Common problems and solutions for hot pressing inlay, and listen to Ke Mai's editor explain:

     The QMAXIS (Pulse Detectable) MetLab hot press inlay machine comes in single cylinder and dual cylinder versions, and each cylinder can be embedded with two samples using isolation blocks.

     QThere are seven types of hot pressing inlay resins for MAXIS (pulse detectable). Phenolic resin PhenoPowder comes in black and red, epoxy resin EpoPowder comes in particle (G) and powder (F), acrylic resin TransPowder, melamine resin MelaPowder, copper conductive resin CoperPowder, and carbon conductive resin GraphPowder.

     What common problems do you encounter when using a hot press inlay machine and hot press inlay resin to prepare samples? How should we solve it?

     1. Improper control of sample size due to edge cracking during grinding and polishing of hot pressed inlay blocks. The size of the sample should match the diameter of the hot pressing inlay machine mold barrel. Normal shaped samples should be kept at least 3mm away from the edge of the mold cylinder (final inlay block), while brittle, sharp, and irregular samples should be kept at least 5mm away.

     2. After the hot pressing inlay is completed, the inlay block is not formed, and even there is liquid at the bottom of the mold cylinder using non metallographic inlay resin, which has liquefaction phenomenon under high temperature and pressure. We should choose metallographic professional hot pressing inlay powder, and the hardness should be similar to that of the prepared sample.

     3. After hot pressing and inlaying, some parts of the resin may appear as granules. The temperature and pressure settings of the hot pressing and inlaying machine do not comply with the requirements indicated on the embedded resin label. Insufficient temperature and pressure. When choosing a resin for embedding, it is important to confirm the temperature and pressure required for its installation; When setting and calling the parameters of the hot pressing inlay machine, the inlay resin label should be checked.

     4. After the inlay block is placed for a period of time, there is a phenomenon of bulging on the surface. The temperature and pressure are insufficient, and the core of the inlay block has not fully solidified, causing the core to expand under natural conditions. It can increase temperature and pressure, and also extend the insulation time.

     5. I feel that the hot pressed inlay resin is damp, and the quality of the inlay is always not ideal. The hot pressed inlay resin is improperly stored, not sealed, and when the season changes, it is not pre judged and the storage conditions are not improved. Confirm the shelf life of the hot pressed inlay resin, pour it into a flat container and spread it evenly. Place it in an oven and bake at 60 ℃ for 30 minutes.

     6. During or after polishing, there is a gap between the sample and the resin. The sample was not cleaned correctly before inlaying, and the selection of inlaying resin was incorrect. Ensuring the cleanliness of the sample is the top priority in all processes of cutting, inlaying, and grinding. Be sure to clean the sample before embedding. When inlaying, high edge protection inlay resin should be selected, especially for specimens with multiple structures and specimens with different hardness.

     7. The surface of the inlay block is blossoming, or the temperature and pressure on the surface are not sufficient, as typical of frost, and the inlay resin is not fully cured. Recheck whether the inlay resin matches the sample, recheck the temperature and pressure indicated on the inlay resin label, recheck the parameters set by the hot pressing inlay machine, and even detect any abnormalities in the hot pressing inlay machine.

     Next issue preview: QMAXIS (Kemai) metallographic specimen embedding technology exchange - how to correctly select cold embedding resin? Stay tuned!