Manual

Cast Iron
analySIS add-in
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 Cast Iron
The "Cast Iron" add-in

Graphite Analysis 2
Cast Iron

Ferrite/Pearlite Measurements 4

Descriptions of the menu commands 6

SETTINGS... ..............................................................................7
GRAPHITE ANALYSIS ..............................................................8
GRAPHITE SUMMARY..............................................................8
UPDATE GRAPHITE FRACTION .............................................9
DEFINE GRAPHITE FRACTION... .........................................10
FERRITE/PEARLITE ...............................................................11
ERASE LAST LINE .................................................................11
FERRITE/PEARLITE SUMMARY ...........................................12

Appendix 13

GRAPHITE ANALYSIS USING THE AUTOMATER ...............13

SETTING THE THRESHOLDS ................................................18
PARTICLE PARAMETERS ......................................................22
CastIronE0307
The "Cast Iron" add-in • Graphite analysis using the "Cast Iron" add-in

Graphite analysis using the "Cast Iron" add-in

Overview The quality and character of cast iron depends on the distribution and
morphology of its carbon content. The parameters which characterize the
carbon contents are usually evaluated using charts representing different
shape, size and distribution classes. The calculation and evaluation of these
parameters may be also done using digital image analysis.
The "Cast Iron" add-in is an extension to all image analysis programs based
on analySIS®. "Cast Iron" classifies the shape and the size of nodular
graphite according to ASTM, EN ISO or other standards.

Microscope image of nodular graphite

Detection of nodular The "Cast Iron" add-in determines the carbon contents in cast iron. To do
graphite so, the add-in detects all nodular graphite particles and calculates the
following parameters: "Area", "Feret Max", "Perimeter" and "Convex Perim-
eter". You will find a more detailed description of these particle parameters
in the appendix on page 22.
The proper nodularity for each detected nodular graphite particle can be
calculated using a special shape value calculated from the parameters
mentioned above. Each nodular graphite particle is sorted into a size class.
The proper size class is selected on the basis of the particles diameter.
Classification of Several different standard charts (included in the ASTM A 249, EN ISO 945,
nodular graphite or GB 9441 standard) of nodular shape and size are used for the classifica-
tion.
Multiple To rule out statistical and target sampling errors the add-in "Cast Iron"
measurements supports accumulation of data stemming from several images.

2
 Performing a graphite analysis

Performing a graphite analysis

To acquire an image 1) Acquire or load a proper cast iron image.
To set the thresholds 2) Set the thresholds so that the dark nodular graphite becomes the fore-
ground (see "Setting the thresholds" on page 18).
When using gray-value images it is also possible to have the thresh-
olds automatically calculated from the gray-value histogram. To
choose the automatic threshold setting use the Cast Iron Settings
dialog box (see "Cast Iron Settings" on page 7).
To analyze images 3) Use the Cast Iron > Graphite Analysis command to analyze the current
image.
" Your image analysis software will automatically create the
"Graphite Analysis" results sheet. The standard used will be shown
in brackets behind the sheet title.
To analyze further 4) Repeat steps 1) and 3), if you want to perform a graphite analysis on
images other images. Additional analyses will improve the precision of your
measurements.
Do not forget to reset the thresholds if you change the illumination
during a series of measurements.
To calculate the size 5) Use the Cast Iron > Graphite Summary command to calculate the
distribution and result on all images analyzed.
statistics " The graphite analysis has been completed now!
If you then use the Cast Iron > Graphite Analysis command again,
you will start a new measurement with a new results sheet.

Detailed Summary
shape analysis

Individual measurements

Result of a graphite analysis on 6 images

Description of the The results sheet is divided into three areas:

results sheet • Individual measurements
The data of the individual measurements refers to one single image.
This data will be written to the sheet immediately after the Graphite
Analysis command has been used.

3
The "Cast Iron" add-in • Ferrite/Pearlite measurements using the "Cast Iron"

• Summary
The summary of the measurement results will be written to the sheet
only after the Graphite Summary command has been used.
• Detailed shape analysis
The data of the "Detailed shape analysis" area only appears in the
results sheet if the Detailed shape analysis check box has been
selected. The check box is located in the Cast Iron Settings dialog box.
To change the The user can at any time select another standard. Sometimes it makes also
parameters of a sense to change the range of size classes being shown. This can be done
graphite analysis by using the Cast Iron > Settings... command. It will open the Cast Iron
Settings dialog box. In it you select the standards (ASTM A 249, EN ISO
945, GB 9441, or JIS G 5502) and the range of size classes.
You will find the description of the Cast Iron Settings dialog box on page 7.

