 4A,B,C,D,E,N,Q, 8Q, 9A,B,C,N,Q, 10Q (ASTM A487)

Stainless Steel & Heat-Resistant Alloys (ASTM A351 & A297):

  • 420, 420 M.S.S, 431 M.S.S
  • C5, C12, CA6NM (ASTM A487 NiCrMo), CA15 (410), CA40
  • CD3MN (2205), CD4MCU (2505), CE3MN (2507), CF3 (304L), CF3M (316L), CF8 (304), CF8C, CF8M (316), CF10M, CF16F, CG3M, CG8M
  • CH13, CH20, CK20, CN3MN (Duplex), CN7M (Duplex)• HF, HH, HH2, HJ, HK, HN, HH HT, HU, HX (ASTM A297)

How to Choose the Right Casting Material

The right casting material depends on your project’s unique requirements. First, you need to assess the mechanical demands of the part, including the loads, stresses, and temperatures it will experience during operation. For components exposed to extreme heat or heavy mechanical loads, materials like steel or nickel alloys may be the most suitable, whereas parts operating under lower stress could benefit from the cost-effectiveness of iron or aluminum.

Environmental exposure also plays a major role. If the casting will operate in a corrosive or chemically aggressive environment, nickel alloys, stainless steel, or bronze may be necessary to ensure long-term durability. In contrast, if the component is used in a less demanding setting, you may prioritize other properties like machinability or affordability.

Weight is another factor to consider, especially for industries that value lightweight components, such as automotive or aerospace. In these cases, aluminum or certain copper alloys might be the right fit. However, you also have to balance performance against cost. Higher-performance materials often carry a higher upfront price, so the key is to find the best combination of performance and value for your specific application.

Lastly, consider whether the part will require further machining after casting. Some materials are more machinable than others, which can save time and reduce manufacturing costs during the finishing process.

Partnering with an experienced foundry like Quaker City Castings ensures that all of these factors are carefully evaluated. Our team will work closely with you to select the optimal material for your project, ensuring the best possible outcome in terms of quality, performance, and cost-effectiveness.

Work with Experts to Get It Right

Material selection is more than just a technical decision, it’s a strategic investment in the success of your project. At Quaker City Castings, we offer expertise in casting a wide range of materials for diverse industries. Whether you need a single prototype or full-scale production, we can help you navigate the complexities of material selection and deliver castings that meet your exact specifications.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your next project.