SIST EN ISO 1463:2021
(Main)Metallic and oxide coatings - Measurement of coating thickness - Microscopical method (ISO 1463:2021)
Metallic and oxide coatings - Measurement of coating thickness - Microscopical method (ISO 1463:2021)
This document specifies a method for the measurement of the local thickness of metallic coatings, oxide
layers, and porcelain or vitreous enamel coatings, by the microscopical examination of cross-sections
using an optical microscope.
Metall- und Oxidschichten - Schichtdickenmessung - Mikroskopisches Verfahren (ISO 1463:2021)
Dieses Dokument legt ein Verfahren zur Messung der örtlichen Schichtdicke von metallischen Überzügen, Oxidschichten und Emailschichten durch Untersuchung der Querschnittflächen mit einem Lichtmikroskop fest.
WARNUNG Die Anwendung dieser Norm kann den Einsatz gefährlicher Stoffe, Arbeitsgänge und Ausrüstungen mit sich bringen. Diese Norm erhebt nicht den Anspruch, auf alle Sicherheitsprobleme hinzuweisen, die mit ihrer Anwendung verbunden sind. Es liegt in der Verantwortung des Anwenders dieser Norm, vor ihrer Anwendung geeignete Maßnahmen für die Sicherheit und den Gesundheitsschutz des Personals zu ergreifen und dafür Sorge zu tragen, dass behördliche und gesetzliche Maßnahmen eingehalten werden.
Revêtements métalliques et couches d'oxyde - Mesurage de l'épaisseur de revêtement - Méthode par coupe micrographique (ISO 1463:2021)
Le présent document spécifie une méthode de mesure de l'épaisseur locale des revêtements métalliques, des couches d'oxyde, et des revêtements de porcelaine ou d'émail vitrifié, par examen de coupes transversales à l'aide d'un microscope optique.
Kovinske in oksidne prevleke - Merjenje debeline prevleke - Mikroskopska metoda (ISO 1463:2021)
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
SIST EN ISO 1463:2021
01-julij-2021
Nadomešča:
SIST EN ISO 1463:2004
Kovinske in oksidne prevleke - Merjenje debeline prevleke - Mikroskopska metoda
(ISO 1463:2021)
Metallic and oxide coatings - Measurement of coating thickness - Microscopical method
(ISO 1463:2021)
Metall- und Oxidschichten - Schichtdickenmessung - Mikroskopisches Verfahren (ISO
1463:2021)
Revêtements métalliques et couches d'oxyde - Mesurage de l'épaisseur de revêtement -
Méthode par coupe micrographique (ISO 1463:2021)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 1463:2021
ICS:
25.220.20 Površinska obdelava Surface treatment
25.220.40 Kovinske prevleke Metallic coatings
SIST EN ISO 1463:2021 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
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SIST EN ISO 1463:2021
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SIST EN ISO 1463:2021
EN ISO 1463
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
May 2021
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 25.220.20; 25.220.40 Supersedes EN ISO 1463:2004
English Version
Metallic and oxide coatings - Measurement of coating
thickness - Microscopical method (ISO 1463:2021)
Revêtements métalliques et couches d'oxyde - Metall- und Oxidschichten - Schichtdickenmessung -
Mesurage de l'épaisseur de revêtement - Méthode par Mikroskopisches Verfahren (ISO 1463:2021)
coupe micrographique (ISO 1463:2021)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 17 April 2021.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2021 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 1463:2021 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
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SIST EN ISO 1463:2021
EN ISO 1463:2021 (E)
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
2
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SIST EN ISO 1463:2021
EN ISO 1463:2021 (E)
European foreword
This document (EN ISO 1463:2021) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 107 "Metallic
and other inorganic coatings" in collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 262 “Metallic and
other inorganic coatings, including for corrosion protection and corrosion testing of metals and alloys”
the secretariat of which is held by BSI.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by November 2021, and conflicting national standards
shall be withdrawn at the latest by November 2021.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN ISO 1463:2004.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the
United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 1463:2021 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 1463:2021 without any modification.