Ferrite/Pearlite measurements using the "Cast Iron"

add-in
Overview You can also use the "Cast Iron" add-in to measure the ratio of ferrite versus
pearlite.

Cast iron with 15% ferrite and 85% pearlite

Estimation of the The ratio of ferrite versus pearlite can be measured by calculating the
graphite fraction as respective area fractions. However, graphite and pearlite have very similar
prerequisite gray value ranges. It is, therefore, very difficult to distinguish between these
two sample components when you only use a single measurement step. A
simple, and sufficiently precise solution for this problem, is to make an esti-
mate of the graphite fraction, or to measure it separaretly.

4
 Performing a ferrite/pearlite measurement

Therefore the "Cast Iron" add-in offers the following two possibilities:
• You can input the graphite fraction manually, or
• you can import the fraction of graphite from a previously performed
nodular analysis.
The areas of bright parts (ferrite) and dark parts (graphite and pearlite) will
again be detected when the correct thresholds are set. Then the estimated
graphite area is subtracted from the pearlite area that has thus been
detected. The pearlite area having in this way been corrected, is subse-
quently used to calculate the ferrite/pearlite ratio.

Performing a ferrite/pearlite measurement

To provide the graphite 1) Use the Cast Iron > Define Graphite Fraction... command to manually
fraction enter the graphite fraction of the sample you want to analyze. Alterna-
tively, should you have previously performed a graphite analysis, you
can use the resulting graphite fraction. To do so, use the Update
Graphite Fraction command.
To acquire an image 2) Acquire or load a good cast iron image.
To set the thresholds 3) Set the thresholds so that the bright ferrite becomes the foreground
and the dark graphite/pearlite becomes the background ( see "Setting
the thresholds" on page18)
To determine the 4) Use the Cast Iron > Ferrite/Pearlite command to calculate the ratio
ferrite/pearlite ratio " Your image analysis software will automatically create the "Ferrite/
Pearlite Result" sheet. The calculated value for the current image
will be added to this sheet.
To analyze further 5) Repeat steps 2) and 4), if you want to perform the measurement on
images other images. Do not forget to reset the thresholds if you change the
illumination during a series of measurements.
To determine the mean 6) Use the Cast Iron > Ferrite/Pearlite Summary command to obtain the
value of all images average ratio of all measurements displayed in the sheet.
Result of a Ferrite/Pearlite
measurement

5
The "Cast Iron" add-in • Description of the menu commands

Description of the menu commands

After installing the "Cast Iron" add-in you will find a new menu in the menu
bar of your image analysis program, the Cast Iron menu. All commands of
the "Cast Iron" add-in can also be called using the Cast Iron button bar. The
commands are described in this chapter.

Settings... on page7
Graphite Analysis on page8
Graphite Summary on page8
Update Graphite Fraction on page9
Define Graphite Fraction... on page10
Ferrite/Pearlite on page11
Erase last line on page11
Ferrite/Pearlite Summary on page12

To activate the If your current image analysis program version does not provide you with the
"Cast Iron" add-in Cast Iron menu, you will need to complete the following steps to activate the
add-in:
1) Open the Special menu.
2) Select the Add-In Manager... command.
3) Select the Cast Iron check box in the Available add-ins list.
4) Click the Close button.
To show the button bar You turn ‘on’ the Cast Iron button bar - if it’s not already being displayed, in
the following way
1) Open the Special menu.
2) Select the Edit Button Bars... command
3) Select the Cast Iron check box in the Button bars list.
4) Click OK to close the dialog box.

