Scanning Electron Microscopes

In the steelmaking process, there are several impurities that can be detrimental to the quality of the steel produced. Steelmakers strive to make these impurities conform to the wanted purity / impurity ratio acceptable for the end product to function as needed by the manufacturer. These impurities include, Alumina, Silicon, Sulphur, Phosphorous, Lead, Tin, Manganese, [...]

Calcium aluminates, the product of combining of calcium oxide and aluminum oxide at high temperatures, is an additive which reduces sulphur content of the steel (see McGannon, “The Making, Shaping and Treating of Steel”, United Steel Corporation, 10th edition, 1985, 489-90). Commonly found in the production of cements and steel refineries, calcium aluminates are used [...]

Killed steel, or steel that has had all of the oxygen removed from it, is achieved through a deoxidizing process in order to make an ideal steel for forged products. Oxygen can become incorporated into the steel as bubbles during the steelmaking process, and can combine with carbon to make carbon monoxide bubbles. These bubbles [...]

Contaminants in steel – such as Silicon, Sulphur, Phosphorous, Lead, Tin, and Oxygen – can lead to a faulty product, too brittle or too ductile. These types of contaminants, called inclusions, can have some positive benefits, but must be closely monitored in order to produce a high-quality steel. Too many of one type could outweigh [...]

The quality of steel produced relies on a combination of several factors. Most notable are the quantity of carbon incorporated into the mixture and the types of impurities present. By understanding what impurities are present and what qualities they provide, steelmakers can improve the quality of steel produced.

Other than carbon, there are several [...]

Steel castings include hydroelectric turbine wheels, forging presses, gears, railroad car frames, valve bodies, pump casings, mining machinery, marine equipment, and engine casings. In the making of each, it is important to maintain tight control of the steel inclusions present, such as oxides and other impurities in the steel. For the each of [...]

Impurities in iron cause defects and flaws within the material that, when creating steel, leads to a poor quality product. Several impurities that can be found in iron, or pig-iron, include silicon, phosphorus, manganese, sulphur, copper, tin, tungsten, antimony, and titanium. Each of these has a different effect on the iron; steel created [...]

Special bar quality (SBQ) is a type of steel graded between merchant bar quality, such as construction bar, and specialist quality, such as stainless steel. SBQ can refer to either the bar or simply the steel used to manufacture these high-quality products. Since these types of steel have superior mechanical properties, careful measures [...]