VA Innova Alloy Steeltech has sophisticated equipment and facilities needed for the manufacture of high quality, high performance steels.

The multi frequency rapid melting induction furnaces, optical emission spectrometer and electro slag furnaces melt and refine steels under controlled conditions, ensuring excellent metallurgical cleanliness and close composition control limiting harmful tramp elements and gases to very low levels, in parts per million.

Microprocesor controlled electric annealing furnace with leak tight design enables precise temperature and atmosphere control ensuring desired annealed microstructure and hardness in a narrow band.

Manufacture of these special alloy steels involves complex technology and there are several production problems arising out of extensive alloying. Semi-finished and finished ESR mill products are given a rigorous in-process and final inspection.

This inspection can be so extensive that both ends of each slab/plate/bar may be inspected for macrostructure (etch quality), Cleanliness, hardness, grain size, annealed structure, hardening ability, etc. Inspection may also
require that the entire length be subjected to magnetic and ultra-sonic inspection for surface and internal discontinuities.

Such precise production practices and stringent quality control contribute to the high cost of high-speed steels, as do the expensive alloying elements they contain. Insistence on quality in the manufacture of these steels is justified because they are generally made into complicated components/tools/parts worth many times the cost of the steel itself. Production facilities and quality systems have to gear specifically to this product.