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Be inspired by industries worldwide using Struers solutions to meet their metallographic needs and preparation challenges. Take a deeper dive to understand their challenges and how our experts and preparation solutions helped to maximize accuracy, efficiency, and reproducibility.
Below you will find a selection of business cases where our equipment, solutions, and knowledge training have been used to improve the preparation process in various industries.
Introduction
Sample preparation and material testing play pivotal roles across diverse industries and the entire value chain. Whether in manufacturing, research and development, or quality control, these processes are critical for ensuring materials and products' reliability, functionality, and safety.
From research labs to manufacturing facilities, sample preparation and material testing set the foundation for accurate and representative testing. Properly prepared samples enable researchers and engineers to draw meaningful conclusions about the properties and performance of materials.
Be inspired by case studies across industries and how each company has solved their challenges and improved their results.
Product: LaboPol 30 and LaboForce-50 in a glove box.
Company: CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research)
Challenge: Finding a robust grinding and polishing solution suitable for operation inside a sealed glovebox with limited operator dexterity.
Results: CERN recently established a new beryllium facility and required a sample grinding and polishing solution that could be safely operated within a sealed glovebox.
In addition, the solution had to perform reliably in a challenging environment with restricted access, limited operator dexterity, and a need for minimal maintenance.
Product: Tegramin
Company: U-MAP
Challenge: To prepare multiple samples simultaneously faster
Results: From 20 hours to 1.5 hours of preparation time for 10 samples
U-MAP, a startup company from Nagoya University, wanted to increase the efficiency of sample preparation plus to develop a method to prepare ceramic substrates. The solution was to introduce Tegramin in combination with a new preparation method.
Product: Hardness Tester Duramin-40
Company: Everllence (Previous Man Energy Solutions)
Challenge: Efficiently hardness test thermal spray-coated cast iron parts.
Results: A faster and more efficient process performed on one machine.
MAN Energy Solutions, one of the world’s leading suppliers of marine industry engines, wanted to boost the efficiency of hardness testing of thermal spray-coated parts. The solution was to automate hardness testing with Duramin-40.
Product: Xmatic
Company: NCS (Shenyang) Testing Technology Co.
Challenge: To improve the accuracy and efficiency of aircraft engine samples
Results: Reduction of grinding & polishing time by 28,3%
NCS, one of China’s leading testing and research institutions, wanted to improve inconsistent results and inefficiencies from the manual grinding and polishing process. The solution was the introduction of automated solutions with Xmatic which also freed up operator time.
Product: One Partnership
Company: Everllence (Previous Man Energy Solutions)
Challenge: Develop a single, cost-effective preparation process for analyzing parts.
Results: New process saves time and lowers costs by reducing preparation steps from 10 to 4.
To develop a carbon-free shipping industry, Everllence is a key global player. This requires efficient metalographical analysis process at both Everllence and its suppliers. With Struers One Partnership program, the solution was to develop new preparation methods to save costs and increase efficiency.
Product: LEAN Value Stream Mapping with Struers Application Specialists
Company: GE Aerospace
Challenge: How to increase samples by 20–30% with fewer man-dependent processes
Results: Development of plan for implementation of process improvements
The main goal for GE Aerospace is to prepare for a higher volume of samples while maintaining consistent, high-quality preparation. GE Aerospace partnered with Struers to use the LEAN VSM principles to map the current state of the sample preparation process.
Product: Flexible Specimen holder
Company: Galperti Group
Challenge: To automate the preparation of irregular samples
Results: Improved repeatability & efficiency from 15 to 3 minutes
The Galperti Group has transformed the preparation of irregular unmounted specimens with the Flexible Specimen Holder, reducing the manual preparation time from up to 15 minutes to just 3 minutes. This process also achieves a superior finish, eliminating the need for an extra polishing step.
Product: Full range of Struers materialographic equipment
Company: Rodin Cars
Challenge: How to test new materials, surface finishes, and production process
Results: Production of track cars with light 4.0-litre 10-cylinder engines
As one of the world’s most innovative car developers, Rodin Cars has a singular purpose: To create the ultimate single-seat track racing car. It uses a full Struers laboratory to develop materials, surface finishes, and manufacturing processes.
Product: Magnutom cutting machine
Company: Everllence (Previous Man Energy Solutions)
Challenge: Cut large and medium-sized cast iron specimens in-house.
