The logic followed by Itaca software tool allows to execute a continuous control on the whole melting process. The analysis of cooling process of the iron takes few minutes and gives information concerning all the aspects to be considered to improve or to control the characteristics of the produced iron, before the pouring.
The thermal analysis estimates chemical composition (% Carbon, % Silicon and % Carbon Equivalent) and mechanical properties of the iron in the different phases of the process, the risk of formation of main defects (Graphite Expansion, Flotation of Graphite, Macroshrinkages, Porosity, Cementite, Inverse Chill) that the castings could present once produced and the nodularization level reached during the production of nodular iron.
The system is supplied with more separated channels analyzing the iron in the phases of the process decided to be monitored.
Each Itaca channel can be equally used to determine the chemical composition or the quality of the iron, changing the type of sample to be applied (with tellurium to make the chemical analysis, without tellurium for the quality).
If used at the same time, with more channels it is possible to make comparative analyses among more types of consumables employed, for example determining the optimal quantity of inoculant to be introduced or searching the best inoculant to be employed, in the choice among more inoculants.
Thus, Itaca thermal analysis produces a continuous and progressive improvement in the choice of the materials and in the quality of the produced iron (defects analysis), optimizing the using of these materials with a lower quantity employed, avoiding wastes and reaching a certain constancy in the composition of the produced iron and in the results coming from Itaca using.
This will make an easier control of the whole melting process, optimizing even the labour employed.
Also the mechanical properties (ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, % elongation and Brinell hardness) are estimated through the results coming from Itaca thermal analysis and it permits to quantify the presence of ferrite and perlite.
It is very important to know the real position of the iron on the Fe-C diagram, for the eutectic.
It is calculated by the gauge Hypo-Eutectic-Hyper, with the other gauges indicating the risk of formation of different defects . It indicates if the analyzed iron is hypoeutectic, eutectic or hypereutectic.
In the production of nodular iron, Itaca permits to evaluate not only the quantity of present Magnesium (chemical analysis) but also the effect of free Magnesium on the quality. The effects (normally bad) of free Magnesium on the quality can be appreciated analyzing the iron before and after nodularization treatment, appreciating eventual variations.