moltenmetal
Chemical
We received from a large, reputable distributor, four lengths of Chinese-origin 316/L pipe. All four had the same heat number and other mill markings. Mill cert list compositions in accordance with the spec and also indicate "100% PMI".
On-site PMI testing with an XRF gun (later confirmed by a third party NDE company) show the material to be several percent under in nickel content in three of four lengths tested, with the fourth being well within spec on Ni and other main constituents.
Though we've received material with other product flaws before, this is a first for us. Now that we're asking, we're hearing from others that this kind of thing does occur fairly often and to date we've just been lucky...
How often are you experiencing the receipt of material where either mill certs or mill markings are blatantly fraudulent? We're not talking about something being marginally off-spec here- we're talking several percent in the content of a key alloying ingredient!
Do others here have documented experiences of this sort with Chinese origin material? Which product forms? How about from other countries?
On-site PMI testing with an XRF gun (later confirmed by a third party NDE company) show the material to be several percent under in nickel content in three of four lengths tested, with the fourth being well within spec on Ni and other main constituents.
Though we've received material with other product flaws before, this is a first for us. Now that we're asking, we're hearing from others that this kind of thing does occur fairly often and to date we've just been lucky...
How often are you experiencing the receipt of material where either mill certs or mill markings are blatantly fraudulent? We're not talking about something being marginally off-spec here- we're talking several percent in the content of a key alloying ingredient!
Do others here have documented experiences of this sort with Chinese origin material? Which product forms? How about from other countries?