Steel type from a sample

[drodrig]

Hi everybody,

We have an old magnet with a big yoke we would like to reuse for a new test. It is 25 years old. We got some drawings (paper drawings!) but there is not information about the material; what steel it is.

We want to run some simulations and we need to know the properties.

How easy is to get a sample, send it to a lab and find out the type of material? is it expensive?

Another option would be measuring the magnetic properties of the sample.

thank you
regards,

 

[metengr]

A full chemical analysis to type the material today runs under $200 USD by most Materials Testing Labs.

 

[EdStainless]

Who built it? Is it solid or laminated?
And when?
If it was old, like from before 1985 I would bet that it is Armco A.

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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube

 

[drodrig]

200 dollars sounds very nice. How is the official name? chemical analysis?

It was built in Russia in 1990. It is a big yoke of ca.4 meters in length and height (octagon). The wall thickness is 200-250mm. Like 100 metric tons

The people who make the simulations think it could be iron XC10 (1.0301), it seems very high percentage of iron (because of its magnetic properties)

thank you
regards,

 

[metengr]

It would be a full chemical analysis for the lab.

 

[EdStainless]

Though you don't care what eh chemistry is, just the magnetic properties.
Is there a location where you could cut or core drill a slug of material and have the magnetic properties measured?
I am sure that you need initial perm, avg perm to some specified field level, and saturation magnetization.
Since the magnetic properties depend on more than just composition why not go directly to what you need?

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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube

 

[drodrig]

Yes, that was the "plan B", but in principle learning about the steel type and going to a table to see the properties looked more simple.

Taking a sample from such big part would not be a problem, how big should it be?

cheers,

 

[kingnero]

It was built in Russia in 1990. It is a big yoke of ca.4 meters in length and height (octagon). The wall thickness is 200-250mm. Like 100 metric tons

Any chance of a photo?

http://www.fusionpoint.be

http://be.linkedin.com/in/fusionpoint

 

[drodrig]

Yes, the red thing:

 

[kingnero]

That's amazing! Never seen a magnet of that size. Hope it works out for you, it would be a shame having to replace it.

http://www.fusionpoint.be

http://be.linkedin.com/in/fusionpoint

 

[drodrig]

"Amazing-er"

https://www.google.de/search?q=cms+...3oDRAhXpDsAKHTwRAGQQ_AUICCgB&biw=1536&bih=693

 

[MagBen]

With a magnet that big and such structured, it is probably a low carbon steel. Carbon content is what you want to know, but also, you want to know the condition, e.g. annealed or un-annealed for which you may need to do a microstructural analysis, and/or a magnetic evaluation (a DC B-H curve would be sufficient).

 

[drodrig]

So I found somebody on another department able to do the measurement, we need to get a sample for the test.

My concern is how to get the sample part. If we cut in the magnet it will heat up changing the properties.

How can we get the sample without affecting the properties?

thank you
regards,

 

[mrfailure]

Water cool the area while you are cutting it.

 

[MagMike]

If it's not too late: I recommend sending the sample out for magnetic testing before chemical testing. The magnetic test is non-destructive and will directly provide the data necessary for simulation software.

A simple BH test will only require a small sample, say 10mm diameter x 10mm length.

 

[EdStainless]

Use a water cooled core drill to cut a small slug out of the material.

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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube

 

[dik]

Don't be surprised if it's soft iron... This material does not hold a magnetic effect after current is removed and does not retain magnetism. A feature hoisting electromagnets should have.

Dik