6
 Settings...

Settings...
Menu
Button bar

Macro command CastIron::NodularOption();

Description of the Opens the Cast Iron Settings dialog box. Here, you can change the settings
function for a graphite analysis.
Available Always

Graph Value Threshold To detect the nodular graphite you can choose between setting the thresh-
olds automatically or manually (see "Setting the thresholds" on page 18).
Choose the Automatic option to have the thresholds determined automati-
cally before the analysis using the "Cast Iron" add-in is performed. The
thresholds are calculated in the background. You will neither receive a
message nor will a dialog box be opened.
Warning Please note that automatic thresholds can only be determined on gray-value
images. When working with color images the thresholds that are currently set
in the Set Color Thresholds dialog box are used.
Choose the Manual option, if you want to set the thresholds for the analysis
manually. Click the Change... button to open the corresponding dialog box.
These thresholds will be used for every analysis using the "Cast Iron" add-
in unless you define new thresholds.
Classification Choose the desired standard for classification from the list.
View size classes Enter the minimum and maximum size class you want to show in the
between resulting sheet. The resulting sheet will then contain the number of detected
particles belonging to the corresponding size class.

7
The "Cast Iron" add-in • Graphite Analysis

Detailed shape Select the Detailed shape analysis check box to add a statistic on the shape
analysis of the nodular graphite particles to the results sheet. This statistic is added
as soon as you use the Graphite Summary command. The statistic is added
to the first two columns of the results sheet.
Parameter weighted by There will always be some pixels in an image that do not belong to a nodular
area graphite particle but will nevertheless be detected by the current threshold
values. Select the Parameter weighted by area chec box to reduce the influ-
ence of very small noise particles on the result of a graphite analysis.
Changes of parameters will be applied immediately. The parameters will be
saved to disk and restored automatically, the next time your image analysis
program is started.

Graphite Analysis
Menu
Button bar

Macro command CastIron::NodularResult();

Description of the Performs a graphite analysis for the current image and outputs the respec-
function tive result into a sheet. Before you use this command, you will need to set
the threshold values and determine which size classes are to be used in the
sheet.
Available The current image buffer must contain an image. This command is not avail-
able in the live mode.

Graphite Summary
Menu
Button bar

Macro command CastIron::NodularSummary();

8
 Update Graphite Fraction

Description of the Summarizes the results of all individual measurements in the current sheet.
function Additionally the shape classification and the size distribution of the nodular
graphite particles are calculated. The total result is appended to the first line
of the sheet.
Available The command is only available when you have previously made a graphite
analysis and have not yet closed it with a summary.

Update Graphite Fraction

Menu
Button bar

Macro command CastIron::FerriteUpdateGraphiteFrac();

Description of the Updates the graphite fraction of the sample that is under investigation by
function using the output of a preceding graphite analysis. This is necessary to
prepare for the measurement of the ferrite/pearlite ratio using the Cast Iron
> Ferrite/Pearlite command.
When you use the Update Graphite Fraction command the current value of
the graphite fraction is entered in the Define Graphite Fraction dialog box.
As a consequence you do not have to open the dialog box and enter this
value.
When you use the Update
Graphite Fraction command
the current value of the
graphite fraction is entered
in the Define Graphite
Fraction dialog box.

Available This command imports the graphite fraction from the results sheet of a
preceding graphite analysis. Therefore the command is only available, when
you have used the Graphite Analysis command to perform a nodular
graphite analysis.
This analysis must have been closed with the Graphite Summary command,
and the results sheet must still be open
Additionally, the graphite analysis must have been performed on a minimum
sample area in order to get a reasonable and statistically significant value
for the graphite fraction. This minimum sample area is defined in the
CastIron.ini file by the following entry:
[Graphite]
MeasuredArea=1

9
The "Cast Iron" add-in • Define Graphite Fraction...

This entry determines 1 mm² as minimum analysis area. To modify the area,
replace the value 1 by the desired area in mm².
You will find the file in the \Module\Castiron subfolder in your image analysis
program's installation directory.

Define Graphite Fraction...

Menu
Button bar

Macro command CastIron::FerriteOption();

Description of the Before your use the Cast Iron > Ferrite/Pearlite command to measure your
function sample's ferrite/pearlite ratio, your sample's graphite fraction must be
known. If you know the graphite fraction, use the Define Graphite Fraction...
command to manually enter the area percentage of the graphite fraction.
Available Always

Cancel The Cancel button changes to Update when an update of the graphite frac-
Update tion is possible. In this case the graphite fraction is imported from the results
sheet of the preceding graphite analysis.
When is it possible to up- You can import the graphite fraction from a graphite analysis that you have
date the graphite previously performed by using the Graphite Analysis command.
fraction? This analysis must have been closed with the Graphite Summary command,
and the results sheet must still be open
Additionally, the graphite analysis must have been performed on a minimum
sample area in order to get a reasonable and statistically significant value
for the graphite fraction. This minimum sample area is defined in the
CastIron.ini file by the following entry:
[Graphite]
MeasuredArea=1
This entry determines 1 mm² as minimum analysis area. To modify the area,
replace the value 1 by the desired area in mm².
You will find this file in the \Module\Castiron subfolder in your image analysis
program's installation directory.

