Expert-Approved OES Analyzers for Casting from Metal Analysis Group

Approximately 20,000 foundries worldwide produce cast iron, and ensuring the exact chemical composition of the alloy throughout the melt process is crucial for meeting quality specifications. Optical Emission Spectrometry (OES) technology is designed to deliver accurate and reliable one-step quality control throughout this process. Wilhelm Sanders, Hitachi High-Tech product manager, explains how OES technology achieves this.

Recently, new OES technology has been introduced to enhance carbon measurement accuracy and speed in cast iron production. This advanced analytical solution combines the performance of traditional combustion analyzers with the speed and ease-of-use of OES methodology. This approach precisely determines carbon in cast iron, even with suboptimal samples, offering results comparable to the more time- and cost-intensive combustion analysis technique.

The new system features a specialized analytical carbon line and a related reference line, combined with a modified read-out sequence, enabling the detection of free graphite during the pre-burn phase. This ensures accurate carbon results for a wider range of samples and identifies samples with unacceptably high amounts of free graphite as 'bad samples.'

Key Features of Advanced OES Analysis Technology

• Digitally Controlled Plasma Generator: The plasma generators in these systems are fully digitally controlled, ensuring accurate and reproducible spark definition. This provides greater precision, better repeatability, and faster measurements with less external interference.

• Enhanced UV Performance: The UV-PLUS system includes a hermetically sealed optical chamber filled with argon once, with impurities removed via a built-in filter cartridge. This reduces operating costs and extends maintenance intervals.

• Sophisticated Data Processing: These systems cover the entire spectrum relevant to cast iron analysis. They can output results for individual elements, sort data by measurement or configuration, or provide a complete wavelength scan. The PMT signal in these systems can be outputted with microsecond resolution, allowing detailed examination of individual sparks.

These advanced OES systems for cast iron carbon analyses are now available, providing foundries with the tools needed for precise and efficient quality control. For more information, visit our website.