Elkem inoculants for improved cast iron quality

Improve your cast iron quality with Elkem inoculants. For many years, Elkem’s flagship inoculant has been the world famous Superseed^® inoculant, probably still the most widely used in the production of grey iron globally. Today we have a portfolio of inoculants designed to cover a wide range of applications even in the most challenging cast iron segments.

Inoculants are FeSi based alloys which contain carefully balanced amounts of active elements designed to control the microstructure and mechanical properties of cast irons.

Alinoc® inoculant

This powerful ductile iron inoculant is also a ferrite promoter. By generating a high nodule number, the consequent graphite expansion will minimise shrinkage porosity. It is especially potent when used on ferritic and mixed ferrite / pearlite grades. Alinoc^®inoculant is available as both ladle and stream inoculant. It is also used in ultra-low aluminium grey irons to promote type A graphite.

• Potent ferrite promoting inoculant in ductile iron
• More potent than conventional Ca-bearing inoculants
• More cost-effective than other Ca-bearing inoculants
• Can be used in both grey and ductile irons
• Very effective inoculant and preconditioner in low Al grey iron

Barinoc® inoculant

These inoculants are available as 67 and 75% Si-based ferroalloys with defined levels of barium and calcium. Barinoc^®was developed especially for inoculation of medium to heavy section castings due to its good fade resistance. It is an excellent chill remover in both grey and ductile irons. Due to its fading resistance, you can use it for medium to heavy section castings with longer cooling times. It helps you to minimise nodule count and size variations between thin and thick section castings. It is also the preferred inoculant for use as a first step in a two-step inoculation process, giving maximum effect in conjunction with a carefully selected second stage inoculant.

• Fade resistant inoculant
• Used in grey and ductile iron
• Very effective in low S grey iron
• Changes slag formation in ductile iron
• Effective inoculant for alloyed irons such as Ni-resist
• Especially effective as a preconditioner or as first step inoculation in a two-stage inoculation process

Foundrisil® inoculant

Foundrisil^®inoculants are available as 67 and 75 % Si-based ferroalloys containing optimised amounts of calcium and barium to give very effective control of chill in grey and ductile irons. They are particularly useful in grey iron of lower sulphur content where many inoculants become less effective. In grey iron of normal sulphur content (> 0.06% S), Foundrisil^®inoculant is a very effective, economic product for reducing chill. Addition rates can often be reduced by up to one third when substituting it for conventional Ca-bearing ferrosilicon. ln grey iron of lower sulphur content, Foundrisil^®inoculant gives effective chill control. This is of particular advantage to foundries producing grey and ductile iron from the same base melt.

• More potent than conventional Ca-bearing inoculants in grey and ductile irons
• More cost effective than other Ca-bearing inoculants
• Optimum Ca and Ba contents minimise dross
• Can be used in grey, compacted graphite and ductile irons
• Especially effective in grey irons of lower sulphur content

Pipeinoc® mould powder & chute inoculant

• Pipeinoc^®mould powders are a family of speciality powders that are designed to reduce surface defects, facilitate pipe extraction and extend mould life, thus improving overall casting productivity and costs.
• The Pipeinoc^®chute inoculants are designed to control chill in ductile iron pipes and can reduce energy usage during heat treatment.
• Our Technical team and R&D department can evaluate your needs and propose you the right products.

Reseed® inoculant

This inoculant is a powerful alloyed material containing cerium and calcium as the main active elements. It is particularly effective in irons of low base nucleation (e.g. pure Mg process produced irons), in combination with Lamet^®nodularisers and in low sulphur grey irons. High nodule number, low chilling tendency and the promotion of a ferritic structure are the predominant features of this inoculant.

Reseed^®inoculant is produced by Elkem who recognised the need for a product which you can use as the sole inoculant in foundries making both grey and ductile irons.  Keeping the base sulphur content of the grey iron at the low end of the spectrum,  helps with the segregation of return metal.

• High potency inoculant for ductile iron and low sulphur grey iron
• Promotes good nodularity and higher nodule number in thicker section ductile iron castings
• Effective on ductile irons produced from both MgFeSi processes and low nucleation, pure Mg processes
• Helps to prevent graphite reversion to flake near to the mould surface in ductile iron
• Helps to prevent micro-shrinkage in ductile iron

SMZ® inoculant

This good quality, general-purpose inoculant is suited to all cast irons. It contains elements that give a low melting point for the alloy. This aids solution in cast irons treated at the lower end of the temperature range. The rapid solution makes this an ideal inoculant for in-stream applications. You can use SMZ^®as the single inoculant producing a variety of cast iron grades.

It is perhaps the oldest trade name for an inoculant that is still in use today. Originally produced by Union Carbide, the ferroalloy is now made at Elkem plants in Norway and Canada, along with production of other quality inoculants, such as Superseed^®inoculant.

