Metode-Metode Cutting dan Aplikasinya

2-3 SECTIONING
A variety of machining procedures can be applied, but regardless of the method
chosen, cutting must not significantly alter the bulk structure. Some damage will
usually occur at the cut surface, but the extent of the damage can be minimized.
The depth of the damage varies with the technique used and the material being cut.
To obtain samples from large failed components, it is common to burn out a section
containing the area of interest. Because burning alters the microstructure for a
substantial distance from the cut, one should burn well away from the area of
interest and do subsequent sectioning with standard machining techniques.
2-3.1 Fracturing
Sectioning of as-quenched, high-hardness martensitic steels can be done with an
abrasive cutoff saw, but it is difficult to completely prevent cutting-induced heat
from altering the microstructure and hardness, regardless of the care taken during
cutting. An alternate procedure, commonly used with tool steels, is to fracture the
sample and then polish the fracture surface. Less-brittle steels can be refrigerated
in liquid nitrogen prior to breaking to obtain a flatter surface. Fracturing has also
been used on other brittle materials such as carbides or ceramics.
2-3.2 Shearing
Low-carbon sheet steel and other thin, reasonably soft materials can be cut to size
by shearing. While little heat is generated, shearing does produce substantial
deformation and is not recommended for those materials that are sensitive to
mechanical twin formation. The area affected by shearing must be removed by
grinding. Shearing is a fast, simple, effective sectioning technique.
2-3.3 Sawing
Materials softer than about 350 HB can be cut by sawing. Sawing does produce a
rough surface, considerable heat, and deformation. Because the damage depth may
be substantial, a significant amount of metal must be removed in grinding to
produce a strain-free surface and the true microstructure.
2-3.4 Abrasive Cutting
Abrasive cutting is the most common metallographic sectioning method. Its
popularity is due to the wide range of sample hardnesses that can be cut and the
excellent quality of the surfaces produced,
These machines use either consumable or nonconsumable cutting wheels. In
abrasive cutting, a thin rotating disc of a suitable abrasive in a supporting media is
used.
Nonconsumable cutoff wheels use diamond particles bonded to a suitable disc
material. Several types of blades are available that use either a resin or a metal
bond to a metal core. Since these wheels become loaded with sample material, they
must be dressed periodically during service to produce cutting. These wheels are
used in either low- or high-speed saws. High-speed diamond saws are commonly
used in cutting ceramics and minerals. The low-speed diamond saw is a more recent
development, and because of its attractive characteristics, it is described in greater
detail later in this section. Consumable abrasive cutoff wheels use either silicon
carbide for cutting nonferrous metals or aluminum oxide (alumina) for cutting

ferrous metals. Some users also prefer alumina wheels for cutting aluminum,
chromium, nickel, and tantalum.
The low cutting speed and the sharp, hard diamond abrasive produce surfaces with
very little damage. Blades with either low or high diamond concentrations are
generally available in thicknesses between 0.006 and 0.015 in and diameters from 3
to 5 in. These blades are ideal for sectioning hard minerals, carbides, refractories,or
ceramics and are widely used for sectioning delicate materials such as printed
circuit boards. Softer metals can also be cut, but frequent wheel dressing is required
to maintain cutting.
2-3.5 Microtomy
Preparation of samples with a microtome is a very common biologic technique but
has rather limited applications for the metallurgist. In 1927, Lucas suggested
microtomy as a preparation technique for soft metals, and it has been used
frequently for preparing lead specimens and polymers. Reinacher used a microtome
with a tool-steel knife to prepare annealed silver, copper, and silver-copper
alloys and a tungsten carbide-tipped knife for palladium and platinum.
Stevens and Gillmeister have shown that ultramicrotomy can be applied to
microstructural analysis [9]. Samples to be sliced are first embedded in epoxy for
support. The thin section or the bulk surface can be examined using a wide variety
of analytical techniques. Ultramicrotomy is also useful in serial-section analysis.
The sectioning precision helps in locating specific features within a bulk sample.
2-3.6 Wire Saws
produce damage-free, single-crystal surfaces
Basically, a fine wire is continuously drawn over the sample at a controlled pressure.
Cutting can be
performed with an abrasive slurry applied to the wire, by a chemical solution
(generally acidic) dripped onto the wire, or by electrolytic action.
the deformation produced is negligible.
2-3.7 Electric Discharge Machining
Electrically conductive materials can be sectioned by electric discharge
machining(EDM). Cutting is accomplished by an electric discharge between an
electrode and the sample submerged in a dielectric fluid. Cutting rates are
reasonably high regardless of the sample hardness. Tool-and-die makers use this
technique extensively. EDM does produce significant changes at the machined
surface. The outer
surface is molten and solidifies epitaxially and frequently is observed as a
whiteetching surface layer on steels. This zone exhibits high hardness, which is due
to the presence of as-quenched martensite, and retained austenite. High residual
tensile stresses are produced. Beneath the white-etching as-cast layer is a
darketching heat-affected zone.
2-3.8 Micromilling
Micromilling devices, which use diamond or Borazon tools, have been developed
and are used to prepare high-quality surfaces suitable for examination or
electropolishing.

Although micromilling is not a sectioning technique, it is a machining process that

produces surfaces similar to those made by microtomy. Micromilling produces
reflective surfaces with a scratch depth of about 0.1 |im. Results are best with soft
metals, such as copper, zinc, aluminum, gold, and silver.
Acceptable results have been produced on cast irons, but surfaces on steel
samples are inadequate without subsequent preparation. The process is relatively
fast, porosity and cavities are revealed without distortion, and edge retention is
excellent.