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Automation of metallographic sample cleaning process
Čermák, Jan ; Ambrož, Ondřej ; Jozefovič, Patrik ; Mikmeková, Šárka
Specimen cleaning and drying are critical processes following any metallographic preparation steps. The paper focuses on automation by reason of absence of the process repeatability during manual sample handling. An etchant or electrolyte results in inhomogeneous surface quality because the solution runs off the specimen surface during its removal from the beaker. High-quality specimen cleaning is absolutely crucial for the acquisition of the specimen suitable for characterization by a scanning electron microscope operated at very low landing energies of the primary electrons (SLEEM). The SLEEM technique is a powerful tool for the characterization of advanced steels, as described by many scientific papers. The SLEEM requires the specimen absolutely free of water and any organic residues on the surface. This work presents a novel unique apparatus enabling automatic specimen cleaning and drying after the etching or electropolishing processes. Automation reduces the influence of dependent variables that would be introduced into the process by the metallographer. These variables include cleaning time, kinematics, and motion dynamics, but the process can also be affected by variables that are not obvious. Performed experiments clearly demonstrate our in-house designed apparatus as a useful tool improving efficiency and consistency of the sample cleaning process. The high quality of the specimen surface is verified using a light optical microscope, an electron scanning microscope, and above mentioned SLEEM technique.
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Electron beam welding of AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloy
Rončák, Ján ; Adam, O. ; Müller, P. ; Zobač, Martin
Eutectic high-entropy alloys have become a significantly studied type of material due to their combination of strength and ductility. However, previous research has focused primarily on manufacture, solidification behaviour and mechanical properties. Only a small part of the research has been devoted to welding. This paper is focused on evaluating the weldability of eutectic high-entropy alloy AlCoCrFeNi2.1 in the as-cast state without further heat treatment. The electron beam welding process was performed twice at the same parameters, except for the beam current. Properties such as the depth of the remelted layer, the formation of the heat-affected zone, and the presence of undesirable defects in the welded joints were observed using light and electron microscopy. At the same time, material properties in the form of microstructural stability, chemical composition, and hardness of the welded joints were evaluated.
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