INDUSTRY NEWS
Metals Analysis: Future Trends Source: Mikko Järvikivi, Global Head of Product Management - Hitachi High-Tech Analytical Science From the rise of robots in the manufacturing process, to the fall in quality of raw materials from certain sources, our industry has never been a more challenging place to operate. And yet it’s never been more interesting and exciting.
Here are just five areas that keep us talking at Hitachi High-Tech; highs and lows that are influencing the way we develop our technology to ensure a successful future for those working with metals, or in the metals industry.
1. 3D Printing in Metal 3D printing is here to stay, and the ability to ‘print’ in metals is moving far beyond prototype components, shifting to finished metal components that could potentially fail. Hailed as the new technique for fabrication, 3D printing is a disruptive technology that will change traditional methods in an exciting way. Having worked with the metals industry for many years, we get excited about advancement in technology and this is definitely up there. In the future, we believe that the analysis of finished products will be straightforward. However, it’s the testing of the raw materials that could make analysers your most valuable tools. Raw materials can include aluminium, cobalt, chrome, copper, stainless steel, titanium and tungsten. But for any of these to be used, they must first exist as pure elements or alloy powder. This ‘powder’ could be tested with an XRF (X-ray Fluorescence) metals analyser to ensure it’s of the quality you need before turning it into a vital component. Alternatively, stationary spark optical emission spectrometers (OES), like the OE750 and OE720 from Hitachi, can be used to test powders using a re-melting furnace. This provides the advantage to analyze C, P, S, B and N (if powder is nickel, cobalt or steel based), which XRF machines cannot analyse. WDXRF and combustion analysers are an alternative, but these can be up to three times more expensive than the OE750.
2. Metals Analysis and Big Data We’ve seen data emerge as a key
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resource for businesses in the last decade, and the metals industry is no different. While investment has been made into process control and optimisation, the industry has for many years lagged behind sectors, such as banking and media, in its adoption of new digital technologies. However, the pace is picking up with innovations in analytics, mobile solutions and automation delivering significant gains. For us, the speed, simplicity, and convenience of a metals analyser enabling a member of staff to take thousands of readings in a working day, means we also need to adapt to keep pace. Data and information is now an essential part of a complete metals analysis ‘toolkit’. Whether it is through the device being connected to the cloud, through the IoT, or installed within the instrument itself.
3. Why Sccuracy Matters As global competition increases, or as is the current case, material shortages, there is no doubt that the quality of materials from some areas will decrease. In some countries, huge tax advantages are offered to manufacturers that add low-cost elements, such as boron to materials such as steel. The government of one of the world’s largest alloyed
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steel exporters supports it with a tax reduction of between three and nine percent. So, while someone else might be getting a tax break, you should be doing incoming inspection on the raw material being received, to ensure you’re not paying the cost. For this application, either a handheld XRF analyser such as the X-MET8000 or handheld laser analyser like the Vulcan, would be appropriate. However, when higher precision and accuracy is needed, our stationary optical emission analysers, such as the OE720 or OE750, would be the best choice to ensure you are getting the best price-quality ratio for your incoming raw materials verification.
4. Rise of the Robots Robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) are at the heart of a new era in manufacturing - the drive to digitise industry. In many industries, robots and AI already take a crucial and prevalent role – improving accuracy and consistency, shortening throughput and enhancing product quality. The rise of the cobots, 24/7 factory floor and laboratory, and cloud robotics are all trends we’re seeing in metal manufacturing and how things are changing. We’ve also been increasing our research
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