Measuring metallurgical composition of melt in furnace

metalplastic

When mixing special grades of alloys, or even in commercial production of common alloys, furnaces are often used where metals or additives are added and mixed, then samples taken at the core and characterized, then adjustments are made by adding additives until the desired composition is achieved.

What is the common way and procedure that metallurgists use to measure the chemical composition of the mixture during production?

Do they cool down the sample immediately by say quenching and run it through an ICP-mass spec (I dont think steel mills are this sophisticated)? How is it normally done?

metalplastic

Anyone?

Alternatives like XPS? etc? Anyone know how it is normally done?

dsl

Several steelmakers use LIBS (laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy) to monitor melt compositions.