Volume-based shape analysis for internal microstructure of steels

In this paper, we propose a novel framework of analyzing the internal micro-structure of steel materials. Our framework consists of destructive imaging and geometric computing techniques. Imaging is based on a high-precision sectioning tool, and optical imaging with sub-micrometer resolution. We adapt geometry processing methods for segmented multi-material volumes to obtain the structural features. We use our framework to image inclusions and cracks of ball-bearing steels. Our analysis indicates an interesting relationship between the concavity of inclusion shapes and crack initiation.