Metallographic Laboratory

Lab Manager
Description

Metallography involves the preparation and examination of specimens for their microscopic structure which determines their bulk physical properties.  Despite its name, metallographic methods can be applied to ceramics, glasses, polymers and biological materials as well as metals.  Preparation typically involves sectioning, mounting in various polymer systems, grinding and polishing to a mirror surface, chemical or electro etching of the surfaces, optical or electron microscopy, and micro or nano indentation hardness testing.  Macro hardness testing is also carried out in the Metallographic lab.

Equipment
Semi-Automatic Polisher
Semi-Automatic Polisher

Preparation of samples using various media including SiC, alumina, cerium oxide, silica, or diamond

Manual Polishers
Polishers

Preparation of samples using various media including SiC, alumina, cerium oxide, silica, or diamond

Mounting
Mounting
Inverted Metallurgical Microscope with Image Analysis System
Inverted Metallurgical Microscope

Obtains micro-photographs and measures features sizes

Digital Hardness Tester
Digital Hardness Tester

Digital Rockwell macro hardness tester and a micro-indentation hardness tester for Knoop or micro Vickers.

Machine Shop
surface grinder

Surface grinder

Machine Shop
Various Tools

Machine shop with a drill press, various cutting machines and grinders

Examples
Example 1
Examples of metallographic
mounted and polished specimens.  
Bronze
Weld interface in Bronze​​​​

 

Wood
Mounted and polished wood section
Copper
Cast Structure in Copper Round bar
3
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