3
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SIST EN ISO 1463:2021
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SIST EN ISO 1463:2021
INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 1463
Fourth edition
2021-05
Metallic and oxide coatings —
Measurement of coating thickness —
Microscopical method
Revêtements métalliques et couches d'oxyde — Mesurage de
l'épaisseur de revêtement — Méthode par coupe micrographique
Reference number
ISO 1463:2021(E)
©
ISO 2021
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SIST EN ISO 1463:2021
ISO 1463:2021(E)
COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT
© ISO 2021
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting
on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address
below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: +41 22 749 01 11
Email: copyright@iso.org
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 8 ----------------------
SIST EN ISO 1463:2021
ISO 1463:2021(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 1
5 Factors relating to measurement uncertainty . 1
5.1 Surface roughness . 1
5.2 Taper of cross-section . 2
5.3 Deformation of coating . 2
5.4 Rounding of edge of coating . 2
5.5 Overplating . 2
5.6 Etching . 2
5.7 Smearing . 2
5.8 Magnification . 2
5.9 Calibration of stage micrometer . 2
5.10 Calibration of the microscope’s length measuring device . 2
5.10.1 Micrometer eyepiece . 2
5.10.2 Digital image processing . 3
5.11 Uniformity of magnification . 3
5.12 Lens quality . 3
5.13 Orientation of measuring lines . 3
5.14 Tube length . 3
6 Preparation of cross-sections . 4
7 Measurement . 4
8 Measurement uncertainty . 4
9 Test report . 4
Annex A (informative) Guidance on the preparation and measurement of cross-sections .6
Annex B (informative) Taper of cross-section and measurement of tooth-constructed coatings .9
Annex C (informative) Some typical etchants for use at room temperature .12
Bibliography .13
© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved iii
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SIST EN ISO 1463:2021
ISO 1463:2021(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/ directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/ patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www .iso .org/
iso/ foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 107, Metallic and other inorganic coatings,
in collaboration with the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee CEN/
TC 262, Metallic and other inorganic coatings, including for corrosion protection and corrosion testing of
metals and alloys, in accordance with the Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN
(Vienna Agreement).
This fourth edition cancels and replaces the third edition (ISO 1463:2003), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes compared with the previous edition are as follows:
— digital image processing for light microscopes has been added;
— further hints and methods for the preparation of microsections have been added;
— one hazardous etching recipe has been removed from Annex C.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/ members .html.
iv © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved
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SIST EN ISO 1463:2021
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 1463:2021(E)
Metallic and oxide coatings — Measurement of coating
thickness — Microscopical method
WARNING — The use of this document can involve hazardous materials, operations and
equipment. This document does not purport to address all of the safety problems associated
with its use. It is the responsibility of users of this document to take appropriate measures to
ensure the safety and health of personnel prior to the application of the document.
1 Scope
This document specifies a method for the measurement of the local thickness of metallic coatings, oxide
layers, and porcelain or vitreous enamel coatings, by the microscopical examination of cross-sections
using an optical microscope.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
local thickness
mean of the thickness measurements, of which a specified number is made within a reference area
[SOURCE: ISO 2064:1996, 3.4]
4 Principle
A portion of the test specimen is cut out and mounted. The mounted cross-section is prepared by
suitable techniques of grinding, polishing and etching. The thickness of the coating cross-section is
measured by means of a calibrated scale.
NOTE These techniques will be familiar to experienced metallographers, but some guidance is given in
Clause 5 and in Annex A for less experienced operators.
5 Factors relating to measurement uncertainty
5.1 Surface roughness
If the coating or its substrate has a rough surface, one or both of the interfaces bounding the coating
cross-section could be too irregular to permit accurate measurement (see A.6).
© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved 1
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SIST EN ISO 1463:2021
ISO 1463:2021(E)
5.2 Taper of cross-section
If the plane of the cross-section is not perpendicular to the plane of the coating, the measured thickness
will be greater than the true thickness, e.g. an inclination of 10° to the perpendicular will contribute a
1,5 % uncertainty.
NOTE B.1 provides guidance on the taper of a cross-section.
5.3 Deformation of coating
Detrimental deformation of the coating can be caused by excessive temperature or pressure during
mounting and preparation of cross-sections of soft coatings or coatings that melt at a low temperature,
and also by excessive abrasion of brittle materials during preparation of cross-sections.
