Leica SteelExpert

Analysis Software for Automatic or Semi-Automatic

Steel Inclusion Rating

For further information, please contact your local Leica representative:

System Specification Options

We are able to offer system options to fit your specific requirements in terms of sample throughput,automation and budget

Hardware for automated steel inclusion rating

• Leica DM 6000M upright compoundmicroscope with incident optics, 5X, 10Xand 20X lenses, brightfield illumination,optional darkfield with 4x4 Merzhaeuserscanning stage and stage control board

• Or Leica DMI 5000M inverted compoundmicroscope with incident optics, 5X, 10Xand 20X lenses, brightfield illumination,optional darkfield, with scanning stage andmotorised focus and a stage control board

• Or Leica DM 4000M upright compoundmicroscope with incident optics, 5X, 10Xand 20X lenses, brightfield illumination,optional darkfield with 4x4 Merzhaeuserscanning stage, external motor focus andX/Y/Z control board

• Leica DFC290 digital camera

• Leica Application Suite (LAS) with LeicaSteel Expert application software

• 0.63x C-mount adapter

• Calibration slide for length calibration

Hardware for semi-automated steel inclusion rating

• Leica DM 2500M upright compoundmicroscope with incident optics, 5X, 10Xand 20X lenses, brightfield illumination,optional darkfield

• Or any other Leica upright or invertedmaterials compound microscope withincident optics, 5X, 10X and 20X lenses,brightfield illumination, optional darkfield

• Leica DFC290 digital camera

• Leica Application Suite (LAS) with LeicaSteel Expert application software

• 0.63x C-mount adapter

• Calibration slide for length calibration

Software

The software can be used in two modes withdiffering authorisation levels in relation to thespecial requirements in Quality Assurance:

1. Super User - Authority to definemeasurement parameters and inclusiontypes to be measured, limit values for chartfield grading, as well as all the functionsincluded in Standard User

2. Standard user - Authority to change thesamples, input measurement specific data,set up the image, focus, start themeasurement, store and print data, checkvalidity of results with worst field and worstinclusion finder option.

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Automated for Simplicity, Speed and Accuracy

Automatic Steel Inclusion Rating

Leica Steel Expert is a highly specialisedsoftware programme for automatic and semi-automatic steel inclusion rating running inthe established Leica Application Suite (LAS)environment. The quality of steel is highlydependent on the content of non-metallicinclusions generated during steel alloyingand production. Traditional methods ofcharacterising steel inclusions manually,using comparison charts that refer tointernationally defined rating standards,have proved to be very time consuming andinaccurate. This has been due to theambiguous nature of these standards andhas meant that were often open to subjectiveapplication. Leica Steel Expert, bridges thesegaps by providing a powerful softwaresolution that brings fast, reproducible andaccurate results to the process of automatedand semi-automated inclusion rating forstainless steel alloys.

Critical Quality Factors

As steel manufacturers have to certify thequality of their steels to be competitive in theinternational market, Leica Steel Expert allowsthe verification of the different types of non-metallic inclusions in steel alloys. Theinclusions are classified and graded accordingto their shade and colour. Black inclusionssuch as globular oxides, silicates andaluminium oxides are identified by shape, sizeand arrangement. Furthermore, as globalnetworking forces manufacturers tocommunicate their results set to establishedinternational standards so that steel quality canbe compared, Leica Steel Expert provides fullcompatibility with most established industrialstandards including ASTM E45 A, D and E, ISO 4967 A and B, DIN 50 602 with K and Mmethods, JIS G0555 and is prepared for theanticipated new EN10247, a release that isexpected in the near future. The compre-hensive nature of Leica Steel Expert means thatall standard results can be displayed at thesame time for easy comparison. Furthermore,these comparable results can now begenerated in different laboratories all over theworld. The automated image analysis providedby Steel Expert means that all conditions arehighly reproducible and objective.

The Expert for Quality Assurance

Automatic Steel Inclusion Rating

The Leica automated upright or inverted lightmicroscopes enable polished steel samples tobe easily inspected with bright field illumination.When combined with Leica Steel Expert, fieldsof arbitrary size on either single or multiplesamples, which are mounted on the motorisedscanning stage, can be automatically scannedand measured. The predicted focus optionensures that the sample or samples remain atthe correct focal point during each automatedmeasurement. Furthermore, Leica Steel Expertprovides a unique display mode allowing theuser to monitor the measurement and checkthat the different inclusion types are beingcorrectly identified.

Non-metallic inclusions are detected andclassified by grey value (differentiationbetween sulfide and oxide inclusions) and bysize, shape and arrangement (differentiationbetween globular, silicate and aluminateinclusion types). Depending on the amountand size of these different inclusions, arating is generated for steel that defines itsquality in relation to international standards.The results can be stored and printed. Tocheck the validity of results, particularly ofthe worst fields or largest inclusions (whichhave the most influence on the final grading),these fields can be reviewed in live imagemode and artefacts can be removed.

The workstation for steel inclusion rating canbe individually combined from differentsystem components. For the high-endsegment, Leica Steel Expert can be usedtogether with the fully automated compoundmicroscopes Leica DM4000/6000 M and theinverted light microscope Leica DM5000 M.

Semi-Automatic Steel Inclusion Rating

The semi-automatic version of the Leica SteelExpert software works with any manual incidentlight microscope. The user defines the fields tobe measured, the software performs then therecognition, classification and grading of theinclusions. This can be used, when only worstinclusion or worst field determination arerequired.

Feature Highlights:

• An easy to use solution operating in themodern Leica Application Suite environment

• Complete control of all imaging conditionssuch as microscope and camera settings for highly reproducible measurements

• Full integration of modern fully automatedLeica DM series compound microscopes andLeica DFC digital cameras

• Classifies and grades inclusions by shade andcolour as well as shape and arrangement

• Data accessible in raw, processed and histogram format

• Fully compatible with International standardssuch as ASTM 45 A, D and E, ISO 4967 A andB, DIN 50602 K and M, JK and JIS 0555

• Prepared for the anticipated new Europeanstandard EN 10247

• Measurement results can be viewedindependently from magnification and allstandard results can be displayedsimultaneously for easy comparison

• Complete control over measurement resultswith worst inclusion and worst field finderand editing options are available in the fullyautomated version

• Manual positioning of an arbitrary number offields of view for the identification of worstinclusions or worst fields in the semi-automated version