Scanning Electron Microscopes

Wear surfaces include any metal to metal surfaces that rub together which causes asperities (peaks) on both surfaces. These asperities get welded together then ripped off, leaving tiny holes in the surface of the metal. Surface wear can be reduced by using lubricants, but that does not stop the wear process from happening. [...]

Oxides, or any compound that contains at least one oxygen molecule, have high melting points – anywhere from 1700°C (silicon dioxide) to 2600°C (calcium oxide) because of the bonding type found in these compounds. Since most of the bonds are covalent bonds, they require a great amount of energy to break the bonds since [...]

Killed steel is created when all of the oxygen is removed from the steel mix. Since oxygen can combine with carbon to form carbon monoxide bubbles in the steel, steelmakers add a deoxidizing agent to prevent the formation of these bubbles along the surface of the steel. In addition, oxygen can also react [...]

Killed steels are created by removing as much of the oxygen as possible to prevent reactions between the oxygen and carbon in the solidification process. Aluminum killed steel uses aluminum as the deoxygenizing agent, forming alumina (Al2O3). While this is advantageous in reducing the grain size in the steel, it also has a [...]

Scanning electron microscopes (SEM) have come a long way since their conception in 1935. These microscopes have a wide range of magnification, from 10X to 500,000X is possible detailing samples features as small as 1nm in size. SEMs can produce a variety of signals, such as:

• Secondary Electron
• Back-Scattered Electron (BSE)
• X-ray

The method used to analyze [...]

Oil contamination occurs for several different reasons, all of which leads to engine wear and breakdown if not corrected. Since oil plays an important roll in maintaining lubrication, oil breakdown or contamination reduces the lubrication the metal pieces receive, increases the friction between those moving metal parts, and can lead to engine failure.

There are [...]

High- and ultra high-strength steels attain their strength from the precipitation of inter-metallic compounds, primarily the element of nickel (15-25%) or the secondary elements such as cobalt, molybdenum, and titanium. These low carbon steels, also called maraging steels, are known for superior strength without the loss of malleability.

In 2000, UltraLight Steel Auto Suspensions (ULSAS) [...]

Stainless steels differ from other steels by the amount of chromium present in the steel mix. Instead of rusting when it comes in contact with air or moisture, the chromium reacts with the iron oxide to instead form a thin layer of chromium (III) oxide (Cr2O3) in a process called passivation. This makes [...]

Microscopy in the manufacturing industry has expanded the quality of products such as steel, automobiles, and pharmaceuticals. The use of optical microscopes is quickly becoming a thing of the past, even though they required little training or maintenance, because of the limited scan range.

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Scanning electron microscope allow for greater Scanning electron [...]

How clean is clean enough? Manufacturers and quality control boards alike have been analyzing this question more and more as the available data on small particles increases. With the development of newer technology, particles that couldn’t be seen are now being noticed daily, under the tight scrutiny of technicians. Just like [...]