Abstract
Rotary bending fatigue tests were carried out to investigate the fatigue characteristics of high performance ductile cast iron experienced super rapid induction treatment. The influence of super rapid induction treatment on fatigue limit was experimentally examined with the special focus on the variation of surface microstructure and the fatigue crack initiation and propagation through fractography. Main results obtained are as follows. By super rapid induction treatment in FCD500, the martensite structure obtained through conventional heat treatment was confirmed on the specimen surface. The fatigue crack initiation in the hardened surface layer was restricted by the martensite structure and compressive residual stress. Thus, it could be interpreted that the initiation stress would be increased by improved structure in the surface. The fatigue crack propagation in the hardened layer was retarded by the presence of the globular shape martensite around the graphite nodule and compressive residual stress and the crack propagation behavior has zigzag pattern in the hardened surface layer.