🔩 Microstructure of grey, spheroidal graphite and malleable cast iron — metallographic examination under an optical microscope (graphite particles, metal matrix); PN-H-04661:1975 (withdrawn 29-11-2010, replaced by PN-EN ISO 945:1999 — today PN-EN ISO 945-1:2019-09)

Materials and NDT PN-H-04661

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. Title from the PKN card: “Żeliwo szare sferoidalne i ciągliwe — Badania metalograficzne — Określanie mikrostruktury” [Grey, spheroidal graphite and malleable cast iron — Metallographic examination — Determination of microstructure]. The “Scope” field of the card, in full (in our translation; on the card one parenthesis is unbalanced): “The subject of the standard is the determination of the microstructure of grey, spheroidal graphite and malleable cast iron on the basis of the features of graphite particles, the features of the metal matrix, inclusions of phosphide eutectic and inclusions of cementite.” The standard therefore assesses four things: graphite, metal matrix, phosphide eutectic and cementite. The 1975 edition replaced two standards: PN-H-04661:1960 and PN-H-04663:1964 (“Supersedes” field); the 1960 edition was titled “Badania metalograficzne stopów odlewniczych — Klasyfikacja grafitu i węgla żarzenia w żeliwie” [Metallographic examination of casting alloys — Classification of graphite and temper carbon in cast iron] (PKN search). We did not have the text of the standard (of either edition).

STATUS (state of the PKN cards on 06.11.2026). The card of PN-H-04661:1975 (Polish version) has the heading “Withdrawn and replaced by PN-EN ISO 945:1999 - Polish version”: published 03-06-1975, withdrawn 29-11-2010, 26 pages, price group M, Metallurgy Sector, KT 301 Foundry, ICS 77.040.99; “Supersedes: PN-H-04663:1964, PN-H-04661:1960”; “Replaced by: PN-EN ISO 945:1999 - Polish version”. The PKN search for “PN-H-04661” (06.11.2026) returns two editions, both withdrawn: 1975 and 1960 (replaced by 1975).

CHAIN OF SUCCESSORS. The card of PN-H-04661:1975 points to PN-EN ISO 945:1999 “Żeliwo — Określanie cech wydzieleń grafitu” [Cast iron — Designation of microstructure of graphite] (Polish version; adopted EN ISO 945:1994 and ISO 945:1975). The card of PN-EN ISO 945:1999: heading “Withdrawn and replaced by PN-EN ISO 945-1:2009 - English version”, published 28-01-1999, withdrawn 05-03-2009, 11 pages, KT 301, “Supersedes: PN-H-04661:1975”; “Scope” field (in our translation): “The standard gives a method for determining the features of graphite in cast iron. It does not constitute a basis for establishing acceptance conditions”. The withdrawal date of the successor (2009) is earlier than the withdrawal date of PN-H-04661 (2010) — this is how the cards give it. Further links according to the PKN search (query “PN-EN ISO 945-1”, 06.11.2026; the intermediate cards were not opened): PN-EN ISO 945-1:2009 in the English version (adopted ISO 945-1:2008) replaced by the Polish version of the same edition, that one — by PN-EN ISO 945-1:2018-04 (English version, ISO 945-1:2017), and that one — by PN-EN ISO 945-1:2019-09. Current link: the card of PN-EN ISO 945-1:2019-09 “Mikrostruktura żeliwa — Część 1: Klasyfikacja wydzieleń grafitu na podstawie analizy wizualnej” [Microstructure of cast irons — Part 1: Graphite classification by visual analysis] (English version) has no withdrawal label: published 20-09-2019, 46 pages, KT 301, “Adopts: EN ISO 945-1:2019 [IDT], ISO 945-1:2019 [IDT]”, “Supersedes: PN-EN ISO 945-1:2018-04 - English version”, ICS 77.080.10; its “Scope” field begins with the sentence (in our translation): “This document specifies a method for classifying the microstructure of graphite in cast iron by comparative visual analysis”. WHAT CHANGED FOR THE RESULT: the “Scope” field of PN-H-04661:1975 covers graphite, metal matrix, phosphide eutectic and cementite, while the “Scope” fields of both successors speak only of graphite. According to the cards, the assessment of the metal matrix, phosphide eutectic and cementite therefore has no successor in this chain.

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation scope database of 02.11.2026 and current PCA documents downloaded on 06.11.2026). The number 04661 (preceded by “H”, with or without a hyphen) appears in 13 records at 7 Polish laboratories: AB 053 (7 records — in the PCA document this is one item, stored in the copy separately for each methodology and language version), AB 001, AB 099, AB 128, AB 197, AB 490, AB 699 (1 each). In the current PCA documents of these 7 laboratories the standard appears in one item each. Forms: “PN-75/H-04661” (AB 001, AB 099, AB 197, AB 490, AB 699), “PN-H-04661:1975” (AB 053) and “PN-H-04661” without a year (AB 128). In all 13 records PN-EN ISO 945-1 stands alongside (with the year “2019-09” or without a year) — there is no record with PN-H-04661 without PN-EN ISO 945-1; PN-EN ISO 945-1 does, however, appear without PN-H-04661 at only one other laboratory — AB 369, in a separate item together with PN-EN 13674-1 (counted as the number 945-1 with no digits before it; the string “945-1” without this condition also catches PN-EN ISO 12945-1 on fabric pilling at AB 154, AB 164 and AB 198). There are no Czech laboratories with this number. The “Laboratories” tab (“PN-H-04661”) shows the same 7 laboratories (tab query reproduced on the database copy on 06.11.2026).

