Melting crucibles are essential when you're working with metals that need to be melted down before they can be used in other ways. They can be purchased in various sizes, materials and types; whatever crucibles you use, the pointers here enable a long working life for them.
Choose Suitable Materials
When you're examining melting crucibles for purchase, think of your furnace. Depending on the furnace, you might find that certain melting crucibles are better than others. For instance, if your furnace is a low frequency induction model, selecting crucibles containing silicon carbide is smart; other crucibles could overheat too quickly and get damaged.
Check New Crucibles for Damage
Whenever you buy melting crucibles, they should be inspected before you ever use them. During shipping or transporting, some hairline cracks could have already formed. Using a crucible that already has damage will only increase the chance that metals could seep out or the crucible could suffer even more damage when heated.
Preheat Before Use
Each crucible you buy should be preheated to stop it from expanding too quickly; the stress could cause thermal shock. If that happens, the entire crucible could crack and come apart, rendering it unusable. Preheat at low temperatures instead of shocking it with intense high heat during initial uses.
Wait to Add Flux
Some people pour in flux additives at the same time they add metals to their crucibles. This is extremely dangerous for the crucibles themselves, because the additives can leach onto the crucible and start eating away at it before the metal metals. To protect crucibles, wait until you've already got molten metal; then add flux to the liquid.
Scrape Buildup
Metal buildup, also called dross, is something that can form after a crucible is used many times. The temptation is to allow the dross to sit there because you're so busy with other tasks, but know that dross can absorb additives easily, which can wear down the crucible over time. Therefore, make time for scraping away dross frequently so that the crucibles are clean when used.
Store Properly
Proper storage is important because it prevents damage to crucibles. Stacking, for example, could crack crucibles. If you place crucibles on a concrete floor or shelf, be aware that crucibles may absorb any water or liquids that spill.
Your crucible use can continue if these tips are used to protect them. Ask retailers, colleagues and others, such as at a company like Malcom G Stevens INC, for more specific suggestions for the kinds of crucibles and metals you use.
Share9 September 2017
I have always been someone who loves to know more about the way the world works, which is part of the reason I started reading about industrial and manufacturing processes. I have always found it fascinating that professionals can create things by hand, and so I started attending factory tours, asking questions, and doing as much research as possible. It was really interesting to see how much of a difference my efforts made, and before I knew it, I was able to completely change the way I thought about manufacturing. This blog is here to help other people to appreciate the majesty of industry. Check it out!