10
 Ferrite/Pearlite

Ferrite/Pearlite
Menu
Button bar

Macro command CastIron::FerriteResult();

Description of the Calculates ferrite and pearlite area fractions of the current image, and writes
function the result into a sheet. Before you use the command, manually set the
thresholds so that the bright ferrite becomes the foreground ( see "Setting
the thresholds" on page18)
Available The current image buffer must contain an image. This command is not avail-
able in the live mode.

Erase last line

Menu
Button bar

Macro command CastIron::FerriteErase();

Description of the Erases the result of the last ferrite/pearlite measurement. This feature may
function be used to correct errors caused, e.g., by wrongly set thresholds.
Available This command is only available when you have previously performed a
ferrite/pearlite measurement and have not yet closed it with a summary.

11
The "Cast Iron" add-in • Ferrite/Pearlite Summary

Ferrite/Pearlite Summary
Menu
Button bar

Macro command CastIron::FerriteSummary();

Description of the Calculates the mean value all of the ferrite/pearlite measurements you have
function made and displays it in the result sheet.
Available This command is only available when you have previously performed a
ferrite/pearlite measurement and have not yet closed it with a summary.

12
 Appendix

Appendix
Graphite analysis using the automater
What is the automater? There is a process automater integrated in your image analysis program.
The automater's main tool is the Define Processing dialog box in which you
define the complete automatic process.
Use the Define Processing command to open the dialog box. You will find
this command either in the Analysis or, if you are working with a motorized
stage, in the Stage menu
Use this dialog box when you employ the "Cast Iron" add-in, to completely
automatize the analysis from the image acquisition to creating a report.

Process flow for an automatic process

In the Define Processing dialog box, acquisition and analysis are divided
into the following tasks:
• Image acquisition ( Image Input tab)
• Measurement and evaluation ( Measurement tab)
• Creating a report (Report tab)
Each of these tasks is specified on its own tab in the Define Processing
dialog box and is carried out in sequence, once the process has been
started.
The processed images will not be saved when the analysis has been
completed. The result of a completely automated analysis is the report sheet
containing the measurement results.

Extending the automater

The automaters's Report tab is usually not visible in your software version.
However, this tab is absolutely necessary if you want to make use of the
functions of the "Cast Iron" add-in in the automater.
This is how you activate the Report tab in the automater
1) Use the Special > Extensions... command.
2) In the Extensions dialog box select the Tweak UI entry and click the
Run button.
" The Tweak UI dialog box will be opened.
3) Activate the Compatibility tab.
Select the Automater > Additional ’Info’ and ’Report’ register check box.
Close the dialog box with OK.
" The Define Processing dialog box will now contain the two addi-
tional tabs Info and Report.

13
The "Cast Iron" add-in • Graphite analysis using the automater

The Image Input tab

Use this tab to define the source which supplies the images which are to be
analyzed.
Use the Source of image list
to choose among several
image sources.

Source of images
Here you select the image source for the inclusion inspection. Only a few of
the possible image sources are described in the following.
Snapshot Choose the Snapshot or Live acquisition image source to acquire an image
Live acquisition before each analysis. The images are written into the active image buffer
one after another.
When the analysis of the individual image has been completed, the system
asks you to set a new sample position. Confirm the message with OK to con-
tinue with the automated analysis.
The acquired images are not saved unless you explicitly choose the com-
mand for saving images on the Processing tab.
Stage Select the Stage image source if you are working with an automated micro-
scope stage. In this case, the sample, resp. a specific area of the sample,
will be automatically scanned. Use the Stage > Stage Manager... command
to determine which area of the sample is to be scanned.
Image manager Use the Image Manager image source to analyze the images that are
currently loaded in the image manager.
The process will be stopped as soon as your image analysis program reachs
an empty image buffer.

