GM190 Cast Steel: Properties, Uses, and Expert Recommendations

If you’re working on projects that need strong, shapeable steel—like heavy machinery parts, construction components, or automotive engine parts—GM190 cast steel is a top choice. This cast steel balances castability, strength, and durability, but how does it perform in real-world scenarios? This guide breaks down its key traits, applications, and comparisons to other materials, so you can make informed decisions for your projects.

1. Material Properties of GM190 Cast Steel

GM190’s value lies in its ability to be cast into complex shapes while maintaining reliable mechanical performance. Let’s explore the properties that define its usability.

1.1 Chemical Composition

The chemical composition of GM190 is tailored for castability and strength (per industry standards):

1.2 Physical Properties

These physical properties make GM190 suitable for casting and real-world use:

• Density: 7.85 g/cm³ (consistent with most structural steels)
• Melting point: 1420 – 1460°C (low enough for easy casting into complex molds)
• Thermal conductivity: 45 W/(m·K) at 20°C (prevents overheating in high-use parts)
• Specific heat capacity: 460 J/(kg·K)
• Coefficient of thermal expansion: 13.2 × 10⁻⁶/°C (20 – 100°C, minimizes warping during cooling)

1.3 Mechanical Properties

GM190’s mechanical traits balance strength and workability for cast parts:

• Tensile strength: 600 – 750 MPa
• Yield strength: ≥ 350 MPa
• Elongation: ≥ 18% (enough flexibility to avoid breaking under moderate loads)
• Hardness: 180 – 240 HB (Brinell scale, adjustable via heat treatment)
• Impact resistance: ≥ 40 J at -20°C (handles cold-weather shocks, like mining equipment in freezing conditions)
• Fatigue resistance: ~280 MPa (suitable for parts under repeated light loads, e.g., engine components)
• Wear resistance: Good (chromium content reduces wear from friction, ideal for gears or bearings)

1.4 Other Properties

• Corrosion resistance: Moderate (needs coatings like paint or galvanizing for outdoor use)
• Castability: Excellent (fluidity allows casting into complex shapes, e.g., engine blocks or crusher jaws)
• Machinability: Good (can be milled or turned to precise tolerances after casting)
• Magnetic properties: Ferromagnetic (works with magnetic inspection tools for casting defects)
• Ductility: Moderate (can be bent slightly without cracking, useful for adjusting cast parts)
• Toughness: High (resists brittle fracture, critical for heavy equipment parts like excavator buckets)

2. Applications of GM190 Cast Steel

GM190’s castability and strength make it ideal for parts that are hard to shape with other methods. Here are its most common uses, with real examples:

• General construction:
• Structural components: Custom-shaped brackets for high-rise building steel frames. A Chinese construction firm used GM190 for a skyscraper’s beam connectors—its castability let them create unique shapes to fit tight spaces.
• Beams and columns: Small cast columns for heritage building restorations (needs matching historical shapes).
• Mechanical engineering:
• Machine parts: Gear housings for industrial conveyors. A German factory uses GM190 for its conveyor gear housings—castability allows integrated mounting points, reducing assembly time.
• Shafts and axles: Short, thick axles for small machinery (e.g., woodworking tools).
• Automotive industry:
• Engine components: Small cast parts like oil pump housings. A Japanese carmaker uses GM190 for its compact car oil pumps—castability reduces part count from 3 to 1, cutting costs.
• Transmission parts: Gear selector housings (complex internal channels for fluids).
• Industrial machinery:
• Gears: Large, low-speed gears for cement mixers. An Italian machinery brand uses GM190 for its mixer gears—wear resistance handles abrasive cement dust.
• Bearings: Cast bearing housings for factory motors (integrated lubrication channels).
• Railway industry:
• Locomotive components: Brake caliper housings for freight trains. A Russian railway firm uses GM190 for its locomotive brakes—toughness resists vibration and heavy loads.
• Railway tracks: Cast rail joiners for curved tracks (needs custom shapes to fit curves).
• Mining and heavy equipment:
• Excavator parts: Bucket teeth and arm hinges. An Australian mining equipment maker uses GM190 for excavator bucket teeth—wear resistance lasts 2x longer than carbon steel.
• Crusher components: Jaw plates for rock crushers. A South African mine uses GM190 for its crusher jaws—toughness handles hard rock impacts.

3. Manufacturing Techniques for GM190 Cast Steel

Turning GM190 into usable parts relies on precise casting and post-processing steps:

3.1 Casting Processes

• Sand casting: The most common method. GM190 molten steel is poured into sand molds (cheap for large, simple parts like columns or gear housings).
• Investment casting: Used for complex, precise parts (e.g., engine components). A wax model is coated in ceramic, melted out, and replaced with molten GM190—creates tight tolerances.
• Die casting: Rarely used for GM190 (high melting point), but done for small, thin parts (e.g., bearing caps) with metal molds.

