Ferrite meters

Measuring ferrite content might sound like a niche concern — until a weld cracks unexpectedly or corrosion appears way ahead of schedule. That's where ferrite meters earn their keep. They tell you the actual phase balance in stainless steels and duplex alloys, which has everything to do with how the material performs under stress and in aggressive environments.

These instruments work with austenitic, duplex and super duplex grades, and get regular use inspecting welds, pressure vessels, chemical processing gear, offshore platforms and pharmaceutical equipment. The portable magnetic induction design means you can measure complex shapes or awkward access points without much fuss — whether that's out in the field, on the shop floor or back in the lab.

In typical welding and fabrication settings, ferrite meters come out after the weld is finished. You've joined the material, now you need to know if the delta ferrite level sits where it should. Too little and you risk hot cracking during solidification. Too much and you might see reduced toughness or problems down the line with sigma phase formation.

The main selling point is speed and simplicity — you get a reading in seconds with hardly any surface prep, which beats metallographic analysis or chemical testing when you're trying to keep production moving. This helps welding engineers catch problems early and make smarter choices about filler metals and heat input, especially in sectors where a corrosion failure or material defect can shut down operations or worse.