The research presented in this series of articles is a summary of inclusion characterisation techniques in routine to support the process improvement needs of internal customers of ArcelorMittal Global R&D, East Chicago. This paper highlights the use of characterisation techniques including total oxygen analysis, cathodoluminescence microscope on remelt buttons and clogging materials, and pulse discrimination analysis to study steelmaking and casting issues that affect productivity and quality of steel at ArcelorMittal USA. Use of cathodoluminescence microscope for examination of remelt buttons to correlate the nature of inclusions to castability for Ca treated steel grades is explained. Example results of application of total oxygen analysis and pulse discrimination analysis on Ti stabilised ultra low carbon, advanced high strength steels and transformation induced plasticity steels are shown. Formation of spinel inclusions and their impact on castability for desulphurised non-Ca treated versus Ca treated grades is also discussed.
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