Optical Emission Spectroscopy - OES determines specific elemental or chemical composition of alloys by showing the percentage of each element present in the test sample.  OES is provides the elemental breakdown by heating the surface of the test material through a sparking process.

The OES sparking process or “spark test” applies an electrical charge creating a subsequent discharge thereby emitting light which collects and then disperses a prism.  The discharge light or prism provides a chemical signature of the element.  The resultant spectrum reveals the presence of specific elements by their characteristic wavelengths. The intensity of the elemental wavelength is measured to determine the ratio of the element to the rest of the alloy.

With OES, Clark’s analytical lab determines all elements used in the steel and metals industry including trace analysis of carbon, phosphorous, sulfur and nitrogen.  Analytical results can be provided on a quantitative or qualitative format to meet your turnaround times.    Testing is conducted in accordance with ASTM E415, ASTM E1086, ASTM E1251, and ASTM E1507 guidelines.  However, Clark’s analysts can compare ASTM results on OES tests with UNS, ASME, and MIL specifications.

Materials Analyzed by OES:

• Cast Iron
• Stainless Steel
• Tool Steel
• Carbon and Low Alloy Steels
• Aluminum Alloys
• Copper Alloys
• Titanium Alloys
• Nickel Alloys
• Cobalt Alloys

Optical Emission Spectroscopy is the optimal analytical process for quantitatively determining the composition of solid metal components.