The new ASTM standard Draft of January 2003

Remarks about method.• 1 - Difficulties to set up the method– Long and expensive preparation (3 rectifications + 4 polishings after cuttingsamples),– long measurement time (6 hours for each heat with manual method).• 2 - Difficulties to characterise TiN with automatic method– difficulties to define an automatic threshold with a black and white moviecamera.• 3 - The method is more discriminating than the other current method– 3600 mm² are observed / 1200 mm² according to E45 method.• 4 - The volume in the sample is low to characterise bearing steels.– It ’s necessary to define the limits of the method to discriminate the heats bygrade types according to their applications.CREAS - 14/08/2004