The most important feature of bells is their sound. Its clarity and beauty depend, first of all, on the bell’s geometry - particularly the shape of its profile, but also on the quality of alloy used to its cast. Hence, if the melting and pouring parameters could influence the alloy’s properties, what influence they would have on the frequencies of bell’s tone. In the article authors present their own approaches to find answers on that and more questions.

This paper presents the results of research conducted in the field of the technology of surface hardening of castings from unalloyed and low-alloy nodular cast iron using the laser remelting method. The range of studies included macro- and microhardness measurements using Rockwell and Vickers methods as well as metallographic microscopic examinations using a scanning electron microscope. Moreover, abrasive wear resistance tests were performed using the pin-on-disk method in the friction pair of nodular cast iron—SiC abrasive paper and the reciprocating method in the friction pair of nodular cast iron—unalloyed steel. Analysis of the test results shows that the casting surface layer remelting by laser for unalloyed nodular cast iron results in a greater improvement in its resistance to abrasive wear in the metal–mineral system, as compared to low-alloy cast iron. Additionally, carrying out the laser hardening treatment of the surface layer made of the tested grades of nodular cast iron is justified only if the tribological system of the cooperating working parts and allowable dimensional changes during their operation are known.

The paper discusses a potential composite produced using the casting method, where the matrix is gray cast iron with flake graphite. The reinforcement is provided by granular carborundum (β-SiC). The article presents model studies aimed at identifying the phenomena at the contact boundary resulting from the interaction of the liquid matrix with solid reinforcement particles. The scope of the research included, primarily, the metallographic analysis of the microstructure of the resulting composite, carried out by using light (LOM) and scanning electron (SEM) microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. The occurrence of metallic phases in the boundary zone was indicated, the contents and morphology of which can be optimized in order to achieve favorable functional properties, mainly the tribological properties of the composite. In addition, the results obtained confirm the possibility of producing similar composites based on selected iron alloys.

In this article, the range of works connected with the repair of a historical Maryan bell from 1639 are presented. The first attempts to repair damaged bells occurred in the 1930s in Poland. However, this process was stopped because of extensive technological difficulties. Welding and soldering-welding were the basic methods. There is one difference between these two methods—connecting surfaces are melted during the welding process but only heated until the melting temperature of the material added to the connection (that is the solder) during the soldering-welding process. It was important to heat the bell to the proper temperature during welding. Uneven heating causes the enlargement of existing cracks or the appearance of new ones, or even the complete destruction of the bell. Nowadays, a method of even heating using a special heating mat has been devised. Thanks to this method it is possible to control the heating and cooling process. The most important task during the whole operation of bell welding was obtaining the original sound. During this research, the chemical composition was examined to prepare a welding rod with a suitable chemical composition. After the repair process, an analysis of the sound of the bell was conducted. It was shown that the repair of bells is possible when correct thermal parameters are used. The most highly recommended technique for repairing bells is gas welding.

A description of alloy layer formation on a steel substrate is presented. Two types of formation are considered: diffusion of carbon and chromium into the solid from the pad in the direction of the cast steel within the FeCrC (grains) and diffusion in a layer of liquid chromium cast iron formed in a preceding step. The influence of silicon in the pad on the pad’s transformation into the liquid is also examined. Solidus and liquidus temperatures of high carbon ferrochromium are determined. The larger the content of Si is used in the experiment, the lower the solidus temperature of the FeCrC alloy is observed. This results from the higher intensity of the elements’ diffusion and faster formation of the liquid.