Class 40 Gray cast iron combines good strength with close-grain structure and has good machinability. Often dismissed as a cheap, dirty, brittle metal; cast iron is getting much more attention and use today because of its machinability, light weight, strength, wear resistance and damping properties.

Can you machine cast iron?

Cast iron remains one of the toughest materials to machine. That’s primarily because it has inconsistencies in its composition and its structure varies, particularly on the outer surface. This leads to significant variations in machinability.

Why does cast iron have a good machinability?

Most cast Iron materials are very brittle, lacking the steel’s ductility, and therefore have a lower quality of mechanical properties. On the other hand, small chips form very easily, making them behave like freecut steel with excellent machinability.