Thanks for visiting our Website! The subcommittee (53 members) has been busy the last few months with revisions of E768, E407, E1558, E340 and E883. Experienced metallographers are becoming harder and harder to find. We would like to have input for our work from as many sources as possible. Contributors do not need to attend meetings; you can add your intellectual opinion to the consensus of the Subcommittee over the phone, snail mail or Email. Your voice can be heard! Give us a shout!
Contact:
Rick Compton
Zimmer, Inc
P.O. Box 708
richard.Compton@bms.comWarsaw, IN 46580
Phone: 210-372-4651
e-mail: richard.Compton@bms.comE-2015 Standard Guide for Preparation of Plastic and Polymeric Specimens for Microstructural Examination, a guide for the polishing of polymers is now published.
The extensive revision of E3 Practice for Preparation of Metallographic Specimens is making great progress and should be ready to publish in 2000.
The subcommittee has accepted the challenge to create a Guide for Video Microscopy. This effort is expected to take several years, but the eventual publication should be a landmark document. If you are knowledgeable in the use of video coupled light microscopes and would like to be involved in our effort, please contact Task Group Chairman: Mark Cavaleri
We are underway with a Task Group to develop a Guide for "Metallographic" Polishing of Ceramics (working title only). If you have experience in the polishing of ceramics for microscopic examination, please allow us to benefit from your knowledge by contacting Task Group Chairman: Janice Klansky
Subcommittee E04.02 Metallographic Terminology and Nomenclature of Phase Diagrams has the task of maintaining and updating the terminology E7 standard. Currently the new terms being introduced reflect the increased level of laboratory accreditation ongoing and the presence of technology such as image analysis and video microscopy in the laboratory. Currently E157-88(94) is under review to determine if any changes are required. Any suggestions can be directed to Janice Klansky at 847-295-4670 or faxed to 847-295-7942.Subcommittee E04.03 Light Microscopy Subcommittee E04.03 Light Microscopy currently has 29 members and maintains E0883-02 Standard Guide for Reflected Light Photomicrography and E1951-02 Standard Guide for Calibrating Reticles and Light Microscope Magnifications.
The subcommittee has a task group that is working to create a Guide for Video/Digital Microscopy. If you are knowledgeable in the use of video and/or digital imaging with light microscopes and would like to be involved please contact Mark Cavaleri at (651) 733-3247.
A new version of standard E 384 has passed main committee ballot in 1999. Errors that were in the old standard were corrected, and the following new information has been included in the standard:a. Direct Machine Verification.
A round robin testing program has been completed. The emphasis of this program was to compare the results of microindentation hardness test measurements made by manual and automated methods. When E384 is revised, the results from the results from the test program will be included in the new version.
b. Indirect Machine Verification.
c. Machine Repeatability.
d. Machine Repeatability.
e. Test Block Calibration.In November 2002, a joint meeting will be held between E04.05 and the E8 Subcommittee responsible for Standard E92, Vickers Hardness Testing. The standard for the Vickers test is being revised to follow the format and outline of the current version of E384. In the joint meeting, details regarding the procedures for periodic checks of the hardness testers will be discussed. It is proposed to add a section to E384 similar to section 16.1.3 in the Vickers standard. The revision would eliminate the deed to perform a complete indirect verification each time the machine is used.
Subcommittee E04.11 has eight standards under its jurisdiction, including the new E 2142 on Inclusions in Steel by SEM/EDS. These standards cover electron optical instruments and associated x-ray microanalytical equipment. They also cover x-ray and electron diffraction.
We have recently started a new activity to develop a standard procedure for measuring grain size directly by Electron BackScatter Diffraction (EBSD). We do not expect to replace traditional metallographic grain size measurement, but instead to develop a standard for materials whose grain size is difficult to measure metallographically. Although EBSD is slower than light microscopy, it provides a direct measure of grain size based on crystallographic misorientation. For more information, see Work Item 3577.
Some of the issues to be considered will be: specimen preparation, step size, alignment of oriented grains, degree of misorientation, use of line intercept methods, and data processing/cleanup. We are looking for interested people to join the Task Group and to come to our meeting in Salt Lake City on May 11, 2004. If you are interested in joining us, contact the subcommittee chairman, John Friel.
Some of our other activities include a recent revision to E 986 on SEM Beam Size Characterization, which updated the procedure to apply to digital microscopes. We have also reapproved E 1508 on Quantitative EDS and E 766 on SEM magnification calibration.
Draft #9 of the proposed Guide to Metallographic Laboratory Safety will be balloted during the summer of 1998.Task Group E.04.17.03 is exploring the development of a proficiency testing program for grain size determination of low carbon steel sheet test specimens. Work is in progress to develop a protocol for generating and distributing the test specimens that would be distributed to participating laboratories for a fee. The test results would be submitted to ASTM, complied, statistically analyzed and then returned in a confidentially coded report listing all the participating laboratories performance compared to others. For more information on the proposed project, please contact David Bradley at dbradley@astm.org or (610) 832-9681.