Recently, there is a significant increase in demands of non-standard methods for measuring various components, coatings, joints, inspection structures of various materials and evaluation of the surface topography.
Currently, 2D imaging and measurements are not enough, so 3D is becoming a necessity. In this article differences between 2D and 3D resolution are discussed as well as the limits of measurement accuracy in the 2D and 3D on real components and samples.
The comparison of the optical devices is focused on conventional macroscopes, stereo-microscopes and conventional modular microscopes as well as on special 3D optical or digital macroscopes and 3D laser confocal microscopes.
Computational thermodynamics and kinetics utilising the CALPHAD methodology provides guidelines for alloy design and process optimization and has become a powerful and flexible tool for materials industry. In this presentation, the development of steel database TCFE9 for low density steels with high Mn and high Al contents is reported. Case studies using the newly developed TCFE9 database will be focusing on but not limited to low density and high strength steels. For example, thermodynamic calculations using TCFE9 together with the Thermo-Calc software are performed, such as density prediction, high temperature phase equilibria, ordering and partitioning between B2_BCC and FCC_A1, martensitic transformation, phase stabilities, oxidation, corrosion etc. Together with the new mobility database MOBFE4, the diffusion of carbon into steels and the formation of different carbide phases at the surface are studied using DICTRA. Precipitation simulation using TC-PRISMA are performed for advanced high strength steels (AHSS), high strength low alloy (HSLA) steels and stainless steels. Comparison between simulation results and experimental data shows good agreement.