If you are interested in ship engineering, you will find this article useful. Find out all about steel and cast iron in shipbuilding.

Stainless steel

The material is highly corrosion resistant. It is characterised by at least 12% chromium content, which contributes to the formation of a persistent oxide film on the surface that protects the steel from oxidation. It is also weldable, giving the material a robust and corrosion resistant finish. In the marine industry, stainless steel is used as a substitute for non-ferrous metals and alloys in the manufacture of propeller shaft liners, turbine blades and other parts.

Non-magnetic steel

It has low magnetic permeability. The non-magnetic steel exhibits low permeability as a result of the high alloying activity using nickel and manganese. When chromium in excess of 13% is added, the steel acquires additional corrosion and acid resistance properties. Non-magnetic steel is used in shipbuilding to manufacture hulls and components for navigational instruments and equipment.

Clad steel

Carbon or low-alloy structural steel coated with a thin layer of stainless steel. Such steel, having high strength of the base material, is corrosion-resistant and at the same time saves expensive and scarce nickel;

Heat resistant steel

Steel alloyed with chrome, silicon and aluminium, it does not oxidise and thanks to the presence of molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium and other impurities, it is highly resistant to mechanical stress when operating at high temperatures.

Wear steel

This steel contains 1.0-1.3% carbon and 11.0%-14.0% manganese, and is used in die-castings for wear parts, like dredge and precious metal parts.

Grey cast irons

Grey cast iron is widely used in shipbuilding because of its good casting qualities and relative ease of machining. Pig-iron castings are cheaper than steel ones and are used for manufacture of propellers, bollards and details of ship facilities.

Modified cast iron

Widely used in shipbuilding are modified pig-iron with alloying agents which increase mechanical properties of the castings. Portholes, propellers, cylindrical bushings, etc. are made from this cast iron.

Forged iron

It is a kind of specialised grey cast iron. It is made by carrying out lengthy heat treatment (annealing), moulding brittle white cast iron. This treatment gives the cast iron a certain ductility - impact resistance and less brittleness when subjected to mechanical action. Ductile cast iron parts are widely used in ship systems.