• Grey and ductile iron inoculant
• Low melting point alloy to assist solution at low pouring temperature
• Ideally suited to late metal stream (MSI) applications
• Narrow chemical and sizing limits for maximum consistency
• Effective for nitrogen control

Superseed® inoculant

Superseed^®inoculant is a specially refined grade of ferrosilicon which has become recognised throughout the world as the most effective inoculant for the elimination of chill in grey iron. Its powerful action is obtained through the presence of small amounts of strontium in its composition.

Unlike most other ferrosilicon inoculants, it does not require the presence of aluminium and calcium to develop its full effect. In fact, small amounts of calcium, seriously reduce the nucleation efficiency of Sr-containing inoculants and are therefore kept at very low levels during its manufacture. Superseed^®inoculant is a classic example of fundamental research by an independent organisation and development by an experienced manufacturer into a major product with worldwide sales.

• Promotes less shrinkage than other inoculants
• Gives maximum chill reduction in grey iron
• Extremely effective inoculant for ductile iron when a low Rare Earth containing nodulariser is used
• Low reactive element content gives less dross and less risk of pinholes
• Cost-effective due to low addition rate

Ultraseed® Bi inoculant

Ultraseed® Bi inoculant is designed for use with pure Mg treated ductile irons which have a very low nucleation level post-nodularisation. This does not, however, preclude use in MgFeSi treated irons. Ultraseed® Bi inoculant may be used in all section sizes from small automotive parts to wind energy applications. The product is based on Elkem’s patented coating inoculant technology.

• Generates high nodule density
• Promotes ferrite
• Powerful chill reducer
• May be used on ductile irons produced with pure Mg methods
• May be used on irons treated with MgFeSi

Ultraseed® Ce inoculant

Ultraseed^®Ce is a powerful inoculant designed for use in low nucleation potential irons, especially those low in base sulphur or made with violent nodularisation processes. Ultraseed^®Ce is also extremely effective where micro-shrinkage porosity is difficult to eliminate.

It contains small and controlled amounts of sulphur and oxygen in a form that makes them available for reaction with the calcium and cerium in the inoculant during addition to liquid iron. This special composition is designed to give you highly powerful graphite nucleation and generation of additional late-stage nodules in ductile irons, along with very effective chill reduction.

• More potent than conventional ferrosilicon-based inoculants
• Gives high nodule count and powerful chill reduction
• Reduces shrinkage tendency more than other inoculants
• Gives powerful effect in low-sulphur irons and irons of a “dead” nature
• Improves tensile properties and machinability for ferritic ductile irons

Ultraseed® Zr inoculant

Ultraseed^®Zr inoculant is the Rare Earth free alternative to the highly successful cerium containing version, Ultraseed^®Ce. Using the same technology of adding the necessary elements for nucleation, oxygen and sulphur, at the inoculation stage, Ultraseed^®Zr generates high nodule counts, excellent chill removal and is effective in irons made by any nodularising process.

It contains levels of calcium, zirconium and aluminium that are optimised to minimise chill and provide a high number of graphite nucleation sites in the iron.

• More potent than conventional ferrosilicon-based inoculants
• Gives high nodule count and powerful chill reduction
• Effective on ductile irons produced from pure Mg and MgFeSi processes
• Provides good nodule structure in heavy section ferritic ductile iron
• Rare Earth free inoculant

Vaxon® inoculant

Vaxon^®inoculant is a medium potency material produced to the same exacting standards as all other Elkem inoculants. Its defined content of active elements calcium and aluminium ensures that it consistently performs much better than standard ferrosilicon, giving reliable chill reduction and improved graphite morphology in less critical applications.

Note: Vaxon^®is sold as Foundry Grade (FG) Ferrosilicon in the North American market

Zircinoc® inoculant

You can use this excellent general-purpose inoculant in grey, compacted graphite or ductile cast irons. Zircinoc^®is widely used in foundries either as a ladle addition or in-stream and gives good chill removal and graphite morphology.

It is a Si-based ferroalloy containing carefully controlled amounts of the active elements zirconium, calcium and aluminium. This gives you good control of chill in both grey and ductile irons and enhances the formation of refined graphite morphology. Zircinoc^®inoculant is particularly effective in medium to high sulphur grey irons and finds extensive application in ductile iron.

• More potent than other foundry grade inoculants in grey and ductile irons
• Applicable over a wide range of foundry conditions
• Fade resistant
• Easily soluble even at lower casting temperatures
• Suitable for late metal stream applications

Note: We have a wide range of product portfolio. For product features, technical information and user manuals that you cannot find on our site, please contact us via our central phone number or E-mail below. Our product specialists will answer your questions as soon as possible.

Ekspert Mümessillik Tur. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.

Phone : (216) 573 3888 E-Mail: info@expert.com.tr