If you melt metal or hold a molten bath, chances are your operation is unique. Your particular combination of furnaces, alloys, working practices, metallurgical treatments, pouring arrangements and end products are not likely to be duplicated at any other facility. So choosing a crucible that will provide maximum performance for your operation is an individualised and complex task.
The best approach is to begin with your own detailed assessment of your operations. You need to fully document and, where possible, quantify all aspects of your melting, holding and metal handling processes. These include:
The capacity, dimensions and type of your gold melting furnace.
The specific alloy or range of alloys you melt
The melting and/or holding temperatures you maintain
The temperature change rate the crucible will experience
How the graphite crucibles is charged
The fluxes or additions used
Degassing or refining processes
How slag or dross is removed
How the crucible is emptied.
The capacity, dimensions and type of furnace you use will establish most of the observable details about your crucible. For example, when you know the metal capacity your furnace was designed for, you will know what capacity your crucible should provide. Similarly, the dimensions of the space for the crucible in your furnace will dictate the dimensions and shape of your crucible.
With a full and detailed understanding of all aspects of your metal melting and/or holding operations, you and your crucible supplier will be well positioned to select a crucible product that meets your specific operational requirements and provides a consistently longer service life.
Some basic knowledge of ceramic crucibles
How To Choose Crucibles for Blacksmith Shop
No comments yet