3. Malleable cast irons

3.1 Process for obtaining malleable cast irons

Malleable cast irons are obtained using an ancient process designed to improve their malleability. Two distinct heat treatments, applied to white iron castings with final shapes, facilitate this objective:

• the European (Réaumur or white heart) MB process, which focuses on decarburizing the initial cast iron;

• the American (black-core) MN process, focused on precipitating graphite from Fe3C cementite, thus forming a nodular structure.

These processes are deployed on cast irons whose initial composition is rigorously defined.