{"id":9667,"date":"2018-01-09T13:00:49","date_gmt":"2018-01-09T13:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/?p=9667"},"modified":"2026-08-12T21:00:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T21:00:47","slug":"process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/","title":{"rendered":"Process Mass Spectrometers Help Achieve Dynamic Process Control in Basic Oxygen Steelmaking"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"BasicSteel, an alloy of iron and carbon containing less than 2% carbon, is our most important construction and engineering material, with over 1.6 billion tonnes of crude steel produced in 2015 according to the World Steel Association<\/a>. About 70% of this steel is produced by Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS), also known as the Basic Oxygen Process (BOP). The most common type of steel converters are known as Basic Oxygen Furnaces (BOF), also known as Linz Donawitz (LD) converters.<\/p>\n

In the BOF, carbon-rich molten iron from the Blast Furnace is converted to steel by blowing oxygen through a top-mounted lance at supersonic speeds into the molten iron. Carbon in the molten iron reacts with oxygen to form carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2<\/sub>). The process is known as basic because chemical bases of lime or dolomite are added to promote the removal of impurities and protect the furnace lining. Modern BOFs can handle several hundred tonnes of iron and convert it to steel in around 30-40 minutes, with the oxygen \u2018blow\u2019 typically lasting around 20-25 minutes. Scrap metal can be added to the molten iron to improve recycling. Some converters blow oxygen through the bottom of the furnace\u2014these are known as Q-BOP (quick-quiet BOP) or OBM (Oxygen Bottom-blowing Maxh\u00fctte).<\/p>\n

Steel is commonly described as mild, medium- or high-carbon, according to the percentage of carbon it contains, although this is never greater than about 1.5%. Adding metals such as nickel, chromium, and tungsten produce a wide range of alloy steels such as stainless steel.<\/p>\n

In a highly competitive industry, steel producers have to ensure their furnaces are operating at maximum efficiency, maximizing product quality and process safety while minimizing energy consumption and environmental impact. A key requirement is to monitor, control and optimize the conversion of carbon to carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, so analysis of the off-gas from the furnace is a vital part of the process control strategy.<\/p>\n

Historically, two Non-Dispersive Infra-Red (NDIR) analyzers were used, one to measure CO, the other CO2<\/sub>. Additional discrete analyzers were required to monitor oxygen and hydrogen \u2013 typically paramagnetic O2<\/sub> analyzers and thermal conductivity analyzers for H2<\/sub>. Process mass spectrometers<\/a> are now widely used for many important gas analysis applications on iron and steel plants, including blast furnace top gas analysis, coke oven gas analysis, secondary steel process control, fuel gas analysis and direct reduction iron processes. Many steel producers have incorporated mass spectrometers into their manufacturing processes to provide improved dynamic process control. As well as carbon monoxide and dioxide, the MS analyzes oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and argon, providing a complete gas composition profile in seconds, replacing a number of discrete analyzers with a single reliable system.<\/p>\n

