<p>The present work was to study the role of ladle glaze as apotential supplier of inclusions to the steel melt during theladle refining process. In this study, the total number ofinclusions at the beginning and at the end of the ladletreatment process was found to be increasing with ladle age,which is the number of heats, the ladle being used. Asubstantial increase in inclusion population was noticed aftera certain ladle age.</p><p>Totally four types of inclusions named as; type-1 (MgO),type-2 (spinel), type-3 (an oxide solution) and type-4 (spinelin the center surrounded by the oxide solution of type-3) wereobserved in the beginning of the ladle refining process.Thermodynamic calculation revealed that the type-3 and type-4inclusions were generated by the reactions between EAF slag andladle glaze. Even a part of inclusions of type-2 (spinel phase)could be formed by these reactions. Three types of inclusionswere found before casting, viz. type-5 (oxide solution with lowcontents of MgO and SiO2), type-6 (small MgO islands embeddedin an oxide solution) and type-7 (spinel in the centersurrounded by the oxide solution of type-5). Inclusions of bothtype-5 and type-7 were the products of the reaction betweeninclusions of type-2 and the liquid metal. On the other hand,the occurrence of pieces of MgO having sharp edges in the oxidesolution suggested that the type-6 inclusions were generated bythe ladle glaze.</p><p>A preliminary examination on the possibility of inclusionseparation by bubble floatation, experiments using cold modelswere also carried out. De-ionised water and silicon oil wereused as the bulk phase. Charcoal particles of different sizeranges were employed as the dispersed phase. The examination ofcharcoal-water-gas system indicated that the positivefloatation coefficient is not a sufficient condition for theinclusion separation. The experimental results were found to bein contradiction with the prediction of a typical model thatconsiders interfacial energies. The omitting of the drag forcewas believed to be the reason causing the failure of the modelprediction in the charcoal-water-gas system. The failure of themodel prediction suggested a need of a new model taking intoaccount interfacial energies, drag force, buoyancy force andgravity force.</p><p><b>Key words:</b>oxide inclusions, ladle metallurgy, ladleglaze, inclusion population, ladle age, interfacial tension,inclusion separation</p>

The present work was to study the role of ladle glaze as apotential supplier of inclusions to the steel melt during theladle refining process. In this study, the total number ofinclusions at the beginning and at the end of the ladletreatment process was found to be increasing with ladle age,which is the number of heats, the ladle being used. Asubstantial increase in inclusion population was noticed aftera certain ladle age. Totally four types of inclusions named as; type-1 (MgO),type-2 (spinel), type-3 (an oxide solution) and type-4 (spinelin the center surrounded by the oxide solution of type-3) wereobserved in the beginning of the ladle refining process.Thermodynamic calculation revealed that the type-3 and type-4inclusions were generated by the reactions between EAF slag andladle glaze. Even a part of inclusions of type-2 (spinel phase)could be formed by these reactions. Three types of inclusionswere found before casting, viz. type-5 (oxide solution with lowcontents of MgO and SiO2), type-6 (small MgO islands embeddedin an oxide solution) and type-7 (spinel in the centersurrounded by the oxide solution of type-5). Inclusions of bothtype-5 and type-7 were the products of the reaction betweeninclusions of type-2 and the liquid metal. On the other hand,the occurrence of pieces of MgO having sharp edges in the oxidesolution suggested that the type-6 inclusions were generated bythe ladle glaze. A preliminary examination on the possibility of inclusionseparation by bubble floatation, experiments using cold modelswere also carried out. De-ionised water and silicon oil wereused as the bulk phase. Charcoal particles of different sizeranges were employed as the dispersed phase. The examination ofcharcoal-water-gas system indicated that the positivefloatation coefficient is not a sufficient condition for theinclusion separation. The experimental results were found to bein contradiction with the prediction of a typical model thatconsiders interfacial energies. The omitting of the drag forcewas believed to be the reason causing the failure of the modelprediction in the charcoal-water-gas system. The failure of themodel prediction suggested a need of a new model taking intoaccount interfacial energies, drag force, buoyancy force andgravity force. <b>Key words:</b>oxide inclusions, ladle metallurgy, ladleglaze, inclusion population, ladle age, interfacial tension,inclusion separation / NR 20140805

Le micro-fraisage (diamètre fraise < 1 mm) permet l’usinage précis de structures en 3D, à des dimensions micrométriques, dans desmatériaux d’ingénierie, se plaçant aux frontières de deux mondes : d’une part, le fraisage traditionnel appelé « fraisage macro » et d’autre part,la micro-fabrication et ses techniques dites de « salle blanche ».L'étude innovante porte sur le micro-fraisage d’aciers inoxydables 316L avec des micro-fraises cylindriques en carbure de tungstèneavec un équipement industriel (machine outil commercialisée et non optimisée) permet d’accentuer les nombreuses difficultés technologiquesliées à la mise en oeuvre du micro-fraisage et d’effectuer directement un transfert de compétences vers l’industrie. L’acier 316L(biocompatible, réputé de difficilement usinable) n’a jamais été étudié en micro-fraisage.L’étude aborde, au travers de neufs ratios caractéristiques du micro-fraisage, les problématiques de choix de moyens et de méthodespour caractériser la technique du micro-fraisage.Après analyses des paramètres de l’étude et des caractérisations des usinages, la définition géométrique optimale d’une micro-fraiseinnovante est proposée. Sa tenue en service est validée par des tests en usinage dans l’acier 316L, répondant ainsi, à une problématique decoupe négative à basse vitesse de coupe avec des effets d’échelle du matériau.Une originalité de l’étude est d’aborder l’effet de la population inclusionnaire visant à améliorer l’usinabilité. En comparant lesrésultats obtenus par micro-fraisage de 2 nuances d’acier 316L, la population inclusionnaire de l’acier 316L n’est pas identifiée comme unfacteur améliorant l’usinabilité à l’échelle de la coupe micro. / The micro-milling ( tool diameter < 1 mm) target the precise machining of 3D structures to micrometric dimensions, in engineeringmaterials, to be placed at the borders of two worlds : the one hand , the traditional milling called "macro milling" and other hand, the microfabricationand its so-called "clean room" techniques.The innovative study focuses on the micro-milling of 316L steel with carbide micro end mills with industrial equipment (machine toolmarketed unoptimized) can caricature the many technological challenges related to the implementation of the micro-milling and make a directtransfer of skills to the industry. 316L steel (biocompatible, reputed difficult to machine) has never been studied in micro-milling.The study looks at ratios through new features of the micro-milling, the problems of choice of means and methods to characterizemicro-milling.After analysis study parameters and machined parts, the optimal geometric definition of an innovative micro end mill is proposed.Service behavior is validated by testing machining in 316L steel, responding to a question of negative cutting with low cutting speeds andscale effects of the material.An originality of the study is to address the effect of the inclusion population to improve machinability. Comparing the resultsobtained by micro-milling two 316L steel grade, the inclusion population of 316L steel is not identified as a factor improving themachinability cutting at micro scale.