Method and apparatus for predicting metallographic structure
AssigneeElectro-Nite Co.
InventorJacques Plessers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A metallographic structure such as nodularity in castings to be made from molten metal is predicted by causing one part of the sample to rapidly solidify at a first rate and a second part of the sample to solidify at a slower rate. The temperature of at least said one part of the sample is measured during solidification. After solidification of the one part of the sample, the heat conductivity of the sample is used to predict the metallographic structure of the sample.
Claims16
A process for predicting the metallographic structure of casting comprising:
- (a) obtaining a sample of molten metal,
- (b) cooling said sample,
- (c) ascertaining a parameter of thermal conductivity of the sample during step (b) and when thermal conductivity has a minimal influence as the cooling rate of the sample,
- (d) using said parameter of thermal conductivity to predict a metallographic structure of said casting.
A process for predicting the nodularity of a casting made from molten nodular cast iron comprising:
- (a) pouring cast iron from a ladle into a crucible,
- (b) causing a first part of the cast iron to solidify in said crucible at a first rate and a second rate of the sample to solidify at a slower rate.
- (c) measuring at least the temperature of said first part during solidification thereof, and
- (d) using said temperature after solidification of the first part to determine nodularity of the cast iron sample in the crucible for predicting nodularity of castings to be made from the cast iron in the ladle.
Apparatus for use in determining a metallographic structure of molten metal comprising a crucible having a cavity therein, means for causing a first part of a sample in said cavity to cool at a faster rate than the second part of the sample, said means including said crucible which has two contiguous portions of said cavity with a smaller transverse dimension for said first part so that the ratio of surface area to volume of the second cavity part is smaller than that of said first cavity part, and temperature sensing means associated with said first part for measuring the temperature of a sample in said first part.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.