The philosophy of inspection

Abstract

Philosophy is derived from a knowledge and an experience of environment. The concerned environment is steelmaking, rerolling and customer requirement. These aspects cause the evolution of a practical approach which should be consistent with economy. There is little point in an expenditure greater than that required to meet adequate application. The importance of a precise knowledge of subsequent processing and ultimate application is stressed, coincident with the requirement to relate this to steel quality in terms of permissible defectiveness. With regard to steel surface, quantification of this attribute in the current state of the technique is developing apace. The position with respect to internal soundness and cleanness is less definitive. Attention is directed to the difference between the older traditional inspection and the now generally accepted concepts of quality control and total organization quality involvement, wherein inspection can be regarded as productive. Equipment available for the inspection of billets and bars is discussed with projected assessments of future inspection facilities. The increasing use of continuously cast billets is taken into account along with the requirement for an altered philosophy related to inherent differences in this mode of billet production. Experience in developing and applying a bar-grading system is described and examples are provided where the use of automatic or semi-automatic non-destructive testing equipment has created cost savings.