Surface Replication Technique for Microstructural Abdication

Surface replication uses a soft foil to take an imprint of the microstructure. You place the foil on the prepared, slightly warmed surface and let it cool. The imprint is then evaluated under a microscope. This lets you check the structure in the heat-affected zone without destroying the component surface. It's important that the surface is clean and dry beforehand, otherwise the imprint becomes unusable.