Customer Focus: Metallographic analysis is the primary tool used in the identification, quality, size and disbursement (characterization) of particles, grains and phases in solid metals on a macrostructure and microstructure level.  Through metallographic analysis, Secat can determine if your process is under control, compare conforming and non-forming material (out of specification), interpret the data to help you reduce the occurrence of defects or optimize your process.  Moreover, because of our advanced interpretive metallographic capabilities, Secat can help you understand the relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties (with regard to product & process development).  Additionally, Secat has access to some of the best metallographic tools in the world including a TEM (critical in analyzing nanoscale sized participates).  Secat has the tools and the unmatched independent expertise (particularly in aluminum metallography) to take your metal characterization to the next level.

  • Offers greater resolution compared to SEM
  • Able to resolve nanoscale strengthening participates and their crystal structure
  • Detailed characterization of chemistry, crystal structure and morphology of sub-micron sized dispersoid particles
  • Used in conjunction with XPS to characterize very fine surface layers of pretreated and/or coated substrates
  • Able to prepare TEM samples through traditional electrolytic polishing techniques or by use of SEM-FIB

  • Able to identify the elements that exist within a material, are covering its surface, as well as their chemical state, and the overall electronic structure and density of the electronic states in the material
  • Useful when wanting to look at near surface chemistry, anodizing, paint/coating and substrate condition

  • Provides topographical and elemental information at magnifications of 10x to 300,000x, with virtually unlimited depth of field
  • Produces clearer, less electrostatically distorted images with spatial resolution down to 1-1/2 nanometers (3 to 6 times better than an SEM
  • The ability to examine smaller-area contamination spots at electron accelerating voltages compatible with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS)
  • Can be used with EBSD to characterize fine grain structures

  • Dynamic thermal mechanical testing of material & physical simulations of processes
  • Typically used for simulating thermal processes such as welding and thermomechanical processes such as forging or rolling

  • This all-in-one microscope incorporates observation, image capture, and measurement capabilities
  • Offers high-resolution observation at general-purpose magnifications of 20x to 2000x in bright field, dark field and polarized lighting.
  • Designed to optimize both depth-of-field and resolution.
  • Functions such as HDR and glare-removal functions can improve the image quality better than traditional optical microscopes.
  • The 2D/3D stitching functionality adds a new realm of analysis to be easily accessible in the observations of grain structure, defects, and fractography.
  • Learn More how the Keyence microscope is being utilized at Secat

Various Metallurgical Evaluations that Secat can perform:

  • Macrostructure with etching
  • Optical microstructure with grains
  • SEM micrographs with particles
  • SEM micrographs with phase and particle identifications using EDS and EBSD
  • Weld microstructures
  • Inverse segregation zone measurements
  • Microstructures with defect identifications and size measurements
  • Grain size measurements
  • Particle size and fraction measurements
  • PoDFA analysis
  • Comparison analysis

Investigation Examples

Macrostructure after coarse polishing and etching of forged product

Particle structure in a billet

Grain Size evaluation using Omnimet software

Particle size evaluation using Omnimet software