General Properties and Classification of Ferrous and Non Ferros Alloys

The ferrous group of metals include all the types of iron, steel and their alloys. Actually Iron (Fe) is the principal element of Ferrous Materials
In all the jobs ranging from the manufacture of a primitive type of agricultural implements to advanced types of Air Crafts, ferrous metal and their alloys occupy a prominent position.
In the automotive, building and bridge construction, railways, light and heavy machinery, shipping and transportation, and in any other field of engineering activity, it may not be possible to move ahead without metals. This is explained by a number of reasons:
The wide abundance of iron ore in almost all parts of the world 1.
The economical extraction iron from its ore. 2
3.The flexibility that can be induced in the mechanical properties of iron by combining it with other metals and/or by heat treatment and such other methods.
These facts explain the reason that for the considerable time, the annual global production of Ferrous Metals has been far in excess than the combined production of all Non-Ferrous Metals produced in all the countries of the world.
Ferrous Metals -Their Types and Properties:
Pig Iron:(1)
Pig Iron is the first or basic form in which iron is prepared as a metal from its ores. It is, therefore, impure and crude and requires subsequent processing to develop Cast, Wrought iron and Steel, which are the common Ferrous Metal used in construction and industries.
Following are a few types of pig iron distinguished on the basis of their properties.
Grey Pig Iron:-
It is also called foundry pig. It is soft in character and rich in carbon. It is produced when the raw material is burnt at a very high temperature.
White Pig Iron -
It is also called forge pig iron, as it is hard and brittle and can be converted only by using pressure. This type contains sulphur as the main impurity and hence is considered inferior in grade.