Microscopic Examination

Metallography: visual examination of
DBT 204
Technology of Metal Welding I
Metallography
Azmi Kamardin
2015-2016 S01
Microscopic Examination

Concern with microscopic features

Purposes:
How a metal was made
How a metal performs under load

High magnification up to 1000x

Small representative specimen

Steps:
Cutting  rough grinding  mounting  fine
grinding  polishing  etching  microscope
examination
microscopic features of metal prepared by
cutting  grinding  polishing  etching

In failure analysis & as a QC tool

Failure analysis: Contributing causes of failure.

QC tool: Compared against set of standards.

Includes:

microstructure examination

macrostructure examination
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Cutting & Rough Grinding

To obtain a representative
metallographic specimen.

Precaution to avoid damages.

Rough grinding removes coarse
materials result from cutting.

Specimen orientation must be
determined first.
3 4
Specimen Orientation Cutting

Representative section of the joint. Flame / Plasma
Cutting

Power Hacksaw
Band Saw

Abrasive Cut
Off Wheel

Diamond Tip
Precision Cutter
5 6

Cutting Rough Grinding

Large specimens  flame or plasma cutting
Remove subsurface deformation, roughness,

Subsequent cutting power hacksaw, band saw flash & scale caused by cutting operation.
& abrasive cut off saw.
Abrasive belt using a 80-grit or 150-grit belt.

Precision cut  diamond-tipped cut off wheel.

Overheating  causes microstructural damage

Cutting operation away from the welding area

Coolant to prevent overheating.

7 8
Rough Grinding Mounting

Machined flat in a milling
Any burr caused by cutting must be removed

machine. prior to mounting.

Omitted when diamond tipped
Prevent rounding of specimen edges
wheel is used.
Allow handling during grinding, polishing &
etching

Hot mounting & cold Mounting

9 10

Hot Mounting Hot Mounting

Perform in mounting press
Prevent rounding of specimen

& thermoset resin under
Entry of lubricant/etchant
pressure & high temp.  Stain

microstructure alteration.

Chemical attack by etchant.

Good adhesion to the
specimen edges.

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Hot Mounting Cold Mounting

When specimen is too large for mounting press.

When heat involved might alter the
microstructure of the specimen.

Use resin & hardener

Air bubble must be removed
 vacuum

13 14

Cold Mounting Fine Grinding

Silicon carbide papers 240-grit to 1200-grit.

Water must be used to prevent over heating.

Grinding time increases as finer grades of SiC
papers are used.

Excessive grinding must be avoided to prevent
subsurface deformation.

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Fine Grinding Rough & Final Polishing

To develop a scratch-free mirror finish.

4 polishing techniques:
Manual
240 grit 400 grit Mechanical
Electrolytic
Chemical

600 grit 1200 grit 17 18

Magnification: 100x

Rough & Fine Polishing Final Polishing

Low nap cloth @ cloth containing a small

amount of fiber.

Diamond is used as polishing material

Diamond size: 9 1 micron

Lubricant to prevent over heating.

Follow by ultrasonic cleaning to prevent
carryover of material.

Medium nap cloth for fine polishing

0.3 0.05 micron alumina
19 20
Final Polishing Etching

To reveal the microstructure detail of the

polished specimen.

Usually performed by immersion.

Clean with water or solvent (acetone, ethanol) to
prevent stain on the surface.

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Etching Etching

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Etching Etching

25 26

Microstructure Examination Microstructure Examination

Etching attacks grains of metals at different rates

 shading effects.

Low magnification up to 50x to obtain overall
impression of macrostructure.

Increase magnification @ 100x 1000x to
reveal fine detail @ microstructure

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Microstructure Examination Macrostructure Examination
HAZ
WELD METAL

29 BASE METAL 30

Microstructure Examination Microstructure Examination

Low carbon steel Medium carbon steel

Ferrite Ferrite & Perlite Martensite

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Illumination Brightfield Illumination

Different type of illuminations enhance the
Most common form of

appearance of microstructural characteristic. illumination.
Brightfield
Produces a bright
Darkfield background for flat
Polarized surfaces, with the non-
flat features
Nomarski

Pores, edges, etched
grain boundaries being
darker as light is
33
reflected back at a 34

different angle.

Darkfield Illumination Polarized Illumination

Contrast is completely
Reveal microstructural

reversed from brightfield
illumination.

Useful to highlight inclusions,
grain boundaries, cracks and
pores that are difficult to
distinguish under brightfield
illumination.
features in metals that are
optically anisotropic.

Optical properties that vary
with changes in the viewing
direction.

35 36
 Aluminum nitride electronic substrate
Nomarski Illumination
400X

Images produced are

3-D & vary in color.

Identify metals & their various
phases.
BRIGHTFIELD DIC

Differential Interference
Contrast (DIC) uses a
Normarski prism along
with a polarizer in the
90crossed positions.
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DARKFIELD 38