5.4 Rounding of edge of coating
If the edge of the coating cross-section is rounded, i.e. if the coating cross-section is not completely flat
up to its edges, the true thickness cannot be observed microscopically. Edge rounding can be caused
by improper mounting, grinding, polishing or etching. It is usually minimized by overplating the test
specimen before mounting (see A.2).
5.5 Overplating
Overplating of the test specimen protects the coating edges during preparation of cross-sections and
thus prevents erroneous measurement. Removal of coating material during surface preparation for
overplating can result in a low thickness measurement.
5.6 Etching
Optimum etching produces a clearly defined and narrow dark line at the interface of two metals.
Excessive etching produces a poorly defined or wide line that can result in erroneous measurement.
5.7 Smearing
Improper polishing or overplating with a softer metal can cause smearing of one metal over the other
metal, obscuring the boundary between the coating and the substrate. This problem can be alleviated
by repeating the preparation of the cross-section of the coated metal until repeatability of the thickness
measurement (see A.3 and A.5) is obtained and also by overplating with a harder metal.
5.8 Magnification
For any given coating thickness, measurement uncertainty generally increases with decreasing
magnification. The magnification should be chosen so that the field of view is between 1,5 × and 3 × the
coating thickness.
5.9 Calibration of stage micrometer
Any uncertainty in calibration of the stage micrometer will be reflected in the measurement of the
specimen. A suitable, traceable length standard shall be used.
5.10 Calibration of the microscope’s length measuring device
5.10.1 Micrometer eyepiece
A filar micrometer eyepiece provides a satisfactory means of making the measurement of the specimen.
The measurement will be no more accurate than the calibration of the eyepiece. As calibration is
operator dependent, the eyepiece shall be calibrated by the person making the measurement.
2 © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved
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SIST EN ISO 1463:2021
ISO 1463:2021(E)
Repeated calibrations of the micrometer eyepiece can be reasonably expected to have a spread of less
than 1 %. The distance between the two lines of a stage micrometer used for the calibration shall be
known to within 0,2 µm or 0,1 %, whichever is the greater.
Some image splitting micrometer eyepieces have a nonlinearity that introduces an uncertainty of up to
1 % for short measurement distances.
Uncertainties can be introduced by backlash in the movement of the micrometer eyepiece. To avoid this
uncertainty, ensure that the final motion during alignment of the hairline is always made in the same
direction.
5.10.2 Digital image processing
Microscopes with a triocular tube, camera adapters with projecting lens and digital cameras connected
to a computer with software for image capturing and processing are nowadays state of the art. Similar
to 5.10.1, the measurement will be no more accurate than the adjustment and calibration of the length
measurement function (combination of hardware and software).
For adjustment, digital images from the stage micrometer (in both directions parallel to the x- and y-axis
of the image) are recorded for
...
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN ISO 1463:2020
01-september-2020
Kovinske in oksidne prevleke - Merjenje debeline prevleke - Mikroskopska metoda
(ISO/DIS 1463:2020)
Metallic and oxide coatings - Measurement of coating thickness - Microscopical method
(ISO/DIS 1463:2020)
Metall- und Oxidschichten - Schichtdickenmessung - Mikroskopisches Verfahren
(ISO/DIS 1463:2020)
Revêtements métalliques et couches d'oxyde - Mesurage de l'épaisseur de revêtement -
Méthode par coupe micrographique (ISO/DIS 1463:2020)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN ISO 1463
ICS:
25.220.20 Površinska obdelava Surface treatment
25.220.40 Kovinske prevleke Metallic coatings
oSIST prEN ISO 1463:2020 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
oSIST prEN ISO 1463:2020
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oSIST prEN ISO 1463:2020
DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD
ISO/DIS 1463
ISO/TC 107 Secretariat: KATS
Voting begins on: Voting terminates on:
2020-05-15 2020-08-07
Metallic and oxide coatings — Measurement of coating
thickness — Microscopical method
Revêtements métalliques et couches d'oxyde — Mesurage de l'épaisseur de revêtement — Méthode par
coupe micrographique
ICS: 25.220.20; 25.220.40
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
This document is circulated as received from the committee secretariat.
