BRINELL IMPRESSION MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY
Stemcor Special Steels: Part of the Stemcor Group, the world’s largest independent steel trader, Stemcor Special Steels specialise in the supply of high grade steel products to the Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Industries. Stemcor's services span every step in the supply chain, from the provision of raw materials to producers, through to the delivery of processed steel to end-users.
Stemcor Special Steels’ UK is one of four fully stocked service centres holding a combined stock level of over 10,000 metric tonnes. Further subdivisions are located in Singapore, Dubai and Houston. From each of these service centres the company offer an impressive selection of materials and a wide range of added value processes, all backed up by an efficient global logistics team. Stemcor Special Steels hold several thousand tonnes of Carbon & Alloy specs in stock for immediate supply and by operating a Core Stock Policy the company is able to track the best prices, highest quality and shortest lead times on the grades which service the Oil and Gas industry.
An extensive range of Super Alloys is also held by Stemcor, from “super-chromes” through the full array of nickel-based CRA material. These Super Alloys meet the needs of severe service critical applications, such as off-shore/deep-water/deep well/extreme sour-service and extreme temperature and pressure environments.
Stemcor Special Steels has developed close working relationships with upstream suppliers and sub contractors allowing it to provide heat treatment and value added machining. Through these ISO approved routing methods the company is able to supply treated cut blanks and both semi finished and fully machined components, either as bespoke one-offs or as regular scheduled, just in time deliveries.
The company’s extensive facilities include an expert procurement services with unlimited access to the company’s whole grade range. Oil & Gas grades are supplied tested and approved to ASTM API 6A PSL Level 3. Materials are available to BS970, AISI, SAE, DIN 17200, BSEN, ASTM, Werkstoff and Euronorm.
Accredited to BSI ISO 9001:2008, Stemcor Special Steels’ materials are fully certified and have full traceability. The company administer a strict quality control regime with full on site NDT services including ultrasonic testing, dye penetrant inspection, liquid particle inspection, mag particle inspection and King Brinell hardness testing.
When faced with the need to find a portable King Brinell that could be used across the entire UK site Dean Wagstaff Stemcor Special Steels Ultra Sonic Inspector, investigated the available options. Having had a successful demonstration of a portable King Brinell Hardness Tester connected to a King Scan III Brinell Impression measurement system, from Bowers Metrology UK, the instrument and measurement system were recently purchased. Dean Wagstaff takes up the story “the new King Brinell hardness tester and impression measuring system is now in regular use and making a significant contribution to our quality and traceability systems. As both units are highly portable, we are able to use them with great ease across the whole of our site. It also helps that the flexible King Brinell hardness tester is capable of accurately assessing virtually any size and shape of metal specimen. We use our new hardness testing system for making systematic checks across our stock range and for 100% inspection and certificate generation on specified materials.”
Bowers’ King Brinell Portable Hardness Tester is a lightweight, sturdy instrument that is capable of extremely rapid, yet accurate hardness test procedures made at any angle. The tester has a wide measuring range and is ideal for use on steel, cast steel and cold work tool steel. A range of optional accessories is available including a chain adapter, reverse direction adapters, standard test head with long ram, a low pressure test head and various bases that are able to accommodate larger specimens.
Bowers Metrology describes the KingScan III system as the next generation of Brinell Impression measurement technology. The advanced system boasts the ability to accurately read the indent impressions made by all portable and bench Brinell testers. KingScan III features a full function computer with a Windows XP operating system, that is able to speed-up the documentation process of Statistical Process Control (SPC) and allow the convenient storage and retrieval of all test parameters and readings.
King Scan III’s advanced, computerised microscope’s frame-grabber provides real time video imaging at an impressive data transfer rate, making the processing of Brinell, impression reading, faster and easier than ever before, whilst a rugged CCD camera with electronic cross hairs make reading indent impressions both accurate and trouble-free.
For more information about the KingScan III, click here.
Published on September 19, 2011 13:57