The quality laboratory of the St. Petersburg Precision Alloys Plant: five tests on the path to excellence

Precision alloys are the foundation of the most advanced technologies, from navigation systems of spacecraft to sensitive sensors in medicine. There is no place for chance here. Therefore any product batch must undergo comprehensive laboratory tests that confirm stability, accuracy, and reliability.

Chemical composition research: the formula of reliability

Why this is needed

A precision alloy begins with an impeccable formula and precise chemical composition. Even fractions of a percent of carbon, nickel, chromium, manganese, and other microimpurities can radically change alloy behavior and all its characteristics.

How it works

In our spectral laboratory every ingot and every strip batch undergoes comprehensive chemical composition research. We use two complementary methods:

• X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF): for express determination of elemental composition including alloying and residual additions. This method makes it possible to control alloy conformity to the required composition at all production stages.
• Atomic emission analysis (AES): possesses the highest sensitivity and helps detect even microtraces of elements, which is especially important when producing alloys with specified magnetic and electrical properties.

Result

At this stage not only accuracy of chemical composition is confirmed but also stability of the melting process. Only after a positive conclusion of the spectral laboratory is the material admitted to subsequent kinds of control.

Checking mechanical properties

Purpose of tests

For the material to withstand loads in stamping and deep drawing, one must precisely know its ductility, tensile strength, and yield strength.

How it works

Tests are conducted on modern tensile machines and hardness testers. We determine critically important parameters:

• Tensile and yield strength: determine the maximum load before the start of destruction or irreversible deformation.
• Relative elongation: an indicator of ductility and the material’s ability to deform.
• Erichsen test (spherical cupping depth): modeling real deep drawing processes, which is important for producing parts by stamping.
• Hardness (Vickers and Rockwell): measured using special indenters to assess resistance to local deformation.

Result

Thanks to these tests we precisely know what loads each strip batch can withstand. These data are of decisive significance when designing parts for the aerospace, energy, and oil-and-gas industries.

Metallographic research: the microworld under the microscope

Purpose of analysis

While chemical analysis determines composition, metallography shows the “inner world” of the alloy: its structure, phase distribution, defects. This is a mirror of all stages of material production: melting, rolling, and heat treatment.

Methodology

In the metallographic laboratory microspecimens are made from samples by polishing and etching with a chemical reagent, and then studied using a reflected-light optical microscope.

Result

We obtain confirmation that the material structure is homogeneous, stable, and conforms to GOST and TU requirements. This guarantees predictable alloy behavior in further mechanical processing and service.

Testing physical properties

Essence of the test

Precision alloys are unique thanks to their specific physical properties — magnetic, electrical, etc.

How it proceeds

In the physical laboratory equipped with high-precision measuring equipment and specialized stands, a series of tests is conducted:

• Magnetic characteristics:
• coercive force (Hc);
• saturation magnetic induction (Bs);
• magnetic permeability (µ);
• specific magnetic losses (Pm).
• Electrical properties:
• specific electrical resistance (ρ).
• Thermal properties:
• temperature coefficient of linear expansion (TCLE).

Result

These measurements guarantee that alloys with specified physical parameters will work with maximum accuracy and stability in electrical circuits, sensors, electronic components, and control systems.

Geometry and flatness: accuracy to a micron

Why this is important

For cold-rolled strip geometry is not a secondary parameter but a key requirement. Non-flatness or thickness nonuniformity nullifies all advantages of an ideal alloy in the automatic stamping process.

How it is controlled

In the linear-angular measurements laboratory equipment with optical and contact control systems ensuring accuracy to 0.001 mm is used. The following parameters are checked:

• Surface quality: roughness parameters (Ra, Rz).
• Geometric dimensions: thickness, width, camber.
• Flatness: absence of waviness, dish shape, and other form defects.

Result

Ideal flatness and uniform thickness guarantee uninterrupted material operation on automatic lines and stamping units, as well as precise fit in precision products.

Metal proven by time and science

These five laboratory tests are not a formality but the foundation of quality of PZPS precision alloys. In such a comprehensive system each stage is a filter that excludes the slightest deviations and ensures full traceability and predictability of properties.

We produce and supply cold-rolled strips from the following alloy groups:

• Soft magnetic alloys: 50N, 50NP, 79NM, 81NMA, 27KKh, 49K2FA.
• Alloys with specified elastic properties: 40KKhNM, 36NKhTYu, 17KhNGT.
• Corrosion-resistant alloys: 12Kh18N9, 12Kh18N10T, 10Kh17N13M3T.
• Alloys with high electrical resistance: Kh15Yu5, Kh23Yu5, Kh23Yu5T, Kh15N60N, Kh20N80N.
• Alloys with a specified TCLE: 29NK, 33NK, 36N, 42N.

Each batch undergoes a full cycle of laboratory tests to confirm product quality and its conformity to standards.