Development of an automated 3D metallography system and some first application examples in microstructural analysis
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A. Lemiasheuski
(born in 1992) graduated in mechanical engineering at HTW (Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft) Berlin in 2023 and start his PhD in the same year. Since 2023 he is an employee at HTW Berlin and do his research at BAM (Bundesanstalt für materialforschung und -prüfung) in 3D-metallography.
(born in 1967) graduated in Material Science at TU Berlin in 1991 and received his PhD in 1997. Since 2001 he is an employee at BAM (Bundesanstalt für materialforschung und -prüfung) and has specialised in metallography, fractography, and failure analysis.
Abstract
Traditional metallography relies on the imaging of individual section planes. However, conclusions as to spatial shapes and microstructural arrangements can only be drawn to a limited extent. The idea to reconstruct three-dimensional microstructures from metallographic serial sections is therefore obvious and not at all new. However, the manual process of preparing a great number of individual sections and assembling them into image stacks is time-consuming and laborious and therefore constitutes an obstacle to frequent use. This is why the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, or BAM for short (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung), is developing a robot-assisted 3D metallography system performing the tasks of preparation and image acquisition on a metallographic section fully automatically and repeatedly. Preparation includes grinding, polishing and optional etching of the section surface. Image acquisition is performed using a light optical microscope with autofocus at several magnification levels. The obtained image stack is then pre-processed, segmented and converted to a 3D model resembling a microtomographic image, but with a higher lateral resolution at large volumes. As opposed to tomographic techniques, it is possible to perform traditional chemical etching for contrasting. The integration of a scanning electron microscope is in the planning stages. Studies conducted so far have demonstrated the possibility of visualizing hot gas corrosion layers, gray cast irons and ceramic-based microelectronic structures (vias).
Kurzfassung
Die klassische Metallographie basiert auf Abbildungen einzelner Schliffebenen und kann auf räumliche Formen und Anordnungen des Gefüges nur bedingt schließen. Die Idee, aus metallographischen Serienschliffen dreidimensionale Gefügestrukturen zu rekonstruieren, ist daher naheliegend und nicht neu. Allerdings ist der Aufwand, in Handarbeit viele Einzel-Schliffe zu präparieren und zu Bildstapeln zusammenzusetzen, sehr hoch und steht einer häufigen Anwendung entgegen. Deshalb wird an der BAM ein Roboter-gestütztes 3D-Metallographie-System entwickelt, das an einer Schliffprobe die Schritte Präparation und Bildeinzug vollautomatisch mit vielen Wiederholungen ausführt. Die Präparation umfasst Schleifen, Polieren und optional Ätzen der Schlifffläche, der Bildeinzug autofokussierte lichtmikroskopische Aufnahmen bei mehreren Vergrößerungsstufen. Der erhaltene Bildstapel wird anschließend vorverarbeitet, segmentiert und in ein 3D-Modell umgesetzt, das einer mikrotomographischen Aufnahme ähnelt, allerdings mit besserer lateraler Auflösung bei großem Volumen. Im Gegensatz zu tomographischen Verfahren besteht die Möglichkeit der Kontrastierung durch klassische chemische Ätzung. Die Integration eines REMs ist geplant. Bislang durchgeführte Arbeiten verdeutlichen die Möglichkeiten der Darstellung von HeißgasKorrosionsschichten, Grauguss-Werkstoffen und Keramik-basierten mikroelektronischen Strukturen (Vias).
About the authors
(born in 1992) graduated in mechanical engineering at HTW (Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft) Berlin in 2023 and start his PhD in the same year. Since 2023 he is an employee at HTW Berlin and do his research at BAM (Bundesanstalt für materialforschung und -prüfung) in 3D-metallography.
(born in 1967) graduated in Material Science at TU Berlin in 1991 and received his PhD in 1997. Since 2001 he is an employee at BAM (Bundesanstalt für materialforschung und -prüfung) and has specialised in metallography, fractography, and failure analysis.
5 Acknowledgements
The authors would like to deeply thank Axel Kranzmann for initiating and advancing the project. Srinivasan Swaminathan is acknowledged for providing inspiration for a name.
5 Danksagung
Hiermit wird Axel Kranzmann ein großer Dank für das Starten und Voranbringen des Projekts ausgesprochen, Srinivasan Swaminathan danken wir für die Inspiration zur Namensfindung.
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© 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- Inhalt
- Editorial
- Editorial
- Dezincification in cast and heat-treated alpha-beta brass samples
- Robotization of conventional electrolytic process in metallography
- Comparison between image based and tabular data-based inclusion class categorization
- Development of an automated 3D metallography system and some first application examples in microstructural analysis
- Picture of the Month
- Picture of the Month
- News
- News
- Meeting Diary
- Meeting Diary
Articles in the same Issue
- Inhalt
- Editorial
- Editorial
- Dezincification in cast and heat-treated alpha-beta brass samples
- Robotization of conventional electrolytic process in metallography
- Comparison between image based and tabular data-based inclusion class categorization
- Development of an automated 3D metallography system and some first application examples in microstructural analysis
- Picture of the Month
- Picture of the Month
- News
- News
- Meeting Diary
- Meeting Diary
