Provided is a black heart malleable cast iron and a method for manufacturing the same which can significantly shorten the time required for graphitization, as compared with the prior art. The black heart malleable cast iron includes a matrix of ferrite and lump graphite included in the matrix, and includes at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) 0.0050% by mass or more and 0.15% by mass or less of bismuth and 0.020% by mass or more of manganese, and (ii) 0.0050% by mass or more and 1.0% by mass or less of aluminum and 0.0050% by mass or more of nitrogen. In addition, the grain size of the matrix is 8.0 or more and 10.0 or less in terms of grain size number, numerically determined by comparison between a metallographic photograph of the matrix and a standard grain size chart.

The invention relates to a steel alloy comprising, in percent by mass:—0.17 to 0.23 carbon;—1.40 to 1.60 silicon;—0.50 to 0.60 manganese;—up to 0.020 phosphor;—up to 0.020 sulfur;—up to 0.30 chrome;—up to 0.12 molybdenum;—up to 0.80 nickel;—up to 0.30 copper;—up to 0.03 vanadium; the remainder being iron and incidental impurities.

The invention relates to a steel alloy comprising, in percent by mass:—0.17 to 0.23 carbon;—1.40 to 1.60 silicon;—0.50 to 0.60 manganese;—up to 0.020 phosphor;—up to 0.020 sulfur;—up to 0.30 chrome;—up to 0.12 molybdenum;—up to 0.80 nickel;—up to 0.30 copper;—up to 0.03 vanadium; the remainder being iron and incidental impurities.

A cylinder liner of the present invention is a cylinder liner mounted on a cylinder block and formed of flaky graphite cast iron, at least a nitrided layer is provided on an inner periphery of the cylinder liner, and a cross hatching section is formed on the inner periphery, a roughness curve of the inner periphery has a plateau honing shape, a ten-point average roughness Rz of the inner periphery pursuant to JIS B0601:1982 is 4.0 μm or less, and an average value of an area ratio of pits generated in the inner periphery is 8% or less.

A cylinder liner of the present invention is a cylinder liner mounted on a cylinder block and formed of flaky graphite cast iron, at least a nitrided layer is provided on an inner periphery of the cylinder liner, and a cross hatching section is formed on the inner periphery, a roughness curve of the inner periphery has a plateau honing shape, a ten-point average roughness Rz of the inner periphery pursuant to JIS B0601:1982 is 4.0 μm or less, and an average value of an area ratio of pits generated in the inner periphery is 8% or less.

A method for the production of cast iron starting from pre-reduced iron ore (DRI) with an electric arc furnace includes the steps of preparing a charge of pre-reduced iron ore DRI having a metallization higher than 90% and containing over 2.8% by weight of carbon, wherein at least 80% of the carbon is combined with the iron to form iron carbide Fe.sub.3C; charging the charge of pre-reduced iron ore into the electric arc furnace; and melting the DRI charge to form liquid cast iron having at least 80% by weight of actual carbon content deriving from the carbon in the charge of pre-reduced iron ore, the melting step being in a reducing atmosphere and in a melting chamber of the electric arc furnace subjected to a positive internal pressure generated by the gases produced by reduction reactions that develop during melting.

A method for the production of cast iron starting from pre-reduced iron ore (DRI) with an electric arc furnace includes the steps of preparing a charge of pre-reduced iron ore DRI having a metallization higher than 90% and containing over 2.8% by weight of carbon, wherein at least 80% of the carbon is combined with the iron to form iron carbide Fe.sub.3C; charging the charge of pre-reduced iron ore into the electric arc furnace; and melting the DRI charge to form liquid cast iron having at least 80% by weight of actual carbon content deriving from the carbon in the charge of pre-reduced iron ore, the melting step being in a reducing atmosphere and in a melting chamber of the electric arc furnace subjected to a positive internal pressure generated by the gases produced by reduction reactions that develop during melting.

The present invention refers to a vermicular cast iron alloy specially designed for internal combustion engine blocks and heads having special requirements of mechanical strength and fatigue strength. Vermicular iron alloy with high mechanical strength and high fatigue strength for the production of internal combustion engines blocks and heads characterized by having a microstructure of pearlitic matrix and predominantly vermicular graphite (>70%) and presence of graphite nodules in up to 30%, wherein its graphite microstructure is described by the Microstructure Factor (FM), as defined below, with Microstructure Factor values higher than 0.94.

The present invention refers to a vermicular cast iron alloy specially designed for internal combustion engine blocks and heads having special requirements of mechanical strength and fatigue strength. Vermicular iron alloy with high mechanical strength and high fatigue strength for the production of internal combustion engines blocks and heads characterized by having a microstructure of pearlitic matrix and predominantly vermicular graphite (>70%) and presence of graphite nodules in up to 30%, wherein its graphite microstructure is described by the Microstructure Factor (FM), as defined below, with Microstructure Factor values higher than 0.94.

A method of manufacturing a cam piece for a continuously variable valve duration and a cam piece manufactured therefrom, and more particularly, to material and heat treatment conditions of a cam piece, may include manufacturing a cam piece by casting; heating the cam piece; maintaining a heating temperature; and salt-bathing the cam piece, in which the cam piece includes 3.2 to 4.2 wt % of carbon (C), 2.2 to 3.4 wt % of silicon (Si), and the balance iron (Fe), and may have a carbon equivalent value of 4.4 to 4.6.