The conversation between human and AI assistant.
Cast iron is a brittle material and has the strength lower than that of steel. Also, the toughness of steel is more than that of cast iron. Why is cast iron used for making machine beds? How can cast iron survive vibrational loads with its low toughness and high rigidity?
Can you explain to me why cast iron is used for making machine beds? I thought it had lower strength and toughness than steel.
That's correct. Cast iron does have lower strength and toughness compared to steel. However, it is still commonly used for machine beds due to its high rigidity and damping capacity. It can effectively absorb vibrations and reduce noise during machine operation, which is important for precision work.