4 6 0 METALLOGRAPHY

The above micrograph at I0O0X (nital) has two 5 in. long lines drawn diagonally to fit the picture size (ten
measurements on horizontal lines normally used.) A count of the number of grains intercepted reveals 12 plus

for one line and 13 plus 2UJ for the other for an average of 13.5 interceptions. Hence, the Snyder-Graff

intercept grain si/e number is 13.5. To convert to ASTM grain si/e. two procedures may be used.
Equation 6-42 can be used to estimate G,
G = [6.635 log(S-G)] + 2.66 = 10.16 (round to 10)
NI can be determined in two ways.
NL = 13.5/(5/1000) = 2700 in*1

or.
N,. = < 13.5) (200)= 2700 in '
The mean lineal intercept is \INL = 0.00037 in.
The ASTM grain si/e is:
G = [-6.6353 log(0.00037)] - 12.6 = 10.17 (round to 10)

Figure 6-15 Example of grain size measurement of M2 high speed steel using the Snyder-Graff
intercept method (reduced 25 percent in reproduction).

Fracture grain size For high-hardness, relatively brittle steels, the prior-austenite
grain size can be determined simply by comparing a fractured specimen to a set of
10 graded standard fractures numbered 1 to 10 to coincide with the ASTM grain
size scale. The technique, which is referred to as the Shepherd fracture grain size
method, was introduced by Arpi in 1931. His samples consisted of 5 graded
fractures which were expanded to 10 by Shepherd. Figure 6-16 shows the 10
specimens of the Shepherd fracture grain size standards along with scanning
electron microscope (SEM) views of the fractures at 50X. Note that intergranular