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (database copy and PCA documents, complete items). Cast iron — microstructure: graphite particles and metal matrix, optical microscopy method (AB 490, with PN-EN ISO 945-1:2019-09); castings of grey, spheroidal graphite, malleable and alloyed cast iron — graphite particles and metal matrix, comparative method (AB 197, with PN-EN ISO 945-1:2019-09); castings — microstructure, optical microscopy (AB 099, with PN-EN ISO 945-1:2019-09); metal products in a flexible accreditation scope — microstructures of materials in the raw, cast, annealed state, after heat treatment, thermochemical treatment and plastic forming, optical microscopy (AB 128, with procedure BOSMAL/I-7-44, PN-EN ISO 945-1, PN-H-04505 and ASTM A247); products of metals and alloys and welded joints — microstructure, optical microscopy (AB 001, with PN-63/H-04504 — withdrawn 05-09-2014, PN-66/H-04505 — withdrawn 10-11-2011, PN-ISO 3057:2000, PN-EN ISO 945-1:2019-09 and instruction LW-1/IN/103); metals, metal alloys, products of metallic materials and plastics, composites, sintered materials, ceramics — microstructure, optical microscopy, marked as tests on the basis of which the laboratory formulates opinions and interpretations (AB 699, with procedure PB-01, PN-EN ISO 945-1:2019-09 and PN-66/H-04505); metal products and materials — in one item microstructure, quantitative and qualitative analysis of structure components and thickness measurements of metal and oxide coatings, optical microscopy method, marked for opinions and interpretations (AB 053, with PN-H-04504:1963 — withdrawn 05-09-2014, PN-H-04517:1992, PN-EN ISO 945-1:2019-09 excluding point 8.5, PN-H-04505:1966 — withdrawn 10-11-2011, PN-EN ISO 1463:2021-10 and instruction IP-BLM-07). We did not check the status of PN-H-04517, PN-ISO 3057, PN-EN ISO 1463 and ASTM A247.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — status: the standard was withdrawn on 29-11-2010, yet 7 laboratories have it in scopes issued in 2026; a graphite classification according to it is not a classification according to PN-EN ISO 945-1, which stands alongside. Second — joint citation: since all records with PN-H-04661 also have PN-EN ISO 945-1, and PN-H-04661 is withdrawn and (through the chain via PN-EN ISO 945:1999) replaced by PN-EN ISO 945-1, these two documents are not alternatives in the scopes — the report should state according to which of them the result was assessed. Third — subject: the title of the standard speaks of grey, spheroidal graphite and malleable cast iron, while at AB 001, AB 053, AB 128 and AB 699 it stands in items covering more broadly products of metals, welded joints, coatings, and at AB 699 also plastics, composites and ceramics; the microstructure of a material other than cast iron is not assessed according to this standard. Fourth — matrix: AB 197 and AB 490 also assess the metal matrix in this item, and of the two documents cited there, according to the “Scope” fields of the cards only the withdrawn PN-H-04661 covers the matrix — PN-EN ISO 945-1 concerns graphite; an assessment of the matrix “according to PN-EN ISO 945-1” therefore has no basis in its scope. Fifth — exclusion: at AB 053 PN-EN ISO 945-1 is cited excluding point 8.5 — we do not know the content of that point.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We did not have the text of the standard — we do not give specimen preparation, etching, magnifications, scales or reference images of graphite and matrix, class designations, the assessment method or the report. We do not compare its content with PN-EN ISO 945-1 (that standard is described in a separate entry in this database). We did not check citations of the standard in regulations.

Method principle

The microstructure of grey, spheroidal graphite and malleable cast iron is determined in metallographic examination (title of the standard); in accreditation scopes — by optical microscopy or a comparative method, assessing graphite particles and the metal matrix. The standard was withdrawn on 29-11-2010; we DO NOT GIVE details — we did not have the text of the standard.

Applications

• Castings of grey, spheroidal graphite, malleable and alloyed cast iron — graphite particles and metal matrix (accreditation scopes)
• In current scopes of 7 Polish laboratories, always together with PN-EN ISO 945-1 — despite the withdrawal of the standard

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-H-04661:1975

Title (PL)

Żeliwo szare sferoidalne i ciągliwe — Badania metalograficzne — Określanie mikrostruktury

Title (EN)

Grey, spheroidal graphite and malleable cast iron — Metallographic examination — Determination of microstructure

Step-by-step procedure

1. Status

   PN-H-04661:1975 withdrawn on 29-11-2010 and replaced by PN-EN ISO 945:1999; today PN-EN ISO 945-1:2019-09 applies (state of the PKN cards on 06.11.2026).

2. Examination

   Metallographic examination of the microstructure of cast iron (title of the standard); in scopes — optical microscopy or a comparative method, graphite particles and metal matrix; we DO NOT GIVE the course.

3. Result

   The report should state whether the assessment was made according to PN-H-04661:1975 or according to PN-EN ISO 945-1 — in the scopes both stand in the same item.

Required equipment and apparatus

Health and safety (OHS)

• SUBSTANTIVE NOTE: standard withdrawn on 29-11-2010; a classification according to it is not a classification according to PN-EN ISO 945-1
• SUBSTANTIVE NOTE: the title of the standard concerns only grey, spheroidal graphite and malleable cast iron
• Specimen preparation — safe working rules for grinding and etching

Frequently asked questions