FOR COMMENT AND APPROVAL. IT IS
THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND MAY
NOT BE REFERRED TO AS AN INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD UNTIL PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
ISO/CEN PARALLEL PROCESSING
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL,
TECHNOLOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND
USER PURPOSES, DRAFT INTERNATIONAL
STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE TO
BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR
POTENTIAL TO BECOME STANDARDS TO
WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
Reference number
NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
ISO/DIS 1463:2020(E)
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED
TO SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS,
NOTIFICATION OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT
RIGHTS OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE AND TO
©
PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION. ISO 2020
---------------------- Page: 3 ----------------------
oSIST prEN ISO 1463:2020
ISO/DIS 1463:2020(E)
COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT
© ISO 2020
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting
on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address
below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: +41 22 749 01 11
Fax: +41 22 749 09 47
Email: copyright@iso.org
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2020 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 4 ----------------------
oSIST prEN ISO 1463:2020
ISO/DIS 1463:2020(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 1
5 Factors relating to measurement uncertainty . 2
5.1 Surface roughness . 2
5.2 Taper of cross-section . 2
5.3 Deformation of coating . 2
5.4 Rounding of edge of coating . 2
5.5 Overplating . 2
5.6 Etching . 2
5.7 Smearing . 2
5.8 Magnification . 2
5.9 Calibration of stage micrometer . 2
5.10 Calibration of the microscope’s length measuring device . 3
5.10.1 Micrometer eyepiece . 3
5.10.2 Digital image processing . 3
5.11 Uniformity of magnification . 3
5.12 Lens quality . 3
5.13 Orientation of measuring lines . 4
5.14 Tube length . 4
6 Preparation of cross-sections . 4
7 Measurement . 4
8 Measurement uncertainty . 4
9 Test report . 5
Annex A (informative) Guidance on the preparation and measurement of cross-sections .6
Annex B (informative) Taper of cross-section and measurement of tooth-constructed coatings .9
Annex C (informative) Some typical etchants for use at room temperature .12
Bibliography .13
© ISO 2020 – All rights reserved iii
---------------------- Page: 5 ----------------------
oSIST prEN ISO 1463:2020
ISO/DIS 1463:2020(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/ directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/ patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www .iso .org/
iso/ foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 107, Metallic and other inorganic coatings.
This third fourth edition cancels and replaces the third edition (ISO 1463:2003), which has been
technically revised.
The main changes compared to the previous edition are as follows:
— digital image processing for light microscopes added;
— further hints and methods for the preparation of microsections added;
— some hazardous etching recipes removed from Annex C;
— editorial changes.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/ members .html.
iv © ISO 2020 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 6 ----------------------
oSIST prEN ISO 1463:2020
DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/DIS 1463:2020(E)
Metallic and oxide coatings — Measurement of coating
thickness — Microscopical method
1 Scope
This document specifies a method for the measurement of the local thickness of metallic coatings, oxide
layers, and porcelain or vitreous enamel coatings, by the microscopical examination of cross sections
using an optical microscope.
WARNING — The use of this Standard can involve hazardous materials, operations and
equipment. This Standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems associated with
its use. It is the responsibility of users of this standard to take appropriate measures to ensure
the safety and health of personnel prior to application of the standard, and fulfil statutory and
regulatory requirements for this purpose.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 2064, Metallic and other inorganic coatings — Definitions and conventions concerning the measurement
of thickness
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
local thickness
the mean of the thickness measurements, of which a specified number is made within a reference area
[SOURCE: ISO 2064:1996, 3.4]
4 Principle
A portion of the test specimen is cut out and mounted. The mounted cross-section is prepared by
suitable techniques of grinding, polishing and etching. The thickness of the coating cross-section is
measured by means of a calibrated scale.
NOTE These techniques will be familiar to experienced metallographers, but some guidance is given in
Clause 5 and in Annex A for less experienced operators.
© ISO 2020 – All rights reserved 1
---------------------- Page: 7 ----------------------
oSIST prEN ISO 1463:2020
ISO/DIS 1463:2020(E)
5 Factors relating to measurement uncertainty
5.1 Surface roughness
If the coating or its substrate has a rough surface, one or both of the interfaces bounding the coating
cross-section may be too irregular to permit accurate measurement (see A.5).
5.2 Taper of cross-section
If the plane of the cross-section is not perpendicular to the plane of the coating, the measured thickness
will be greater than the true thickness; e.g. an inclination of 10° to the perpendicular will contribute a
1,5 % uncertainty.
