Wrought iron fences represent pig iron manufacturing as a final product.
Pig iron represents the phase of iron after it has first been converted from iron ore but still needs refinement before it becomes steel. Because pig iron still contains a large amount of carbon in it, the metal is not very useful for any type of useful application that requires strength. However, it does provide a useful interim material that is necessary to produce stronger products. Additionally, it can be used as a dense filler product widely available at low cost. Does this Spark an idea?
Building Material Use
The main consumption of pig iron after it is melted from iron ore involves steel-making. The steel industry uses the material as a base product, which is then mixed with other metals to produce steel. The other metals can include manganese, nickel, scrap metal and other ingredients, depending on the production goal.
Basic Early Use
In earlier times pig iron found a use as wrought iron. Wrought iron essentially involves metal that is heated up to then have contaminants hammered out of the mold when poured and cooled. The product could then be used for basic metal production purposes, but nothing that involved a fine-cutting edge or load-bearing purpose. Typical products involved metal straps for wagons, pots, basic tools, bracing and weights.
Modern Uses
Pig iron today predominantly goes to resale for external customer use in melting or for direct steel-making. It is considered a stage product necessary to get to the desired steel. It can still be crafted into basic metal utensils, but again nothing that requires specific strength values or integrity under pressure. Simple products melted and crafted from this type of iron are known as pot metal. Additionally, it can also be used for fencing or railing products as well. Finally, pig iron can be used to craft simple, decorative metal pieces used for external building decoration.
Odd Uses
Airplanes use pig iron as a cheap, dense ballast that can be moved around as needed. Planes need ballast to balance our their weight, particularly when they have engines in the rear and hardly any cargo in the middle or front of the plane. Pig iron pellets or ingots can be loaded easily by hand to provide the necessary weight for a balanced flight.
Tags: basic metal, from iron, iron after, iron still, nothing that, other metals
