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<p><font color="#FFFFCC"><b>Oct. 19, 2001</b></font></p>
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<td width="347"><font color="#FFFFCC"><b>Process Control of the Cast Iron
melt by using Structure Sample Analysis</b></font></td>
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<p><b><font color="#FF0000"> Application field </font></b></p>
<p>Quality Control becomes very important for the production of Grey Castings
in order to meet the requirements of the customers. It becomes more and
more necessary for the foundry to set-up a proper Process Control Feed
Back System to get a obust produciotn process.</p>
<p><img src="grafisch/schema.jpg" width="280" height="174"></p>
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<td valign="top" width="123"><b><font color="#FF0000"><img src="grafisch/sample2.jpg" width="120" height="86"></font></b></td>
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<td colspan="3">The structure sample is taken just before the iron is cast,
in order to check if the liquid iron will solidify with the right Graphite
Structure.<br>
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<td colspan="2" align="center"><img src="grafisch/sampling.jpg" width="71" height="200"><img src="grafisch/samplename.jpg" width="138" height="200"><font size="1"><br>
Heraeus Electro-Nite Immersion Sampling Unit </font></td>
<td width="47%"><b>Immersion procedure</b> <br>
<br>
<UL>
<LI>Immersing time has to be between 4 and 6 sec. <br>
<LI>Let cool-down the structure sample in the sand mould for at
least 12 min. (untill the sample temperature is below 600°C) <br>
<LI>Remove the structure sample from the sand mould ü Clean the
sample
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<p><b><font color="#FF0000">Analysis of the Structure Sample<br>
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<td width="26%" align="center" valign="top">Put the structure sample
on the fixture<br>
<img src="grafisch/fix1kl.jpg" width="110" height="151"></td>
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Weigh the sample<br>
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<img src="grafisch/fix2kl.jpg" width="111" height="151"></td>
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Measure the sample<br>
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<font size="2">(click to enlarge)</font></td>
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<p><b><font color="#FF0000">Interpretation of the results<br>
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<td><img src="grafisch/resultbalk.JPG" width="452" height="127"><br>
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The Structure Sample measurement determines the Elastic properties
and damping capacity of the material. The damping is influenced by
: <br>
<UL>
<LI>Graphite structure
<LI> Matrix structure
<LI>Chemical composition
<LI>Cementite
</UL>
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<td valign="top"><img src="grafisch/scherm2kl.JPG" width="200" height="184" align="left" hspace="10">The
main application field of the Structure Sample relates to the mass
production of castings where a predefined and constant matrix structure
and Chemical composition are required and no cementite structure is
allowed. The damping value gives an overall picture of the graphite
structure throughout the section of the sample. The damping value
measurement is a relative measurement and has to be calibrated versus
the Graphite structure in the relevant section of the real casting.</td>
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<p><b><font color="#FF0000">Conclusion</font></b></p>
<UL>
<LI>The damping value can serve as a good control parameter of the graphite
structure. Together with the elastic properties (Young's Modulus, Shear
Modulus, Poisson's Ratio) it reflects well the trend of the production
process.
<LI> The RFDA (Resonant Frequency and Damping Analyser) based on the IET
(Impulse Excitation Technique) is an excellent test method in the foundry
for production control, independently from the operator.
</UL>
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<p><font color="#FFFFCC"><b> July 3, 2002</b></font></p>
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<td width="347"><font color="#FFFFCC"><b>Latest News</b></font></td>
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<p class="titel"><br>
New product</p>
<p><b>RFDA measuring system with SOUND EXCITATION</b></p>
<img src="grafisch/soundexcitation.jpg" width="300" height="166">
<p>The RFDA measuring system can be extended with an extra add on toolkit
to use sound excitation. Previously the excitation of the sample was done
simply with a mechanical impulse. In this case the whole frequency spectrum
is principally induced into a sample and the resonant frequency spectrum
is measured. For certain application it is interesting to excitate the
sample only with one or several dedicated resonant frequencies. To be
able to do this IMCE has developed the sound excitation add on toolkit.
With this toolkit it becomes possible to excitate the sample by using
a loudspeaker. With this toolkit installed, the RFDA software is able
to define and sent a signal to the speaker<br>
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<p class="titel"><br>
Services</p>
<p><b>Young's Modulus measurement</b></p>
<p>Along with the RFDA measurement devices and its applications IMCE NV
offers the possibility to measure the elastic properties (Young's Modulus,
Shear Modulus and Poisson's ratio) together with the damping properties
for samples sent to us by the customer. We offer sample preparation (machining)
services to our customers as well.<br>
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<p class="titel"><br>
New developments coming up</p>
<p><b>RFDA measuring system for low temperature applications (-140°C up
to 140°C)</b></p>
<p>At this moment we are testing the feasibility of Young's modulus measurement
from low temperatures -140°C up to a temperature of 140°C. The main application
field aimed at is the measurement of the glass transition temperature
of plastics.<br>
The first measurement results are looking very promising.<br>
Of course the elastic properties of other materials can be measured at
this temperature range.<br>
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<p class="titel"><br>
New customers</p>
We are pleased to introduce our new customers who are using our RFDA-MF
measuring system to measure the elastic and damping properties ( internal
friction ) based on the impulse excitation technology :<br>
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<td><img src="grafisch/dot.gif" width="20" height="8"></td>
<td colspan="2">Pilkington Technology Management Ltd. European Technical
Centre<br>
Ormskirk - United Kingdom<br>
<br>
National Physical Laboratory<br>
Teddington - United Kingdom<br>
<br>
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven<br>
Department MTM<br>
Leuven - Belgium </td>
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<td><img src="grafisch/dot.gif" width="20" height="8"></td>
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The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Department MTM, is extending their
measurement capacity. Shortly we will deliver <b>a second RFDA-MF
measurement system</b> equipped with <b>a sound excitation system</b>.
The system is also foreseen with an extra Eurotherm 2408i process
indicator unit to log the temperature in the already existing air
furnace. This makes it possible for them to perform damping (internal
friction) measurements within this furnace, parallel with the measurements
running in the RFDA HTVP 1750-C.</td>
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Ford Forschungszentrum Aachen<br>
Aachen - Germany </td>
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FFA wants to measure the distribution of the elastic properties over
a CGI casting. Their goal is to optimise the Finite Element Model
(FEM) of this particular casting.<br>
Depending on the wall thickness, the feeding system and the casting
process stability it is well known that the elastic and mechanical
properties can vary. It is not possible to use the standard tensile
test to determine these properties because of the small cross section
at different locations. With the RFDA can measure the elastic properties
of the material at small cross sections, as long as it is possible
to machine a small rectangular bar out of this part. <br>
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<p class="titel"><br>
Exhibition</p>
IMCE is participating as an exhibitor at the 1st Scientific Exhibition on
Mechanical Spectroscopy Equipment (SEMSE-1), which is held parallel to the
13th International conference on Internal Friction and Ultrasonic Attenuation
in Solids (ICIFUAS-13). This conference is held in the new Conference Hall
at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of the Basque Country, close
to Bilbao city, Spain, from July 8 - 12, 2002. Further information about
the conference can be fount at <a href="http://www.icifuas.com" target="_blank">www.icifuas.com</a><br>
<br>
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<td><a href="http://www.icifuas.com" target="_blank"><img src="grafisch/Bilbao.jpg" width="136" height="57" border="0"></a>
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