An Innovative Ultrasonic Technology for the Continuous Quality Monitoring of Liquid Aluminum on Casting Lines

Non-metallic inclusions may impair the mechanical properties and machinability of high quality aluminum products. This demonstrates that the control of melt quality, prior to solidification, is strongly required. Over the past twenty years, there have been several attempts at developing the technique of ultrasonic detection of inclusions. However, the main issue remains the wettability and durability of the waveguides immersed in the liquid metal. Constellium has developed an innovative ultrasonic sensor based on a breakthrough technology which enables a stable wettability of the ceramic waveguides, essential for ultrasonic power transmission and signal stability. The paper will present the principle of the technique and some example applications showing the increased performance and capability over existing techniques.