Metallography
Labquip here identifies: the kinds of metallographic analysis typically undertaken in industry and research; the range of equipment and products supplied and also further services to assist customers with their metallographic needs.
Introduction
Metallographic sample preparation allows identification techniques such as microscopy imaging, hardness testing and chemical analysis (elemental analysis). This in turn allows material properties, performance and reliability to be assessed.
Metallography is typically deployed in materials development, incoming inspection, product reliability, production quality control and failure analysis.
Labquip offer a complete range of metallographic sample preparation equipment and products: Our company was was formed in 1982 to locally represent a metallographic manufacturer and to serve the needs of materials science laboratories in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Labquip represent Metkon sample preparation equipment for cutting, mounting, and grinding/polishing samples. We complement this equipment with the highest quality Akasel consumables products.
By working with Labquip, you will be able to optimise your sample preparation with application-specific equipment, and consumable products.
Furthermore, Labquip employ a dedicated and highly experienced technical engineer exclusively for metallographic needs.
Our metallography or microstructural analysis packages include the following kinds of analysis:
- Materials inner structure
- Grain size and distribution
- Porosity and voids
- Cracks
- Phase analysis (homogenous)
- Crystal structure
- Cracks and other defects
- Corrosion
- Coating thickness and integrity
- Foreign particle Inclusion
- Weld analysis and heat affected zones (HAZ)
- Solder joint integrity
- Material joint integrity
- Composite (orientation and distribution, voids and defects)
- Graphite nodularity
- Layer
- Hardness
- Carbon distribution
- Material stress
- Elemental analysis (chemical analysis)
- Failure analysis
- Petrographic mineralogical specimens
The Four Stages of Metallographic Analysis
Stage one: Cross Sectioning and Cutting
- Abrasive (SERVOCUT & METACUT series) & Precision (MICRACUT Series) cutting equipment.
- Specialist abrasive and precision cut off wheels.
- Alumina/silicon carbide abrasive cut off wheels
- Metal bonded cubic boron nitride(CBN) wafering cutting blades
- Diamond cutting wheels
- Clamping tools and specimen vices,
- Cutting fluid
- Dressing sticks
Stage two: Mounting (cold mount or hot mounting presses)
- Cold mounting: moulds, epoxy resin and hardeners, Acrylic powder/liquid, mounting vacuum impregnation (VACUMET), and accessories.
- Hot mounting: High temperature and pressure mounting presses (ECOPRESS Series) and mounting compounds.
Stage three: Grinding/Polishing
- Grinding/Polishing equipment (FORCIPOL) equipment
- Magnetically base plate/disc
- SiC waterproof abrasive papers (plain backed, adhesive backed)
- Akasel’s Rhaco Grit High-quality grinding paper provides 2 – 3 times longer lifetime and 100% higher material removal than regular grinding paper as Al₂O₃ is used as abrasive.
- Long lasting grinding discs (alternative over abrasive papers).
- Dressing sticks.
- High quality abrasive grinding stones.
- Polishing cloths.
- Diamond polishing suspensions.
- Polishing lubricants.
Stage four: Etching
- Optional Etching (chemically / electrolytic with ELOPREP 102) of specimen to enhance the contrast on surfaces to visualise the microstructure or macrostructure.
- Labquip supplies a range of etching fluid based on the material being analysed. For example, Alcoholic Nitric Acid is used to etch Carbon Steels, Krolls for Titanium alloys etc.
A note about our suppliers
Metkon and Labquip offer a 4 year warranty on equipment with customer installations in Ireland.
Metallographic Equipment Aftercare Preventive Maintenance Service
Labquip provide a complete factory trained and supportive annual preventative maintenance service for complete peace of mind.
Akasel is a specialist Danish manufacturer dedicated to developing, producing, and distributing high-quality metallographic consumable products worldwide through dedicated partners. The company develop optimised preparation methods for metallography, striving to make sample preparation ever more convenient, sustainable & affordable for material scientists and metallurgists.
Labquip are Akasel’s specialist distributor in Ireland & Northern Ireland. We maintain an extensive stock in Dublin, which is available for next day delivery throughout Ireland.
Sample preparation is optimised & the time taken to order is minimised by matching application-specific consumables with the appropriate piece of preparation equipment. These combinations succeed in revealing the true, optical structure of your material/materials. This process is facilitated by Labquip’s dedicated metallographic engineer.
At Labquip we have nearly 40 years of experience in supporting materials laboratories – from start up to the most extensive and sophisticated operations.
Please get in touch with us to discuss your application and to assess how we can assist with improving your current sample preparation method and or supplies.
You will also find (below) both the Metkon metallographic equipment brochure and Akasel metallographic consumables catalogue. Metallographic consumables pricing is available through a consultative quotation. Many of our customers deploy an annual quotation in order to call off their needs through the year.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us here at Labquip for a consultative quotation in order to accurately capture your exact material science (metallurgy) needs.
Please find below one example method card (Aka-brief) to see an example of a tried, tested, and globally renowned method to achieve the optimised metallographic sample presentation for Stainless and Duplex Steels.
If you are learning to the business of preparing new materials, Akasel has Demo kits that enable you to prepare a total of 50 samples while you are learning the techniques.
Also below are the Metkon metallographic equipment brochure and the Akasel metallographic consumables catalogue.
