AZtecLive Chemical Imaging & Enhanced Sample Navigation

Investigation of experimental slag samples

Investigation of experimental slag samples: AZtecLive enables quick and comprehensive investigation of a sample with real-time chemical feedback via the AZtecLive interface

Slags are studied for many reasons including the study of historical metal manufacture and the optimisation of current metal manufacturing processes. The phases and the compositions of the phases may be important in any study. In the example the presence of spinels of differing chemistry are highlighted in real-time. As we move around the sample we can see various Cr-spinels, and some Al spinels with Fe inclusions.

Rapid Contamination Detection

• The example in the video shows a Titanium Alloy Ti6Al4V, which is in fine powder form. Ti6Al4V is a light alloy characterised by having excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance combined with low specific weight and biocompatibility. It is ideal for many high-performance engineering applications, for example in aerospace and motor racing, and also for the production of biomedical implants
• High-quality 3D printed metals require ultra pure (<99.9%) powder sources. The process of inspecting a powder is complex, as contaminants can be in trace concentrations
• The video shows how Live Chemical Imaging is used to easily find a distribution of small Tungsten particle contamination from another Metal 3D printing powder. And as the investigation carries on, a handful of Nickel superalloy particles are also discovered.

Examination of a pharmaceutical tablet

Foreign body identification in products is the most common application. Whether it’s from the raw materials or the production process; Tracing the contamination back to source is key to preventing future occurrences. This contamination can cause the product to fail or in the worst case, cause harm to the consumer. In the example below, an initial investigation was carried out using AZtecLive Chemical Imaging to get a quick overview of the tablet structure and composition. Then a more detailed analysis was carried out using spectrum compare and then X-Ray mapping.

Investigating Printed Circuit Board

Normally optical microscopy is used to inspect failures in PCB to document where the defects are located. This can be a poor solder joint, cracks and contamination from the production process. Marking these defects on the optical image and importing into AZtecLive allows a quick relocation to these areas for detailed examination with SEM-EDS, where the source of contamination can be identified.