Microstructure

Microstructure - rarely a term is so often misunderstood and misinterpreted as this one. So we want to explain this term in a way bringing down science to popular words as microstructures are important references when it comes to judge quality levels, mainly used in the field of titanium and special materials (for semis, not for castings and forgings).

Absolute experts from the science fields of material research may excuse some minor deviations from science point of view which we accept here to bring clarity for our (potential) customers with easy words but without being incorrect.

We have in mind that it should be an information for persons who try to get an entry into microstructures and its significance.

The microstructure of a material stands in the term of a general structure analysis for

its phase composition
its particle size
the shape of its particles
the distribution of its particles and
the cristalline orientation of its particles

within a given batch under inspection.

Judgement in reality you can imagine as a kind of comparing pictures. Specially prepared test pieces will be compared under scanning electron microscope against reference pictures (most times against that issued by ETTC).

It is essential that the test pieces will withstand vacuum conditions (you will need this condition so that scanning electrone microscope is usable at all) and that the test pieces will be electrically conductible (to be sure you avoid any disturbances caused by micro-flashes against ground".