The key role of forging in ancient steel making from white cast iron

Various thermo-mechanical treatments given to specimens of Fe-4.3 wt.% C showed that forging plays a key role in steel making from white cast iron. Forging causes the brittle cementite phase to fragment continuously in the repeated heat-forge cycles and keeps the decarburization rate high throughout the entire process. Forging in combination with forced air supply may cut down the processing time considerably and make this steel making technique competitive when no alternative is readily available as in ancient times.