Industrial Innovations

Industrial Innovations

Identifying Carbon, Alloy and Stainless Steels based on Spark Patterns

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mahboobeh Davodabadi 1
Mohammadreza Sheykholeslami Borghani 1
Zahra Heidari 1
Hosein Baghizadeh 2
Naser Meighani 3
1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak, 38156-88349, Iran.
2 Raya Sanate Dana Company, Arak, Iran.
3 KISA Company, Arak, Iran.
10.66224/jii.4.2.57
Abstract
Accurate identification of steel grades is critical in industries such as oil, gas, and automotive, yet many workshops lack advanced analytical equipment. The spark test is a simple, low-cost, on-site method that offers a practical alternative. This study aims to distinguish three steel types—carbon steel A105, alloy steel 420, and stainless steel 316—based on an analysis of their spark patterns. A custom fixture with a spring mechanism was designed to apply a uniform grinding force, eliminating pressure-induced variations. The spark patterns generated by a high-speed grinding wheel were recorded by a fixed camera for further analysis. Three parameters—spark length, spread angle, and spark deviation angle—were measured after scaling in software. The results show that carbon content increases the spark spread angle and branching explosions, whereas chromium and nickel reduce the spark length and create a whitish color. Manganese intensifies yellow coloration. The measured spark lengths (after scaling) were 441 mm (316), 474 mm (A105), and 469 mm (420). The spread angles were 10.72° (316), 14.27° (A105), and 18.78° (420). These distinct patterns allow for the reliable discrimination of the three steels. The proposed fixture and quantitative parameters provide a reproducible, operator-independent spark test suitable for industrial environments.
Keywords
Spark test
Steel identifying
Spark pattern analysis
Carbon steel
Alloy steel
[1] Stefanescu DM, Davis J, Destefani J. Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys. ASM Int. 1990.
[2] Oberg E, Jones F, Horton H, Ryffel H, McCauley C. Machinery’s Handbook 30th Edition. Industrial Press, South Norwalk, CT; 2016.
[3] Dalke T, Brink J, Weller M. Material determination using spark observation. Global Journal of Engineering Education. 2013;15:165-70.
[4] RAWANI KH, PAINJANE SV, SALUNKHE AP, PATIL SS, Dharmarao S. Experimental analysis & determination of various plain carbon steels by using spark testing. JournalNX. 2017;3:123-8.
[5] Deng K, Pan D, Li X, Yin F. Spark testing to measure carbon content in carbon steels based on fractal box counting. Measurement. 2019;133:77-80.
[6] Kerscher PJP, Schmith J, Martins EA, de Figueiredo RM, Keller AL. Steel type determination by spark test image processing with machine learning. Measurement. 2022;187:110361.
[7] Goodey D, Brink J. Material Determination Using a Thermal Imaging Camera. World Trans Eng Technol Educ. 2015;13:296-301.
[8] Nakata T. Development of automated spark testing technique by image processing to measure carbon content in steel materials. IFAC Proceedings Volumes. 2012;45:118-9.
[9] Nikiforov I, Maltsev P, Ivanov V, Barsuk I. Explanation of the express method of the determination of steel grade by spark. ENVIRONMENT TECHNOLOGIES RESOURCES Proceedings of the International Scientific and Practical Conference2015. p. 157-61.
[10] Long J, Li X, Pan D, Peng D. Study on the Mechanism of Carbon Steel Sparks. Journal of Testing and Evaluation. 2020;48:613-23.
[11] Daban A, Aris SAM, Anuar MSM. Ferrous Metal Classifications Based on Sparks Pattern Using CNN Pretrained Models. 2023 IEEE Symposium on Computers & Informatics (ISCI): IEEE; 2023. p. 31-5.
[12] Benjawilaikul T, Kaewwichit T. Classification of carbon steels by automated spark test technique using feature extraction based on machine learning image processing. The Journal of Industrial Technology. 2022;18:203-16.
[13] Munđar G, Kovačič M, Župerl U. A Machine Vision Approach to Assessing Steel Properties through Spark Imaging. Tehnički glasnik. 2025;19:77-81.
[14] Steel W. The Basics on the Spark Test for Steel and Other Metals.
[15] Samuels LE. Metallographic polishing by mechanical methods: Asm International, 2003.
[16] International A. Standard Specification for Chromium and Chromium-Nickel Stainless Steel Plate, Sheet, and Strip for Pressure Vessels and for General Applications 912. ASTM A240/A240M-22A: ASTM International.
[17] Internationa A. Standard Specification for Carbon Steel Forgings for Piping Applications. ASTM A105/A105M: ASTM International.
[18] International A. Standard Specification for Stainless Steel Bars and Shapes. ASTM A276/A276M-17: ASTM A276/A276M-17.

  • Receive Date 26 June 2025
  • Revise Date 25 July 2025
  • Accept Date 29 July 2025