Read Improving product quality and process efficiency in basic oxygen steelmaking<\/a> to learn why BOS off-gas analysis using a process mass spectrometer<\/a> provides accurate, real time off-gas analysis data to furnace control systems and dynamic control models, resulting in significant process benefits.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Steel, an alloy of iron and carbon containing less than 2% carbon, is our most important construction and engineering material, with over 1.6 billion tonnes of crude steel produced in 2015 according to the World Steel Association. About 70% of this steel is produced by Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS), also known as the Basic Oxygen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":189,"featured_media":9757,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[154,3,206],"tags":[],"division":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-9667","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-industry-metals","8":"category-manufacturing-quality-assurance","9":"category-steel","10":"entry"},"_selected_authors":[],"_selected_reviewers":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nProcess Mass Spectrometers Help Achieve Dynamic Process Control in Basic Oxygen Steelmaking - Analyzing Metals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how process mass spectrometers enable dynamic process control in basic oxygen steelmaking, helping optimize efficiency, quality, and production costs.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Process Mass Spectrometers Help Achieve Dynamic Process Control in Basic Oxygen Steelmaking\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how process mass spectrometers enable dynamic process control in basic oxygen steelmaking, helping optimize efficiency, quality, and production costs.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Analyzing Metals\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-01-09T13:00:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-12T21:00:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/01\/istock-504874870_steelfoundry-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"724\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"483\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Graham Lewis\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Graham Lewis\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Graham Lewis\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3306571972ae9d03f96b9431eebbee56\"},\"headline\":\"Process Mass Spectrometers Help Achieve Dynamic Process Control in Basic Oxygen Steelmaking\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-01-09T13:00:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-12T21:00:47+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":496,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2018\\\/01\\\/istock-504874870_steelfoundry-1.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"General\\\/Industry\",\"Manufacturing Quality Assurance\",\"Steel\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\\\/\",\"name\":\"Process Mass Spectrometers Help Achieve Dynamic Process Control in Basic Oxygen Steelmaking - Analyzing Metals\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2018\\\/01\\\/istock-504874870_steelfoundry-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-01-09T13:00:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-12T21:00:47+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3306571972ae9d03f96b9431eebbee56\"},\"description\":\"Learn how process mass spectrometers enable dynamic process control in basic oxygen steelmaking, helping optimize efficiency, quality, and production costs.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2018\\\/01\\\/istock-504874870_steelfoundry-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2018\\\/01\\\/istock-504874870_steelfoundry-1.jpg\",\"width\":724,\"height\":483},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Process Mass Spectrometers Help Achieve Dynamic Process Control in Basic Oxygen Steelmaking\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/\",\"name\":\"Analyzing Metals\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3306571972ae9d03f96b9431eebbee56\",\"name\":\"Graham Lewis\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5e99cf643bbfd557ab85a656b28cba2f0f47ded8fd236cb4bde3a8dc2f522421?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5e99cf643bbfd557ab85a656b28cba2f0f47ded8fd236cb4bde3a8dc2f522421?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5e99cf643bbfd557ab85a656b28cba2f0f47ded8fd236cb4bde3a8dc2f522421?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Graham Lewis\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/author\\\/graham-lewisthermofisher-com\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Process Mass Spectrometers Help Achieve Dynamic Process Control in Basic Oxygen Steelmaking - Analyzing Metals","description":"Learn how process mass spectrometers enable dynamic process control in basic oxygen steelmaking, helping optimize efficiency, quality, and production costs.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Process Mass Spectrometers Help Achieve Dynamic Process Control in Basic Oxygen Steelmaking","og_description":"Learn how process mass spectrometers enable dynamic process control in basic oxygen steelmaking, helping optimize efficiency, quality, and production costs.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/","og_site_name":"Analyzing Metals","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thermofisher","article_published_time":"2018-01-09T13:00:49+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-12T21:00:47+00:00","og_image":[{"width":724,"height":483,"url":"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/01\/istock-504874870_steelfoundry-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Graham Lewis","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@thermofisher","twitter_site":"@thermofisher","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Graham Lewis","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/"},"author":{"name":"Graham Lewis","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#\/schema\/person\/3306571972ae9d03f96b9431eebbee56"},"headline":"Process Mass Spectrometers Help Achieve Dynamic Process Control in Basic Oxygen Steelmaking","datePublished":"2018-01-09T13:00:49+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-12T21:00:47+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/"},"wordCount":496,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/01\/istock-504874870_steelfoundry-1.jpg","articleSection":["General\/Industry","Manufacturing Quality Assurance","Steel"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/","url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/","name":"Process Mass Spectrometers Help Achieve Dynamic Process Control in Basic Oxygen Steelmaking - Analyzing Metals","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/01\/istock-504874870_steelfoundry-1.jpg","datePublished":"2018-01-09T13:00:49+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-12T21:00:47+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#\/schema\/person\/3306571972ae9d03f96b9431eebbee56"},"description":"Learn how process mass spectrometers enable dynamic process control in basic oxygen steelmaking, helping optimize efficiency, quality, and production costs.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/01\/istock-504874870_steelfoundry-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/01\/istock-504874870_steelfoundry-1.jpg","width":724,"height":483},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/process-mass-spectrometers-help-achieve-dynamic-process-control-in-basic-oxygen-steelmaking\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Process Mass Spectrometers Help Achieve Dynamic Process Control in Basic Oxygen Steelmaking"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#website","url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/","name":"Analyzing Metals","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#\/schema\/person\/3306571972ae9d03f96b9431eebbee56","name":"Graham Lewis","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5e99cf643bbfd557ab85a656b28cba2f0f47ded8fd236cb4bde3a8dc2f522421?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5e99cf643bbfd557ab85a656b28cba2f0f47ded8fd236cb4bde3a8dc2f522421?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5e99cf643bbfd557ab85a656b28cba2f0f47ded8fd236cb4bde3a8dc2f522421?