Other functions of the dialog box

Max. No. of Iterations In the Max. No. of Iterations field you enter the maximum number of images
to be acquired, processed and evaluated during the analysis. The system
keeps on reading out a new image from the selected image source, until the
maximum number of images has been reached. If you are working with an
14
 Graphite analysis using the automater

automated stage, select as high a number as possible, to ensure that the

acquisition does not stop before that area of the sample that you are inter-
ested in, has been completely scanned.
Autofocus Select the Autofocus option, to use the autofocus that is integrated in your
image analysis program. This option will only be available if you are using a
microscope stage with a motorized Z axis drive.
Click the Edit focus... button, to adapt or check, the autofocus settings.
Manual focus Choose the Manual focus option, if you want to focus every acquired image
manually. The system will then use a dialog box to request you to do this be-
fore each acquisition. Confirm the request with OK, as soon as you have
completed the focusing
No focus Select the No focus option, if you wish neither to update the focusing man-
ually nor automatically while you are acquiring the images.
Test Click the Test button to acquire a single image from the selected image
source. In the Test image field you specify the stage position for a test acqui-
sition. For example, if you enter the value 2, the system moves to the second
stage position when you click the Test button, and makes a test acquisition
at this position.
File... With the File... button you open the File In/Output dialog box, in order to save
or load the automation process flow that you have created.
The settings for all of the tabs in the Define Processing dialog box are saved.
Start Click the Start button to begin image acquisition. The dialog box remains
open, to enable you to make changes to the acquisition and the analysis pro-
cess after the test run has been carried out.

The Processing tab

Use the Processing tab to specify processing steps for each acquired
image.
To perform a cast iron analysis you do not have to make settings on this tab.
Images acquired by a If your are working with a color camera and want to use the automatic
color camera threshold setting function, you can use this tab to convert each acquired
image into a gray-value image.
To do so, select the Color Separation function in the Available functions list
and click the Add >> button to move the function to the Current functions list.

15
The "Cast Iron" add-in • Graphite analysis using the automater

The Measurement tab

On the Measurement tab you decide which analysis has to performed, you
can either perform a graphite analysis or measure the ferrite/pearlite ratio.
Graphite Analysis To do so, select the Cast Iron Graphite function in the Available functions list
and click the Add >> button to move the function to the Current functions list.

Then click the Edit... button to determine how the thresholds are to be set
for the graphite analysis.
Choose the desired
threshold settings in the
Cast Iron Settings dialog
box.

Measurement of a To do this, select the Ferrite/Pearlite function in the Available functions list
ferrite/pearlite ratio and click the Add >> button to move the function to the Current functions list.
When you want to define the thresholds for each image anew, you can add
the Color Thresholds function or the Gray Thresholds function. This function
is to be performed before the Ferrite/Pearlite function.

16
 Graphite analysis using the automater

The Report tab

Graphite Analysis To generate a report for a graphite analysis, add the Graphite Report func-
tion to the Current functions list:

Measurement of a To generate an output for a measurement, add the Ferrite/Pearlite Summary

ferrite/pearlite ratio function to the Current functions list:
You can finish a graphite
analysis that you have made
with the automater with such
a report.

17
The "Cast Iron" add-in • Setting the thresholds

Setting the thresholds

When performing a graphite analysis your image analysis program looks for
particles.
What is a particle? For your image analysis program, a particle is a cohesive number of pixels,
that all lie within a defined gray value or color range. Before you make each
graphite or ferrite/pearlite measurement therefore, you have to define a suit-
able gray value range or color range.
What are threshold You define the gray value range or color range that is suitable by using
values? threshold values. The smallest and largest gray values or color values form
the threshold values. You have two possibilities for setting threshold values
for gray-value images:
• Set the thresholds interactively in the histogram.
• Select the Manual option located in the Cast Iron Settings dialog box.
Then the thresholds will be automatically calculated from the histo-
gram.
What is a histogram? A histogram displays the number of pixels versus the corresponding gray
values or color values. According to this distribution, you can define the
threshold values for the particle detection with gray-value images.
Gray-value images The dialog box for setting the threshold value for gray-value images is very
Color images different to that for color images. Therefore you will find separate step-by-
step instructions for each image type. Which one applies in your case
depends on your camera.

