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Steel is an infinitely recyclable and steel-hard material. Not surprisingly, it is used in a wide variety of structures: from bridges to vehicles to wind turbines. For just about every country in the world, steel is a crucial element in economic trade and production. A thorough analysis is recommended and Phenom SEM is the best partner for this.

Steel, like all other raw materials, is becoming more and more expensive.

Steel products today need to be lighter and more durable. As a result, steel manufacturers are now coming under great pressure. Their basic raw material -steel- has to be of a better quality to keep up with the increasingly strict requirements of their customers. Those who meet the high demands negotiate better prices for their products and strengthen their market position.

Zenith Steel was quick to notice this. This Kenyan steel giant, specialized in the design, fabrication and assembly of all kinds of structural steel, is one of the market leaders in steel production. They got the message right and put their faith in thorough analysis and the collection of the necessary parameters. How do they do that? We are happy to tell you in this article.

Non-metallic inclusions

A new generation of instruments is emerging for the production of high-grade steel. Analysers must provide the producer with the necessary results quickly and accurately. Today, steel manufacturers still often use optical microscopes to identify the size and number of nonmetallic inclusions. These are contaminants that have a negative impact on quality. Thus, to manufacture steel with the desired properties, these nonmetallic inclusions must be reduced. This requires a deep understanding of the number, size and chemical composition of these inclusions.

However, such microscopes do not provide information on the chemical composition of the inclusions. Result: steel manufacturers have insufficient information to optimize their steelmaking process unless multiple devices are used. This in turn entails more expensive, more complex processes. This is not an option for many steel companies. Benelux Scientific has therefore started a search for optimal testing equipment.

Download our application note on steel analysis here

Thermo Scientific™ Phenom™ ParticleX Steel Desktop SEM 

De Thermo Scientific™ Phenom™ ParticleX Steel Desktop Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) performs fast, accurate and complete steel analysis that producers need to fine-tune their production process. In addition to a convenient system for failure analysis of already manufactured steel components, you use this compact but highly accurate device for in-depth sample analysis. In no time you can study and assess the purity of steel based on the quantity, shape and chemical composition of the non-metallic inclusions.

Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDS) 

In addition, it directly integrates advanced energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) into the microscope. In less than a minute, you get reliable SEM images in razor-sharp quality. The size and location of an inclusion can be determined down to 0.5 microns, and you can see the elemental composition of each particle at a glance. If the size, number and chemical composition of the inclusion is known, manufacturers are able to optimize their production processes for specific applications.
In short: the Phenom ParticleX Steel Desktop SEM takes quality control in the steel industry to the next level. Zenith Steel is already convinced.

Added value of the Phenom SEM:

We are happy to list its specifications so that you too will quickly discover the added value:

  • Versatility: scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) integrated into one device for optimal quality control in the steel industry
  • Ease of use: minimal training required to obtain accurate quality data
  • Industry-specific software: simple interface with practical insight into common inclusions
  • High clarity: characterization of submicrometer inclusions with the CeB6 source
  • Future proof: you easily adapt the initial protocols to your specific analytical needs

Can it get any simpler? Zenith Steel has already got the message and confidently chose this ingenious test equipment for in-depth quality control of their structural steel.

Premium steel

As a steel producer, if you have extremely accurate, quality parameters of the raw materials used, your end product will experience a significant improvement in quality. The compact Phenom ParticleX Steel Desktop SEM is the missing link for fast, accurate and user-friendly quality control for the steel industry. Follow the example of Zenith Steel and amaze customers with premium steel products thanks to unparalleled analysis with the Phenom ParticleX Steel Desktop SEM.

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