Metallurgy specimen preparation is a critical process in the study and analysis of metals and alloys, involving several precise steps to ensure accurate examination under a microscope. The preparation process typically begins with cutting or sectioning the sample to obtain a manageable size, followed by mounting the specimen in a resin or epoxy to facilitate handling. The mounted sample is then ground and polished using a series of abrasives with progressively finer grits to achieve a smooth, scratch-free surface. This is crucial because imperfections on the surface can obscure or distort the microstructural features of the material. Finally, the specimen may undergo etching, a chemical process that reveals the microstructure by highlighting grain boundaries, phases, and other features of interest. Proper specimen preparation is essential in metallurgy as it directly impacts the accuracy of microstructural analysis, which is vital for quality control, failure analysis, and research and development in the field of materials science.

Since 1970 Struers Metalog has helped metallographers worldwide.In 1981 we started the publication of Structure, the mostwidely distributed materialographic magazine in the world.These two publications and the updated Metalog Guide are bothpart of our dialogue and cooperation with the users of our equipmentand consumables. A dialogue which Struers considers tobe of the utmost importance, in order to help us develop evenbetter methods and products.We hope Metalog Guide will be of benefit to you and we lookforward to future cooperation.