You can find out more by reading our Frequently Asked Questions below.
If you have a question about our products, that is not answered below, please email or call us and our experts will do their best to find an answer.
Optifine is a highly efficient and potent grain refiner based on a Titanium and Boron composition, made in the form of rods and coils. The diameter is 9mm and the standard coil weighs 180kg, with 250kg coils also available.
Optifine looks just like all other standard grain refiner; is completely interchangeable and can be used on all alloy grades and production processes. The difference is that you will add only 70% of what you would for a standard grain refiner, and you would spend only HALF what you would purchasing standard grain refiner.
Find out how much you can save using our savings calculator.
The original composition of Optifine was 3% Ti and 1% B but following recent collaborative work with Brunel University, looking at the fundamentals of how grain refiners work, MQP has developed a 5% Ti 1% B composition. The added benefit of this material is that it is more efficient again than 3/1 Optifine. Where 3/1 can reduce addition rates by 70%, Optifine 125 5/1 can now reduce addition rates to 85% of that of standard grain refiners.
MQP holds considerable amounts of stock in warehouses in Europe and North America so we are never very far away from your casthouse.
MQP would carry out a laboratory test programme to characterize your current grain refinement practise and assess how Optifine might help.
We need the following samples to carry out the comparison tests with Optifine:
- 5kg of metal from the furnace immediately prior to casting and before grain refiner addition. Ideally, we should investigate the two highest volume/critical alloys. It would be OK to provide this as 2 x 2.5kg samples since you could use the PoDFA crucibles to collect the metal. Please confirm current grain refiner addition rates for each alloy.
- 5cm samples from each of three different batches of grain refiner from each of your current suppliers. This will enable us to determine the total current range in efficiency of grain refiners and we will then provide a report that compares these against Optifine.
Once we have completed the test programme, we will provide a technical report which will confirm the addition rates that can be used with Optifine and the savings that can be achieved.
Optifine is produced in our state-of-the-art facility and every batch is tested to determine the grain refining efficiency by applying the MQP Opticast Nucleation Performance Test. The next stage is further verification carried out, again by ONPT, in MQP laboratories based in Sweden and the UK. Only when the batches meet the strict criteria, as set out by our quality control department, is the product designated as Optifine.
If a grain refiner has not been quality tested by MQP, using Opticast, it is NOT Optifine.
We agree a trial procedure with the appropriate casthouse personnel using the following methodology:
- Undertake a technical discussion with MQP, Rein Vainik and Richard Dean, by e-mail or by site visit to plan trial. Review current practise, e.g. addition rate for current grain refiners used and alloys cast and casting conditions
- Order 550kg (one pallet of 3 coils) or 1110 kg (two pallets of 3 coils each) of Optifine for a trial.
- Conduct first trial with standard addition a rate and check everything.
- In the second step reduce addition rate by 50% and compare grain size of billet/slab slice against the accepted historical grain size to show there is no difference
- If the grain size is lower than the largest grain size routinely accepted for production, then proceed to make a 70% reduction in the third step.
Once we have completed the test programme, we will provide a technical report which will confirm the addition rates that can be used with Optifine and the savings that can be achieved.
Optifine looks just like standard grain refiner; is completely interchangeable and can be used on all alloy grades and production processes. The point of entry/addition will be where you add grain refiner now. The idea is not to change any casting parameters only to add 70% less, achieve the same grain and cut your annual grain refiner purchase in half.
