Metallography Lab

The Metallography Lab has a variety of optical microscopes and hardness testing devices available for use by undergraduate classes or graduate researchers. After preparing samples in the Polishing Lab, students and researchers can examine the microstructure of the samples using the optical microscopes or stereomicroscopes. Both sets of microscopes are equipped with digital cameras. In addition, micro-hardness and macro-hardness testing of samples can be performed in this lab.

For equipment questions, lab concerns, safety problems, or general help in this room, contact mselabs@iastate.edu.

Metallography Lab

Location: 3355 Hoover Hall

Metallography Lab Equipment

Digital Rockwell Hardness Tester: The BUEHLER Macromet 3100 is primarily a Rockwell Hardness tester with an automatic start and loading control system with test loads of 60, 100 and 150 kgf.

Inverted Metallurgical Microscope: The Inverted Metallurgical Microscope GX51 can use reflected as well as transmitted light to give bright-, dark-field and polarized light imaging.

Microhardness Tester (Knoop & Vickers indenters): The LECO LM 247AT is a micro-indentation hardness tester with objectives from 2.5X to 100X, and especially useful for determining coating hardness.

Electron Microscopy XRD lab – 3365 Hoover

Rockwell Type Hardness Tester: The LECO LR-series with its auto-measuring mode can automatically apply major load, with digital display, ready conversion to different hardness scales makes hardness measurements easy.

The Stereomicroscope: The Olympus SZX stereomicroscope has a zoom ratio of 1:12.8 and magnification from 0.7X-9X, giving a total magnification capability of 2.1X-675X.