What microstructure is
It is the steel's internal structure at high magnification (tens to thousands of times) after cutting, polishing and etching to reveal the phases.
Common phases include martensite (hard), pearlite, ferrite, plus grain—together they show whether heat treatment succeeded.
What it reveals
- Confirms true martensite formed, not false hardness.
- Measures surface case depth and reveals any decarburization layer.
- Checks grain size, cracks, porosity or inclusions.
- Drives failure analysis—e.g. fracture from brittleness or fatigue.
When to do it
For high-confidence work, new lots, or when a quality issue is suspected.
We cut a sample from the lot, examine the structure and issue a report with images.
FAQ
Do you test the real part?+
We use a sample from the same lot—because it must be cut and polished, it is a destructive sample test.
How is it different from a hardness test?+
Hardness gives the *value*; microstructure gives the *reason*—the phases, grain or defects behind that value.
Can it find why a part cracked?+
Yes—examining the fracture and structure shows whether it failed from brittleness, fatigue or a material defect.