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Graham Lewis"},"url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/author\/graham-lewisthermofisher-com\/"}]}},"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":154,"label":"General\/Industry"},{"value":3,"label":"Manufacturing Quality Assurance"},{"value":206,"label":"Steel"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/01\/istock-504874870_steelfoundry-1.jpg",724,483,false],"author_info":{"display_name":"Graham Lewis","author_link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/author\/graham-lewisthermofisher-com\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":154,"name":"General\/Industry","slug":"general-industry-metals","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":154,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":181,"filter":"raw","meta":[],"cat_ID":154,"category_count":181,"category_description":"","cat_name":"General\/Industry","category_nicename":"general-industry-metals","category_parent":0},{"term_id":3,"name":"Manufacturing Quality Assurance","slug":"manufacturing-quality-assurance","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":155,"filter":"raw","meta":[],"cat_ID":3,"category_count":155,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Manufacturing Quality Assurance","category_nicename":"manufacturing-quality-assurance","category_parent":0},{"term_id":206,"name":"Steel","slug":"steel","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":206,"taxonomy":"category","description":"steel manufacturing","parent":0,"count":187,"filter":"raw","meta":[],"cat_ID":206,"category_count":187,"category_description":"steel manufacturing","cat_name":"Steel","category_nicename":"steel","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13557,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/how-to-improve-inspection-of-small-metal-parts\/","url_meta":{"origin":9667,"position":0},"title":"How to Improve Inspection of Small Metal Parts","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"May 26, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Article Summary Manufacturers, quality control teams, and field inspectors face a growing challenge when verifying the composition of small metal parts. Components such as fasteners, weld wire, tubing, bolts, and machined pieces are often difficult to analyze accurately. These parts are critical to operational safety and product integrity, yet their\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Manufacturing Quality Assurance"","block_context":{"text":"Manufacturing Quality Assurance","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/manufacturing-quality-assurance\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"small metal fasteners","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1733,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/heres-a-free-periodic-table-for-your-halloween-goody-bag\/","url_meta":{"origin":9667,"position":1},"title":"Here’s a Free Periodic Table for Your Halloween Goody-Bag","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane, Editor","date":"October 30, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"No tricks here. Download this handy periodic table and X-ray energy reference guide to help in analyzing your metals samples. \u00a0It's our treat. Then visit our Steel Manufacturing and Precious Metals Analysis\u00a0 pages for more goodies. Download Periodic Table.\u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "General\/Industry"","block_context":{"text":"General\/Industry","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/general-industry-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Halloween pumpkin with goodies","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/MetalsHalloween-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/MetalsHalloween-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/MetalsHalloween-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/MetalsHalloween-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/MetalsHalloween-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13418,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/buyer-and-seller-beware-how-to-detect-fake-gold-in-current-times\/","url_meta":{"origin":9667,"position":2},"title":"Buyer and Seller Beware: How to Detect Fake Gold in Current Times","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"April 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A Practical Guide for Jewelers and Pawn Shop Owners The rise in gold prices and continued market volatility have made precious metals more attractive\u2014not just to legitimate sellers, but also to increasingly sophisticated counterfeiters. For jewelers, cash-for-gold operators, and pawn shop owners, the ability to accurately verify gold authenticity and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General\/Industry"","block_context":{"text":"General\/Industry","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/general-industry-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Clasp on a 14k Gold necklace with markings on a black background","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13429,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/how-to-identify-aluminum-in-a-scrap-metal-recycling-yard\/","url_meta":{"origin":9667,"position":3},"title":"How to Identify Aluminum in a Scrap Metal Recycling Yard","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"May 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Identifying aluminum in a scrap metal recycling yard is more challenging than it might seem. While aluminum is one of the most widely used and recycled metals, its physical similarities to other materials, combined with the complexity of aluminum alloys, make accurate identification difficult. This challenge has significant implications for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General\/Industry"","block_context":{"text":"General\/Industry","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/general-industry-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Scrap metal pieces laying in a pile","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10286,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/a-valentines-special-best-metal-elements-for-a-sturdy-piece-of-jewelry\/","url_meta":{"origin":9667,"position":4},"title":"A Valentine\u2019s Special: Best Metal Elements for a Sturdy Piece of Jewelry","author":"Mark Lessard","date":"February 10, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A Pleasant Garden article noted that \"from a global perspective, nearly 6 million couples get engaged on February 14th.\"\u00a0It\u2019s no surprise that many of those who \u2018pop the question\u2019 choose to do it on the day known for its message of love and affection. Those who have bought an engagement\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Precious Metals"","block_context":{"text":"Precious Metals","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/precious-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"ring in box with Valentine heart decorations","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13568,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/how-handheld-xrf-technology-exposed-counterfeit-silver-coins-sold-online\/","url_meta":{"origin":9667,"position":5},"title":"How Handheld XRF Technology Exposed Counterfeit Silver Coins Sold Online","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"May 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary Counterfeit silver coins are becoming a growing problem in online marketplaces, putting coin collectors, precious metal investors, pawn shops, and bullion buyers at financial risk. A recent \u00a0NBC Connecticut investigation uncovered fake American Eagle silver bullion coins being sold online at prices far below market value. Although the coins\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Precious Metals"","block_context":{"text":"Precious Metals","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/precious-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Silver coins and silver bullion","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/01\/istock-504874870_steelfoundry-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9667","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/189"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9667"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9667\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13776,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9667\/revisions\/13776"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9757"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9667"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9667"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9667"},{"taxonomy":"division","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/division?post=9667"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}