Recommended Metallographic Preparation Procedures

Material Classification System

Our 11-class system organizes materials by their preparation characteristics, helping you select the optimal procedures for each material type.

CLASS-1

Soft, Ductile Materials

Aluminum alloys, copper alloys, magnesium alloys, precious metals, lead, tin, zinc, and polymer matrix composites.

Aluminum Guide Copper Guide Magnesium Guide Precious Metals Guide

$Refractory metals microstructure$

CLASS-2

Refractory Metals

Refractory metals (tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, niobium, rhenium, hafnium, zirconium) and beryllium.

Refractory Metals Guide

Nodular cast iron microstructure showing graphite nodules

CLASS-3

Lower Ductility Metals

Cast irons (gray, ductile, white), powder metallurgy materials (Fe-Cu, stainless PM, tool steel PM), and sintered alloys.

Cast Iron Guide Powder Metallurgy Guide

CLASS-4

Soft Brittle Non-metals

Multilayer ceramic capacitors, MEMS, semiconductors, and functional ceramics.

PCB/Chip Guide

1018 carbon steel ferrite-pearlite microstructure

CLASS-5

Medium Hard/Ductile Metals

Low/medium carbon steels, stainless steels, and annealed structural steels. Includes weldments and AM/3D-printed builds in these alloys.

Carbon Steel Guide Stainless Guide Welding Guide AM Guide

CLASS-6

Tough, Hard Non-ferrous

Titanium alloys, nickel superalloys, cobalt alloys, and high-temperature alloys. Includes AM/3D-printed Ti and Ni-alloy builds.

Titanium Guide Nickel Guide AM Guide

CLASS-7

Coatings & Surface Treatments

Thermal spray coatings (WC-Co, NiCr, YSZ, Cr3C2-NiCr), hard chrome plating, anodized coatings, and galvanized coatings.

Thermal Spray Guide

CLASS-8

Hardened Steels

Tool steels, case-hardened steels, and through-hardened steels.

Tool Steel Guide

Metal matrix composite microstructure showing SiC reinforcement in metal matrix

CLASS-9

Metal Matrix Composites

Al-SiC, Mg-Al₂O₃, Ti-B₄C composites, fiber-reinforced MMCs (SiC fiber, boron fiber), and high-temperature MMCs. Note: Polymer Matrix Composites (PMCs) are in CLASS-1.

Composites Guide

CLASS-10

Engineered Ceramics

Oxide ceramics, non-oxide ceramics, and advanced ceramic materials.

Ceramics Guide

CLASS-11

Very Hard Brittle Materials

Cermets (tungsten carbide, TiC-Ni), technical glasses (borosilicate, fused silica), and minerals (quartz, garnet, spinel).

Cermets & Glasses Guide

Materials Database

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