Results: 25% more samples cut in-house, reducing time, costs, and transport emissions.
MAN Energy Solutions, one of the world’s leading suppliers of marine industry engines, handles many large engine parts. Previously, these parts had to be shipped to an external supplier for metallographic cutting. Now, with Struers Magnutom cutting machine, MAN Energy Solutions can section many of these parts in-house, reducing time, costs, and emissions.
Product: StructureExpert Weld-5
Company: AIR (Asset Inspection Resources)
Challenge: Hot to double the size of weld inspection business
Results: Improved quality, accuracy, and repeatability of weld analysis
Asset Inspection Resources’ goal of doubling its weld analysis business is fast becoming a reality with the addition of StructureExpert Weld-5. The equipment has increased AIR’s efficiency by capturing accurate, to-scale weld measurements and high-resolution photos in seconds. Many of AIR’s top customers also value the high-quality and optimal-contrast images the StructureExpert Weld-5 provides.
Product: TPM Courses
Company: Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery AB
Challenge: How to produce scratch-free samples, quickly
Results: Reduction of prep time from up to 60 to just 11 minutes
Swedish Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery AB had trouble preparing a new material, titanium. The preparation time was far too long, and the titanium surface was full of scratches. Discover the new method they learned at the Struers TPM course which resulted in what a highly experienced colleague called the best samples he had ever seen.
Product: StructureExpert Weld, Duramin-40 AC3, and LaboSystem
Company: MechTest
Challenge: How to boost throughput in weld examination and hardness testing
Results: Weld examination time reduced to 10 minutes per sample
Materials testing laboratory, MechTest wanted to increase their throughput of customer samples with a faster and more consistent process in weld examination and hardness testing. With their new automated and standardized Struers solution they create a better service for their clients.
Product: TPM Courses
Company: Modis International
Challenge: How to get up-to-date with the newest methods and equipment
Results: Streamline processes and save time from existing processes
When the European Space Agency is planning a launch, the team at Modis International check the materials. The components are complex, and Modis is keen to work with the latest methods and equipment. Following an advanced training course with Struers, Modis introduced new streamlined processes that save valuable time when working with complex components.
Product: Accutom and TargetSystem
Company: Bosch Engineering Center Cluj
Challenge: How to prepare small and hidden targets without deformation
Results: Precision +/- 5 µm, reduction of time + consumable consumption
The automotive electronics division of Robert Bosch in Romania was looking for a way to increase precision when preparing very small hidden targets in microelectronic boards. Our solution not only increased precision to within 5 µm, but also cut preparation time in half and reduced consumables consumption.
Product: Secotom
Company: Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery
Challenge: How to precision cut and clamp odd-shaped turbine components
Results: A fast, silent and easy cutting process with no limit to clamping
Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery prepares turbine components for materialographic analysis. The parts are often small and uneven, with additive manufactured components, making them very tricky to clamp and cut. Siemens wanted a cutting machine that was precise, fast and efficient – and gave them unlimited clamping options. Our solution was the Secotom-60 precision cutting machine.
Product: Alumina cut-off wheels
Company: CIE Praga Louny
Challenge: Hot to increase and simplify production capacity in lab
Results: 3X longer lifetime of cut-off wheels and 50% reduction of costs
Time plays a vital role within the production process at CIE Praga Louny, a.s., that produces mainly machine parts. And After installing an additional new production line, they wanted a more efficient method for quality testing the hardening of produced flanges. In cooperation with Struers, the company developed a new sectioning process that increased feed speed by 50 %, reduced costs by 50 %, and increased cut-off wheel lifetime three times.
Product: TPM Courses
Company: Uddeholm AB
Challenge: How to improve the materialographic troubleshooting skills
Results: Set up of reproducible methods with better troubleshooting skills
High alloyed steel producer Uddeholm was facing a stiff challenge: How to eliminate halfmoon-shaped scratches in its samples. Uddeholm’s solution? Three employees signed up for a Struers training course to improve their skills. Today, the scratches are gone and Uddeholm has optimized its preparation methods.
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Be inspired by cases about materials and preparation | Struers.com
Read about the challenges of our customers in our cases and about the solutions with Struers metallographic knowledge and preparation equipment.