QMAXIS Metallographic Equipment and Precision Consumables

Manufacturing Excellence of QMAXIS LLC Metallographic Instruments

American manufacturer QMAXIS LLC, headquartered in Middletown, Delaware, operates as a premier developer and producer of precision metallographic equipment and consumables for material microstructure evaluation.

The enterprise established a reputable North American alliance uniting specialized centers in precision machine engineering, synthetic superabrasive synthesis, and advanced mounting polymer formulations.

With manufacturing and research laboratories supporting industrial metallurgy across five continents, QMAXIS provides dependable sample preparation tools designed to preserve authentic microstructure without mechanical deformation or thermal artifacts.

Quality management at QMAXIS follows stringent inspection protocols governing blade flatness, abrasive particle distribution uniformity, and chemical purity of resin binders.

Every production batch of precision diamond wafering wheels and chemical suspensions undergoes dynamic balance verification, rim runout measurement, and cut-rate calibration on automated inspection rigs.

Metallurgical inspection laboratories, aerospace materials research facilities, semiconductor manufacturers, and university engineering departments rely on QMAXIS consumables for consistent and repeatable microstructure analysis.

Precision Continuous Rim Diamond Wafering Blades and Concentration Tuning

QMAXIS CD series continuous rim diamond wafering blades with standard 12.7 mm (0.5 in) arbor mount represent an industry benchmark for precision sectioning of sensitive metallurgical specimens.

Part number CD-4-15HC with 102 mm (4 in) outer diameter and 0.3 mm kerf thickness is engineered specifically to yield narrow cuts with negligible material loss.

The 15HC designation indicates high diamond volume concentration embedded in a resilient metallic matrix, providing cool cutting action that prevents plastic deformation when slicing metal matrix composites, copper components, titanium alloys, printed circuit boards, and thermal spray coatings.

For ultra-hard or brittle materials, QMAXIS provides 15LC and 20LC blade series engineered with low diamond concentration and friable bronze-cobalt bonds.

This configuration promotes continuous micro-fracturing of worn abrasive points, exposing sharp synthetic diamond facets when sectioning structural technical ceramics, silicon nitride, boron carbide, quartz glass, and mineral core specimens.

Selecting between high concentration (for ductile non-ferrous metals and multilayer composites) and low concentration (for dense ceramics and minerals) optimizes laboratory throughput and eliminates micro-cracking.

Cubic Boron Nitride CBN and UltraThin Abrasive Wheels for Ferrous Alloys

When sectioning ferrous metals and heat-treated steels, conventional diamond wheels can suffer from carbon diffusion and abrasive dulling at high contact temperatures.

To overcome this limitation, QMAXIS manufactures precision cubic boron nitride (CBN) wafering blades spanning diameters from 76 mm to 203 mm.

The crystal lattice of cubic boron nitride remains inert toward iron-based alloys, preventing chemical wear and enabling clean cuts through hardened tool steels, bearing alloys, stainless grades, and nickel-cobalt superalloys above 60 HRC without generating untempered martensite or secondary thermal zones.

As an economical option for routine industrial sectioning, QMAXIS offers UltraThin resin-bonded abrasive wheels.

Series CT-4F with 0.3 mm thickness utilizes high-purity aluminum oxide abrasives for carbon and alloy steels, while series CT-4N with premium silicon carbide grains handles titanium, aluminum, and non-ferrous alloys.

The narrow wheel profile minimizes contact friction and motor torque demand, requiring lower coolant volumes while safeguarding specimen microstructural integrity.

Hot Mounting PhenoPowder Resins and EpoQuick Cold Embedding Formulations

Reliable sample encapsulation is essential to prevent edge rounding and protect delicate surface platings during subsequent grinding and polishing operations.

QMAXIS PhenoPowder wood-flour filled thermosetting phenolic resin produces dense mounts under 176 degrees Celsius and 290 bar hydraulic pressure, offering chemical resistance to standard metallographic etchants.

For microelectronic components and precision coatings requiring visual orientation during preparation, thermoplastic TransPowder acrylic resin melts at 200 degrees Celsius and 345 bar into an optically transparent mount.

For temperature-sensitive specimens, porous materials, microelectronic assemblies, and biomedical components, QMAXIS formulates the EpoQuick cold epoxy system. This formulation exhibits ultra-low viscosity and capillary pore penetration at ambient room temperature.

Complete polymer crosslinking occurs within two hours with peak exothermic reaction temperature below 110 degrees Celsius, eliminating internal thermal stresses. Used with vacuum impregnation equipment, EpoQuick fills deep micro-pores, voids, and intricate surface cavities.

Quick-Change RubberDisc Magnetic Platens and Planar Specimen Grinding

Traditional adhesive-backed grinding paper replacement on metal machine platens often results in platen warping and difficult adhesive residue removal.

The QMAXIS RubberDisc solution introduces an innovative flexible composite disc that combines magnetic retention properties with a durable elastomer substrate.

The RubberDisc adheres securely to the MagDisc magnetic platen mounted on the aluminum wheel, gripping plain-backed grinding paper without adhesive. This design prevents rim denting, edge burrs, and platen corrosion while speeding up grit transition times.

For rapid stock removal on automatic grinding machines, QMAXIS provides Planar Grinding Stones. Mounted on dedicated planar grinding equipment, these vitrified stones level multiple mounted specimens in seconds, ensuring flat and parallel reference faces across the specimen holder.

Regular stone dressing with an aluminum oxide dressing stick keeps abrasive grains open and sharp, extending wheel working life and decreasing downstream CarbiPaper silicon carbide paper consumption.

Microstructural Polishing Suspensions and Finishing Polishing Cloths

The final polishing stage governs image contrast and microstructural clarity during optical and scanning electron microscopy examinations.

QMAXIS polycrystalline diamond suspensions with narrow grain size distributions from 9 microns down to 1 micron feature numerous sharp microscopic facets, delivering rapid material removal with minimal scratch depth.

Proprietary suspension vehicles maintain uniform abrasive dispersion and incorporate rust inhibitors to protect polished surfaces from oxidation during preparation.

To remove sub-micron deformation layers, QMAXIS supplies an alkaline colloidal silica suspension with 0.05 micron particle sizing.

Chemical-mechanical polishing combines mild chemical surface reaction with gentle wiping action from fine-nap polishing cloths, producing relief-free, mirror-quality finishes on pure titanium, copper, zirconium, and soft alloys.

Paired with QMAXIS woven and flocked polishing cloths, these consumables ensure dependable microstructural revelations.