Trials to manufacture and test castings from Inconel alloy

The article describes the methods of producing and testing the Inconel 740 nickel alloy in as-cast state. An assumption has been made that the obtained alloy should be characterised by a normative chemical composition and mechanical properties similar to those that are obtained in the process of plastic forming. The alloy was fabricated by conventional process and vacuum metallurgy in the form of pilot castings enabling various types of tests to be carried out. Within the test and investigations programme, moulding materials were chosen, castings were poured and subjected to the process of heat treatment, followed by tests and examinations of alloy properties (mechanical tests, cooling curves). The outcome of the investigations was cast alloy characterised by chemical composition close to the normative one but of the mechanical properties inferior to those obtained by plastic forming.