Material analysis

Spectrometer

We use a spectrometer for the precise analysis of the chemical composition of steel. A spectrometer is an instrument for studying the spectrum of light and determining the composition of materials by means of that spectrum. A spectrometer is sometimes called a spectroscope.

A spectrometer works as follows: a spark is placed on a sample of the steel alloy causing a plasma gas to occur. This gas is illuminated and then conducted through one or more prisms. The prism refracts the light into a spectrum of varying wavelengths and colours. This information is processed in a spectrogram.

Based on the colours in the spectrogram, the materials present in the alloy can be determined as well as the percentage of each material’s occurrence in the alloy. Every type of alloy element has its own colour. For example, nickel (Ni) is red and chrome (Cr) is blue in the light spectrum. The spectrogram is the material’s “fingerprint”.

Material report

The results of the spectrometer analysis are processed into a materials report. This report is delivered by default along with your first delivery of a new product (“sampling”). This single summary makes it clear which alloy elements comprise a given production batch and whether this complies with the specification.

At CIREX, the spectrometer is linked to a computer. The reports are stored on the network so that the information is always available. Proper archiving of this information ensures the traceability of your product.