作为钢的替代品，1949年人类开发了球墨铸铁。铸钢含碳量少于0.3%，而铸铁和球墨铸铁含炭量量则至少为3%。铸钢中的低含碳量使得作为游离石墨存在的碳不会形成结构薄片。铸铁内的碳天然形式是游离石墨薄片形式。在球墨铸铁内，这种石墨薄片通过特殊的处理方法变化成微小的球体。这种改进后的球体使得使得球墨铸铁比铸铁和钢相比具有更加优异的物理性能。正是这种碳的球状微观结构，使得球墨铸铁具有更加良好的展延性和抗冲击性，而铸铁内部的薄片形式导致铸铁没有展延性。通过铁素体基体可获得最佳的展延性，因此，球墨铸铁的压力负载部件都经过铁素体化退火周期的工艺处理后，球墨铸铁内部的球状结构也能够消除铸铁内部的薄片石墨容易产生的裂缝现象。在球墨铸铁的微观照片中，可以看见裂缝游行到石墨球后终止。在球墨铸铁行业内，这些石墨球称为“裂缝终结者”，因为它们具有阻止断裂的能力。

　　As a substitute for steel in 1949, the human development of ductile cast iron. Less than 0.3% carbon steel, while the cast iron and ductile iron with carbon content the amount of at least 3%. Low carbon steel makes as free graphite carbon sheet structure will not form. The natural form of carbon in cast iron is the free graphite flake form. In ductile iron, the graphite flakes change through special processing methods into a tiny ball. The improved ball made of cast iron makes has physical properties greater than cast iron and steel. It is this nodular microstructure of carbon, the nodular cast iron has better extension and impact resistance, while the flake form of cast iron results no ductility. To obtain the best ductility, the ferrite matrix therefore, ductile iron pressure containing parts are treated with a ferritizing annealing cycle, ductile iron spheroidal nodules also eliminate the crack phenomenon of flake graphite cast iron internal prone. In microscopic photos of ductile iron, can see the cracks in the procession to the ball after the termination of graphite. In the ductile iron industry, the graphite ball called “ crack terminator ”, because of their ability to prevent breakage.

　　与铸铁相比，球墨铸铁在强度方面具有绝对的优势。球墨铸铁的抗拉强度是60k，而铸铁的抗拉强度只有31k。球墨铸铁的屈服强度是40k，而铸铁并没有显示出屈服强度，并且最终出现断裂。球墨铸铁的强度-成本比远远优于铸铁。

　　Compared with cast iron, ductile iron has the absolute advantage in strength. Tensile strength of cast iron is 60K, while the tensile strength of cast iron is only 31k. The yield strength of ductile iron is 40K, and the iron did not show the yield strength, and ultimate fracture. Ductile iron strength-to-cost ratio is much better than that of cast iron.

　　球墨铸铁的强度和铸钢的强度是可比的。球墨铸铁具有更高的屈服强度，其屈服强度最低为40k，而铸钢的屈服强度只有36k。在大部分市政应用领域，如：水、盐水、蒸汽等，球墨铸铁的耐腐蚀性和抗氧化性都超过铸钢。由于球墨铸铁的球状石墨微观结构，在减弱振动能力方面，球墨铸铁优于铸钢，因此更加有利于降低应力。选择球墨铸铁的一个重要的原因在于球墨铸铁比铸钢成本低。球墨铸铁的低成本使得这种材料更加受欢迎，铸造效率更高，也较少了球墨铸铁的机加工成本。

　　The strength of ductile iron and steel strength is comparable. Ductile iron has a higher yield strength, yield strength minimum of 40K, while the yield strength of steel is only 36k. In most municipal applications, such as: water, salt water, steam, ductile iron corrosion and oxidation resistance than cast steel. As the spherical graphite cast iron microstructure, the decrease vibration capability, ductile iron better than steel, therefore more conducive to reducing stress. Choose one of the important reasons of ductile cast iron is ductile iron casting low cost ratio. The low cost of nodular cast iron makes the material more popular, casting more efficient, less the cost of machining ductile cast iron.