3.2 Heat Treatment

Heat treatment refines GM190’s properties after casting:

• Annealing: Heated to 800 – 850°C, slow cooling. Reduces internal stress from casting and softens steel for machining.
• Normalizing: Heated to 850 – 900°C, air cooling. Improves strength and uniformity for load-bearing parts like shafts.
• Quenching and tempering: Heated to 830 – 860°C (quenched in oil), then tempered at 500 – 600°C. Increases hardness for wear-prone parts like crusher jaws.

3.3 Fabrication Methods

• Machining: Milling (shapes flat surfaces) and turning (shapes cylindrical parts like shafts). GM190’s machinability lets it be refined to ISO 8 tolerances.
• Welding techniques: Arc welding (repairs cast defects or joins parts). Preheating to 150 – 200°C prevents cracking.
• Assembly and finishing: Cast parts are cleaned (removes mold residue), painted or coated, and assembled into final products (e.g., engine systems).

3.4 Quality Control

• Inspection methods:
• Ultrasonic testing: Checks for internal casting defects (e.g., porosity) in thick parts like crusher jaws.
• Magnetic particle inspection: Finds surface cracks (critical for safety parts like locomotive brakes).
• Dimensional testing: Uses calipers or CMMs to ensure cast parts match design specs.
• Certification standards: Must meet ISO 1083 (cast steels for general engineering) and ASTM A216 (cast carbon steel for pressure-containing parts) to ensure quality.

4. Case Studies: GM190 in Action

4.1 Mining: Excavator Bucket Teeth

An Australian mining equipment maker switched to GM190 for its excavator bucket teeth. Previously, carbon steel teeth wore out after 2 months in iron ore mines; GM190 teeth last 4+ months. The wear resistance (from chromium) and toughness handled abrasive ore, cutting replacement costs by $120,000 per mine annually.

4.2 Automotive: Engine Oil Pump Housings

A Japanese carmaker used GM190 to cast oil pump housings for its compact cars. Investment casting let them integrate oil channels and mounting points into one part (vs. 3 separate parts with carbon steel). This reduced assembly time by 25% and cut per-unit cost by \(3—saving \)1.5 million annually for 500,000 cars.

5. Comparative Analysis: GM190 vs. Other Materials

How does GM190 stack up to common alternatives? Let’s compare:

5.1 vs. Other Types of Steel

5.2 vs. Non-Metallic Materials

• Concrete: GM190 is 10x stronger in tension and 3x lighter. But concrete is cheaper for large, low-stress parts (e.g., building foundations); GM190 is better for complex, load-bearing cast parts.
• Composite materials (e.g., fiberglass): Composites are lighter but have lower tensile strength (300 – 400 MPa) and cost 2x more. GM190 is better for heavy-duty cast parts like crusher components.

5.3 vs. Other Metallic Materials

• Aluminum alloys: Aluminum is lighter but has lower tensile strength (200 – 300 MPa) and wears faster. Used for lightweight cast parts (e.g., car valve covers); GM190 for heavy loads.
• Stainless steel: Stainless steel resists corrosion but costs 3x more and is harder to cast. Used for food industry cast parts; GM190 for general engineering.

5.4 Cost & Environmental Impact

• Cost analysis: GM190 costs more than wrought carbon steel but saves money on complex parts—casting integrates features that would need welding with wrought steel. A factory saved $50,000 annually by using GM190 cast gear housings.
• Environmental impact: 100% recyclable (scrap GM190 can be remelted for new castings, saving 70% energy vs. virgin steel). Casting uses less energy than forging wrought steel.

6. Yigu Technology’s View on GM190 Cast Steel

At Yigu Technology, we recommend GM190 for projects needing complex, load-bearing cast parts. Its excellent castability lets clients create custom shapes (e.g., mining equipment jaws) without sacrificing strength, and its good wear resistance extends part life. We help optimize casting molds for minimal defects and advise on heat treatment (quenching for wear parts, annealing for machinable parts). While GM190 costs more than basic carbon steel, its ability to reduce assembly steps and part count makes it a cost-effective choice for specialized applications.

FAQ About GM190 Cast Steel

1. Can GM190 be cast into very complex shapes?

Yes—its good fluidity makes it ideal for complex shapes like engine housings with internal channels. Investment casting with GM190 can achieve tolerances as tight as ±0.1 mm for small parts.

2. Is GM190 suitable for high-temperature applications?

It works for moderate temperatures (up to 300°C), like engine components or factory machinery. For temperatures above 400°C (e.g., furnace parts), choose heat-resistant cast steels with more chromium.

3. How does GM190 compare to wrought steel for mechanical parts?

GM190 is better for complex shapes (cheaper to cast than weld wrought steel parts). Wrought steel (e.g., EN19) has higher tensile strength for simple parts like straight shafts. Choose GM190 for custom cast parts, wrought steel for standard shapes.