Phillip,
Yes, exactly! If you dont find any link to this piece, yes you will have to do some reverse engineering.
I suggest to do a chemical analysis like with a portable XRF also its quite nice because you can measure on the piece without stop the process, and also do the analysis on these pieces that belong to the box of samples.
With this you could compare with standarized alloys, mabe the piece was did without a standard norm, really rare case, because we are speaking of a piece from 50 years ago only, but could be a case. And then try with a hardness test and with this I think you will have so much info.
Hope I am helpful.
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[Patricia Silvana] [Carrizo]
[Ms.]
[Chemical Engineer]
[Archaeometallurgy Area - UTN FRM]
[Mendoza] [Argentina]
[+542615577229]
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-27-2021 11:48
From: Phillip Johnson
Subject: searching for specs on an obsolete material reference
Patricia -
My inquiry is not about a single historical piece, the component continues to be used for current production but due to changing suppliers to source the part several times over the decades I have concern that the current material in use may not be the same as the original choice, due to the vague description of the material allowing several substitutions to be made. I do know the location of a few samples that would be of a known age or vintage (contained within an assembly of parts used for training purposes). So if all else fails in my specification search then perhaps I borrow one of those old samples and conduct some testing (non-destructive and/or destructive) to better determine the original mechanical properties and chemical composition of the alloy.
Best regards,
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Phillip Johnson
Daikin Applied
Staunton VA
(540) 245-0000
Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 18:44
From: Patricia Silvana Carrizo
Subject: searching for specs on an obsolete material reference
Dear Phillip,
What type of component do you have? any photo do you have ?
Hope we could help you!, I was working with brass and bronzes but mor antique..., but if I can or some of the colleagues of the group will be pleasure!
Do you make a chemical analysis to the component, like a XRF? Just to have a complete data of the alloy, also XRF analysis are not invasive to the surely we are speaking of a historical piece.
Thanks for your sharing,
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[Patricia Silvana] [Carrizo]
[Ms.]
[Chemical Engineer]
[Archaeometallurgy Area - UTN FRM]
[Mendoza] [Argentina]
[+542615577229]
Original Message:
Sent: 07-20-2021 14:01
From: Phillip Johnson
Subject: searching for specs on an obsolete material reference
I'm searching for material specifications from a legacy component part to help establish a baseline on original design intent of the part. The original material specification from the late 1960's and early 1970's was simply stated on the part drawing as "silicon brass alloy #30". I have discovered that this was intended to reference an alloy product from Arwood Precision Casting Corporation (or perhaps variations on that name as the company evolved over time), and that it was most likely intended to be used with an investment casting process for this particular part. To date I have been unable to locate a material specification with mechanical properties within our company's archives (though still digging). Any help in finding a historical brochure or spec sheet from Arwood (or APC) would be much appreciated.
I have reviewed ASTM B30-2020 (current edition) which lists several alloys for silicon brass (e.g. UNS C87400, C87500, C87800, C87845, C87850). But at this point in time I am not certain which specific alloy and which thermal profile (casting process) would correspond to the material used for this particular part, and then most importantly what were the expected mechanical properties (minimum and/or typical values for tensile yield and tensile ultimate strength, and if available fatigue life properties).
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Phillip Johnson
Daikin Applied
Staunton VA
(540) 245-0000
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