NOTE B.1 provides guidance on taper cross-section.
5.3 Deformation of coating
Detrimental deformation of the coating can be caused by excessive temperature or pressure during
mounting and preparation of cross-sections of soft coatings or coatings that melt at a low temperature,
and also by excessive abrasion of brittle materials during preparation of cross-sections.
5.4 Rounding of edge of coating
If the edge of the coating cross-section is rounded, i.e. if the coating cross-section is not completely flat
up to its edges, the true thickness cannot be observed microscopically. Edge rounding can be caused
by improper mounting, grinding, polishing or etching. It is usually minimized by overplating the test
specimen before mounting (see A.2).
5.5 Overplating
Overplating of the test specimen protects the coating edges during preparation of cross-sections and
thus prevents erroneous measurement. Removal of coating material during surface preparation for
overplating can result in a low thickness measurement.
5.6 Etching
Optimum etching produces a clearly defined and narrow dark line at the interface of two metals.
Excessive etching produces a poorly defined or wide line that can result in erroneous measurement.
5.7 Smearing
Improper polishing or overplating with a softer metal may cause smearing of one metal over the other
metal, obscuring the boundary between the coating and the substrate. This problem may be alleviated
by repeating the preparation of the cross section of the coated metal until repeatability of the thickness
measurement (see A.3 and A.5) is obtained and also by overplating with a harder metal.
5.8 Magnification
For any given coating thickness, measurement uncertainty generally increases with decreasing
magnification. The magnification should be chosen so that the field of view is between 1,5 × and 3 × the
coating thickness.
5.9 Calibration of stage micrometer
Any uncertainty in calibration of the stage micrometer will be reflected in the measurement of the
specimen. A suitable, traceable length standard shall be used.
2 © ISO 2020 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 8 ----------------------
oSIST prEN ISO 1463:2020
ISO/DIS 1463:2020(E)
5.10 Calibration of the microscope’s length measuring device
5.10.1 Micrometer eyepiece
A filar micrometer eyepiece provides a satisfactory means of making the measurement of the specimen.
The measurement will be no more accurate than the calibration of the eyepiece. As calibration is
operator dependent, the eyepiece shall be calibrated by the person making the measurement.
Repeated calibrations of the micrometer eyepiece can be reasonably expected to have a spread of less
than 1 %. The distance between the two lines of a stage micrometer used for the calibration shall be
known to within 0,2 µm or 0,1 %, whichever is the greater.
Some image splitting micrometer eyepieces have a nonlinearity that introduces an uncertainty of up to
1 % for short measurement distances.
Uncertainties can be introduced by backlash in the movement of the micrometer eyepiece. To avoid this
uncertainty, ensure that the final motion during alignment of the hairline is always made in the same
direction.
5.10.2 Digital image processing
Microscopes with triocular tube, camera adapter with projecting lens and digital camera connected to
a computer with a software for image capturing and processing are nowadays state-of-the-art. Similar
to 5.10.1 the measurement will be no more accurate than the adjustment and calibration of the length
measurement function (combination of hard- and software).
For adjustment digital images from the stage micrometer (in both directions parallel to the x- and y-axis
of the image) are recorded for every combination of objective, eventual intermediate magnification
changer, and resolution setting of the camera (full resolution and typical settings of pixel binning). The
length in object space represented by a pixel of the digital image is calculated by measuring a known
distance on the stage micrometer with the respective function of the software and is then saved in
the software. Usually after such an adjustment the images are recorded “calibrated”, i.e. with the µm/
pixel factor assigned to the image, by selecting the objective, the eventual intermediate magnification
changer, and the pixel setting of the camera in the software at the time of capturing the image.
The adjustment and/or calibration are usually stable for long time. Furthermore, they are not operator
dependent as long as no changes are applied to the tube, an eventual intermediate magnification
changer, the camera adapter, or the camera itself and as long as the same resolution of the camera
(number of pixels in x and y direction) is used for adjustment and/or calibration and for measurement.
Normally it is sufficient to record in regular time intervals images from the stage micrometer and
measure known distances; when the deviation between the measured length and the certified length is
less than a reasonably defined uncertainty limit for length measurements, which the laboratory wants
to achieve, e.g. 1 %, the calibration is still vali
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