Metallurgical Process Control

Metallurgical Process

Control

Why useMetallurgical Process Control?• Take control of your production process

• Less variations, less defects, less problems

• Optimize the yield of metal in your process

• Minimize the use of ”new” charge materials

Benefits of usingMetallurgical Process Control?• Better melt quality = reduced scrap rate

• Stabilization and optimization of the process

• Reduce the use of harmful materials in your process with

MetalMaster

• Less energy consumption per casting

The Metallurgical Spectrometer

Production of windmill components in

ductile iron

Metallurgical Process Control

Material specifications for production of components

for windmills

• Material: EN-GJS-400-18U-LT Standard: EN 1563:1997• Testobject: Cast-on testpiece Nodularity: >90 % class 1 nodules • Matrix: >90 % ferrite

Relevant

wall

thickness

Tensile

strength

Proof

stress

Elongation Charpy V

<30 mm 400 240 18 -

30-60 mm 390 230 15 12

>60 370 220 12 10


Material properties for production of components for

windmills


Requirements of the component

• Homogeneous mechanical properties

• High fatigue properties

• Impact toughness at -20°C


Requirements of the component

• Castings with a minimum of material defects

• Minimum surface roughness, defects and

imperfections

• Geometries with variations in wall thickness

• High requirements and expectations on

documentation concerning NDT and mechanical

properties


Defining a possible route/philosophy for the production

• Gating technology, moulding and pouring concept

• Chemistry

• Metallurgical process (control of melting and

treatment)


Define the need of process equipment and

hardware.

• Type of bidning system and sand,

flasks/boxes

• Core/core prints

• Filters

• Ladles (treatment and pouring)

• inoculation method


Gating technology, molding and pouring

concept

.












*

Converter

Cored Wire

Overpour/Sandwich

Tundish

Flow-through

Plunging

*

HIGH Smoke & fume formation LOW

HIGH

Reaction

intensity

LOW

LOW Inoculation effect HIGH

LOW

Magnesium

yield

HIGH

Calculation of equlibrium temperatures based on the

carbon and silicium contents in the melt. Important

for controlling oxygen

Silicium

content, %

Carboncontent, %

EqulibriumtemperatureSi reaction,

TJ (°C)

EqulibriumtemperatureCarbonreaction,

TK (°C)

SiO2 + 2C = Si + 2CO 2C + 2O = 2CO


1450 °C

~1480°C

charging

Treatment

Transfer

&

Inoculatio

n

Pouring stream

inoculation

ACEL correction

melting furnace treatment ladlepouring ladle

Chem & 1stATAS sample

Chem & final ATAS Q sample

temperature

Slag

skimming

& T control

Chem & 2nd ATAS sample

using the Ductile iron module~1365°C

Control of melting and treatment, base iron 1st

sampling after holding at 1450 °C in 10 minutes, next

correction and conditioning



Calculate the additions for magnesium treatment using information

concerning the metallurgical status combined with chemical

composition.


Calculate the additions for magnesium treatment using information

concerning the metallurgical status combined with chemical

composition.


Clean, good light and structure at the charge weighting area


Reaction should start earliest after 70 % of the ladle is filled.

Target for the yield of magneisum is 75%


Final iron last sampling, a quality check for documentation and

proaction quality activities. Sample after 5 minutes after

treatment, twin samples



Final Ready to pour! All values within set limits Iron transferred

to pouring ladle Inoculant added in stream while pouring

Element %

C (CTL) 3,65-3,75

Si 2.20-2.25

Mn <0,2

P <0,02

S <0,012

Cu =<0,12

Mg 0.042-0.045

Narrow range for the target chemistry and tight process control based

on thermal analysis. When these two control methods are in “harmony”

then it is possible to reach the demanded mechanical properties and

soundness in the castings.


Different matrix of pearlite versus

Charpy V.



Nodule count versus Charpy V

Nodule count and charpy V.


Mechanical properties (Mn + Cu) versus pearlite

content.

Interactivity MetalMaster

Interactivity Labviewer

Interactivity production equipment

• Charge equipment

• Inoculation devices

• Spectrometer

• Lamps and signals

• Others

ATAS MetStar solution for a small foundry

ATAS MetStar solution for a bigger foundry

The PrEcoCup:Precision Ecological Cup

The PrEcoCup• No content of tellurium

• For testing both base and final ductile iron

• Fast analysis – CEL, C and Si equiv. after 10 seconds

• Combines two analysing methods in one specimen

• Recycle directly in the process

We Go Further and find the best solutions together with our customers

Let’s pour a cup and run an analysis

So, let’s reduce the

environmental footprint.

Documents

Metallurgical Process Control