This form of non-destructive testing is used to establish cause and/or extent of damage and/or ageing mechanisms in metallic structures from micrographs of grain structure, and is often implemented alongside primary NDT activities. Metallurgical Microstructure Replicas can provide important defect assessment (cause/growth) or remnant life data to engineers responsible for plant management.
Replication is designated by ASTM E 1351 as the Standard Practice for Production and Evaluation of Field Metallographic Replicas and the procedure is performed by engineers and trained technicians using portable polishing equipment following modified laboratory procedures for the preparation of metallographic samples. |
