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Legor has an in-house laboratory equipped with the most sophisticated analysis instruments.
Investments in instruments and its dedicated personnel make Legor the leading firm in the field of
technologies applied to alloys for the goldsmithing sector.
The laboratory works constantly on research into and development of new products and improvement
of production technologies. Over 15% of the turnover is invested annually in renewal of research equipment,
financing of research projects and improvement of the production process.
The activities performed by the laboratory can be grouped as follows:
New product research & development
Constant monitoring identifies the needs directly expressed by the customers and the general market trends.
Research & development also works with Italian and foreign research institutes, universities and consulting
firms selected according to their skills in specific areas.
Product/process quality control
The laboratory routinely performs analytical checks on product batches and raw materials purchased.
It also supervises correct operation of the work process and its measuring instruments.
The reliability of the results obtained by the measuring instruments is checked both internally
and at external calibration centres.
Customer analysis service
The laboratory is at the disposal of its customers whenever they require outside technical analyses on products.
A list of the analyses offered by the Legor Technical Laboratory is given below.
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Wet assay on metals and alloys (ICP)
This type of analysis detects the presence and concentration of the metals, whether they are main
components or trace elements. Using emission spectroscopy, the concentration of the elements,
including non-metallic elements, is identified in parts per million (ppm).
This type of analysis is also performed as a routine procedure on production batches to guarantee their quality
before they are marketed.
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Differential thermal and gravimetric analysis
Used to accurately identify the melting temperatures and the other thermal properties of the alloys.
Gravimetric analysis ascertains the oxidability and volatility of compounds (zinc) according to temperature.
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Colour analysis
Via spectrophotometric analysis, the colour can be described via certain parameters able to
univocally identify the colour properties of an object. The system used in our laboratory is
based on the CIELAB colour co-ordinates.
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Optical metallographic analysis
Permits analysis of the alloy microstructure, in particular the dimension of the crystalline grain,
the presence of phases and analysis of defects. The laboratory comprises a department for
preparation of the samples to be examined (cutting-off machines, polishing machine, incorporation
in resin, chemical etching).
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Hardness
Permits determination of hardness in Vickers on incorporated and non-incorporated samples.
Assessment of Vickers hardness, performed in compliance with the ISO 6507/1 standard, involves
pressing an indenter (pyramid-shaped diamond tip with square base) perpendicularly onto the surface
of the sample. Measurement of the two diagonals of the impression, performed with a measurer positioned
in the instrument eyepiece, is used to obtain the microhardness in Vickers, indicated by "HV".
Obviously the smaller the dimension of the diagonals, the greater the hardness of the material.
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Traction test
Permits determination of some important mechanical characteristics, including the maximum unit
load [Rm], the proportionality deviation limit [Rp0.2] and the percentage elongation (A%).
The latter indicates the permanent elongation of the alloy sample after breakage, expressed as a
percentage of the initial sample length.
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Roughness test
Provides information on the surface state of a material via specific parameters, for example the roughness index (Ra).
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Scanning Electron Microscope with variable pressure and probe for microanalysis (EDX)
Represents one of the most advanced instruments for morphological analysis
(analysis of defects, structure, search for phases), permitting extremely rapid analysis,
both on conductive and non-conductive samples (samples incorporated in resin). With the SEM,
chemical analyses can be performed in very limited areas. It is therefore possible, for example,
once an inclusion or a corrosion product measuring only a few microns has been detected, to perform
chemical analysis of it, thus determining composition and, consequently, possible origin.
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Oxygen content analysis
Permits determination of the oxygen in metals, for quality control of materials.
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Nickel release tests in compliance with the European regulation EN1811
This regulation, assimilated also by our legislation, establishes the methods for performing the nickel release test and the permitted limits.
Determination of nickel content in objects for pierced parts, in compliance with the European regulation EN1810.
It establishes the methods for performing nickel analysis in objects used on pierced parts.
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Melting of alloy samples under controlled conditions
The laboratory is equipped with a vacuum melting system (10-1 mbar) with the possibility
of using different types of refractory material for special productions such as alloys that
are highly oxidable or incompatible with normal plumbago crucibles.
Density determination
Our laboratory system permits accurate determination of density in rigorously controlled conditions.
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