Metallography is the imaging of topographical or microstructural features on prepared surfaces of materials. The properties and performance of materials are controlled by the structures studied by metallography.

In this technique, planar surfaces are prepared to obtain a polished finish. Chemical or other etching methods are often used to delineate macrostructure and microstructure features, which provide information on phase distribution, grain size, solidification structure, and thermo-mechanical processing history.

Metallography is also used for characterizing the macroscopic and microscopic configuration at planar sections of welds, brazes, and fabricated components. In failure analysis, morphology or corrosion of cracks can be characteristic of failure mode. The prepared samples are examined by the unaided eye, light microscopy, and/or electron microscopy. Metserve has a fully equipped metallographic laboratory.

TYPICAL APPLICATIONS

  • Metal alloy heat treatment verification
  • Coating thickness measurements
  • Weld or braze joint evaluation
  • Case hardening depth determination
  • Corrosion resistance evaluation
  • Failure analysis
  • Materials Characterization
  • Microscopic defects in semiconductor devices
  • Photographic Documentation

  • Imaging (analog and digital)

    • Brightfield and darkfield imaging

    • Polarized light and polarized contrast imaging

    • Differential interference contrast (DIC i.e. Normarski)