TPT September 2012

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Technology News
96 September 2012
Mobile emission spectrometer
improves performance
THE name Spectrotest has been
associated with on-site metals analysis
for over 30 years. Technical advances
in the latest generation of the instrument
from Spectro Analytical Instruments bring
performance for the most demanding
analyses and deliver outstanding ease
of use.
Challenging tasks such as the
identification of low alloy steels are
made routine, in this case by the ability to
measure low carbon levels in steel down
to 500ppm using arc excitation – in air
– with the Spectrotest’s CO2 scrubbing
system. When higher sensitivities are
needed for carbon, like the identification
of L grade stainless steels, or when
elements like phosphorus, sulphur,
boron or tin are required, the plug in UV
probe is quickly and easily fitted. The
Spectrotest can even identify duplex
steels by measuring nitrogen content
using this probe. In aluminium alloys the
Spectrotest can measure magnesium
at low levels, as well as lithium and
beryllium.
The new lightweight transport trolley
is easy to move around and provides
an ergonomic working platform and
fatigue-free operation. Analysis results
are typically available in a few seconds
and are displayed on a bright, 15"
TFT LED screen. Spectro software
features like ICAL, which automatically
re-standardises the instrument with
a single sample, or APF-Plus, which
selects the calibration method based
on the identification of the base metal,
greatly simplify operation. For materials
identification there is access to the
Spectro Metal Database, or the user’s
own library can be created using the
Grade Library Builder, which is a part of
the Metal Database software.
The instrument’s plasma generator
allows users to benefit fromSpectrotest’s
increased effectiveness. The plasma
generator requires less energy, making
it possible to perform hundreds of
measurements with a single battery
charge. This allows double the number
of samples in arc excitation mode and
nearly four times the number of samples
in spark excitation mode during battery
operation.
Spectro Analytical UK Ltd – UK
Email:
Website:
New loading trolleys
IN order to satisfy the growing problems
of worldwide customers, OTO has
finalised the project and manufacturing
of several types of trolleys having the
purpose of collecting the coils from the
coil storage (turnstile for example) and
loading them on to the decoiler mandrel
to enable a quicker and fully automated
coil loading cycle.
The device will enable a coil loading
cycle in shorter time as well as safer
working conditions in the entry area, in
addition to the fact that the continuous
presence of the operator is not usually
required. In addition to the above
function, the new trolley generation has
the ability to orientate the burr in the
desired position (for example by rotating
the coils by 180°), thus avoiding the
operator having to do this operation.
Dedicated software enables the
control of the movements of the trolley
from the coil storage to the decoiler’s
mandrel with extremely smooth
acceleration/deceleration to enable a
safe stability on the coils and the same
is the case with narrower ones.
The coil is held from the top and
from the bottom: the closing force of
the top retainer is controlled through
a servovalve according to the coil
size, with the aim of reducing possible
ovalisation of the coil, mostly the case
when packing coils with light strip
thickness.
OTO Mills – Italy
Email:
Website:
The OTO Mills system
Spectrotest in action