Observation and Analysis of Ceramic Materials
Ceramics are materials that have been around since before resin and metal. While ceramics are hard and resistant to friction and high temperatures, they have been considered unsuitable for use as a material for industrial parts due to their vulnerability to mechanical impacts and rapid temperature fluctuations.
However, in recent years, ceramics that have overcome these shortcomings have been developed and are now used in electrical assemblies (a typical example being multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs)), heat-resistant bearings used in automotive and aircraft engines, building materials, and other key parts.
This section introduces examples of observation and analysis of ceramic material products done by our latest 4K Digital Microscope.
- The Need for Observation and Analysis of Ceramic Material Products
- Examples of Observation of Ceramic Material Products Using Our Latest 4K Digital Microscope
- One Microscope Supports Everything from Observation and Analysis to Report Generation
The Need for Observation and Analysis of Ceramic Material Products
Surface mounting on chip components became possible in the mid-1980s, which paved the way to use ceramic capacitors as chip components. Since then, ceramic capacitors have become smaller in size alongside the increasing integration density of PCB mounting. The sophisticated techniques and production systems that allow for accurate stacking of hundreds of dielectric sheet layers within a mere 1 μm have bolstered electronics in every field. Nevertheless, the miniaturised parts were more prone to having poor insulation between the internal electrodes due to cracks from warping PCBs and scratches in the dielectric sheets.
As building materials, there are functional ceramic tiles with superhydrophilic and antifouling properties. Because ceramics used in building materials are required to be highly heat resistant and flame proof, composition analysis is essential for maintaining quality.
The need for observation and analysis of ceramic material products is increasing more than ever before as the reasons why ceramic materials are used become more sophisticated in a wide range of fields.
Examples of Observation of Ceramic Material Products Using Our Latest 4K Digital Microscope
The VHX Series, KEYENCE’s latest 4K Digital Microscope, features a high-resolution lens and an image sensor as well as many functions for analysis.
The VHX Series can observe ceramic material products and other low-contrast materials with high-definition images and run advanced analyses using a variety of tools.
Example of observing a multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC)
A multilayer ceramic chip capacitor uses hundreds of ceramic layers within 1 μm as dielectric sheets. The ceramics embedded in this small component can be observed upon removing the package by abrasion, but with the resin layer on.
Even a minor crack present at mounting can develop into a larger crack from mechanical impacts and ageing, and these larger cracks can lead to insulation failure. Poor insulation can result in component failure, heat generation, and/or fire. Overlooking fine cracks due to insufficient magnification or resolution has been a serious issue in the inspection process.
The VHX Series 4K Digital Microscope can observe minute exterior problems on ceramic material products by comparing the images taken using both darkfield and brightfield lighting setups. This comparison enables a clear capture of cracks and insulation failures.
Even when the resin-coated sample had an uneven surface due to insufficient polishing, the deep depth of field provided by the high-resolution lens contributes to a clear imaging of even submicron-order cracks.
Observation of glass fibre in ceramic building material
Glass fibre is a widely used inorganic material characterised by its heat and corrosion resistance as well as excellent elasticity and stiffness. High-functionality building materials have been developed by including glass fibre in the ceramic fibres. These materials have good heat insulation, heat resistance, and fire-proof properties, and are used in flame-retardant curtains and for sealing heat from boilers and other industrial furnaces.
KEYENCE’s VHX Series high-definition 4K Digital Microscope adopts the latest technologies, including a high-resolution lens and a 4K CMOS. These technologies enable the VHX Series to observe and analyse glass fibre in ceramic building materials with clear 4K images.
The High Dynamic Range (HDR) function can fully focus the entire target, regardless of its uneven surface. The HDR function captures multiple images at varying shutter speeds to obtain an image with high colour gradation, thereby making it possible to perform observation with images sporting higher levels of detail and contrast, which were conventionally inaccessible due to limitations in resolution and contrast.
The VHX Series also supports 2D and 3D measurements with easy operation using high-resolution magnified images, which contributes to highly accurate, quick performance of the series of tasks required for analysis.
Observation of scratches on a ceramic edge surface
With the VHX Series 4K Digital Microscope, omnidirectional lighting data is automatically captured by the multi-lighting function with the easy operation of the push of a button. Simply select the image most suitable for the observation from among this data to greatly reduce the time spent on adjusting the lighting. Furthermore, after selecting or registering an image, it is also possible to immediately load an image with different lighting conditions by way of easy mouse operations.
This eliminates the need to repeatedly adjust the lighting settings in order to obtain a clear image.
One Microscope Supports Everything from Observation and Analysis to Report Generation
The VHX Series high-definition 4K Digital Microscope offers excellent efficiency and makes it possible to eliminate human errors and ensure accurate observation and analysis.
The high-definition 4K images generated by cutting-edge optical image processing and automation techniques allow for automatic area measurement and counting on ceramic material products with simple operation, contributing to producing quick, sophisticated analysis results.
The captured or measured data can be easily output as a report using the report function. This can be useful for not only quality assurance but also for identifying any problem that may arise and subsequent process improvements.
Equipped with many other advanced functions, the VHX Series can be a powerful partner for defect analysis of ceramic material products. For details, click the button shown below to download the catalogue. For inquiries, click the other button shown below to contact KEYENCE.
