Microscopy in the Field of Tool Engineering - the Microstructure of Hard Metal Drills

The combination of microscopic and quantitative micro-structural analysis is a powerful method of obtaining information on geometry, usage properties and wear conditions of tools. The mechanical and usage properties of hard metal tools are crucially affected by their microstructure; therefore microscopic investigation of the micro- and macro-structure of the tools is a powerful and fast technique for checking the quality and corresponding usage properties of tools such as drills. This application notes presents possible applications of different microscopy systems from optical light to electron microscopy.