title: Observation of three-dimensional internal structure of steel materials by means of serial sectioning with ultrasonic elliptical vibration cutting.
abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) internal structure observation system based on serial sectioning was developed from an ultrasonic elliptical vibration cutting device and an optical microscope combined with a high-precision positioning device. For bearing steel samples, the cutting device created mirrored surfaces suitable for optical metallography, even for long-cutting distances during serial sectioning of these ferrous materials. Serial sectioning progressed automatically by means of numerical control. The system was used to observe inclusions in steel materials on a scale of several tens of micrometers. Three specimens containing inclusions were prepared from bearing steels. These inclusions could be detected as two-dimensional (2D) sectional images with resolution better than 1 mum. A three-dimensional (3D) model of each inclusion was reconstructed from the 2D serial images. The microscopic 3D models had sharp edges and complicated surfaces.
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Mechanical Systems and Design, Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Japan. fujiwax@eng.hokudai.ac.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujisaki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokota
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakatsuchi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamagata
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Udagawa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Makinouchi
mesh_terms: D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008867:Microtomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013232:Steel / Q000032:analysis*; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014732:Vibration
chemical_list: D013232:Steel