This is how you set threshold values on a gray-value image

Microscope image of
nodular graphite. Set the
thresholds in such a way
that the nodular graphite
particles are defined as the
foreground.

1) Use the Cast Iron > Settings... command.

2) Choose the Manual option located in the Cast Iron Settings dialog box
and click the Change... button.
" The Set Thresholds dialog box opens.

18
 Setting the thresholds

In the example shown, the

histogram contains a clearly
recognizable maximum
because the light
background takes up most
of the image.
The gray-value range in
which the graphite particles
lie, lies below this maximum,
within the histogram area
that is encircled.

In the enlarged histogram,

the maximum caused by the
graphite particles is also
clearly visible.

3) Select the Manual tab.

• The colored bar beneath the histogram shows you the gray value range
in which the system is searching for the graphite particles.
• The current threshold values are shown in the histogram as two
perpendicular lines. The lower threshold is blue and the upper is red.
• The graphite particles will be shown in color in the image, to enable you
to continually view what affect your settings have.
4) Define the gray value range for the graphite particles directly in the
histogram. To do this, move the mouse pointer over the red threshold
value line. The mouse pointer will change into a double arrowhead.
Hold down the left mouse button and drag the threshold to the desired
value. During the threshold value setting, the gray-value range that has
been set will be colored in the image.
5) Confirm the new threshold setting by clicking on OK.
" The thresholds have now been defined. They will be used for the
upcoming analyses using either the Cast Iron > Graphite analysis
command or the Cast Iron > Ferrite/Pearlite command.

19
The "Cast Iron" add-in • Setting the thresholds

This is how you set threshold values on a color image

Cast iron with a ferrite
fraction of 15% and a
pearlite fraction of 85%Set
the thresholds so that the
bright ferrite becomes
foreground and the dark
graphite/pearlite becomes
background.

1) Use the Cast Iron > Settings... command.

2) Choose the Manual option located in the Cast Iron Settings dialog box
and click the Change... button.
" The Set Color Thresholds dialog box will be opened.
" You can define color thresholds in two different color spaces,
RGB (Red Green Blue) and HSI (Hue Saturation Intensity). Set-
ting a threshold is often easier in the HSI color space.
3) Activate the HSI tab.
You define the color
threshold value directly on
the image. Click the New
button in the Include pixel
group to switch to the
image.

4) Only if the Delete button is active:

Set preview options
Define threshold
values on the image
Erase all the phases except for one, by repeatly clicking the Delete but-
ton until it becomes inactive.
5) Select the Current option located in the Preview group.
Click the Window button. Keep the left mouse button depressed and
pull the frame to the largest size possible. Confirm the preview area
with a right mouse click.
6) Click the New button located in the Include Pixel group.
Click the left mouse button to add a circle. Position the center of the cir-
cle within one of the bright areas.
With the left button depressed, move the mouse to change the size of

20
 Setting the thresholds

the circle. The circle should lie completely within a bright area.
Confirm the position and size of the circle by clicking the right mouse
button.
If there are still bright areas that are not yet displayed in the preview
color, click the left mouse button to insert a second circle. Position the
second circle within another bright area that is not yet displayed in the
preview color.
Confirm all circles with an additional click of the right mouse button.
7) Confirm the new threshold setting by clicking on OK.
" The thresholds have now been defined. They will be used for the
upcoming analyses using either the Cast Iron > Graphite analysis
command or the Cast Iron > Ferrite/Pearlite command.
The ferrite phase has now
been defined and can be
recognized and measured
by the system.

Using the threshold Setting threshold values can often be better done on a gray-value image. In
value settings for gray this case use the Oper > Color Separation > Intensity command to convert
values with color the color image into a gray-value image.
images

21
The "Cast Iron" add-in • Particle parameters

Particle parameters
The table contains the particle parameters that are automatically calculated
by the "Cast Iron" add-in.
Particle pa- Description
rameters
Diameter Max The maximum distance of parallel tangents at
opposing particle borders.

Area Area of the particle in the unit of the current im-

age calibration. The area is calculated by multi-
plying the number of pixels by the calibration
factors of the X- and Y-axes.

Convex Perim- The perimeter of the convex cover of the parti-

eter cle.

Perimeter The sum of the pixel distances along the

closed outer and inner boundaries.

22