{"id":2892,"date":"2026-03-31T04:17:34","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T04:17:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/welleltron.com\/?post_type=product&p=2892"},"modified":"2026-03-31T04:17:34","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T04:17:34","slug":"pcb-metallographic-mold","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/welleltron.com\/fr\/acrylic-hardener\/pcb-metallographic-mold\/","title":{"rendered":"PCB Metallographic Mold"},"content":{"rendered":"

A PCB metallographic mold<\/strong> is a specialized fixture used in the preparation of printed circuit board (PCB) samples for microscopic analysis. It plays an important role in metallography<\/strong>, which is the study of the microstructure of metals and materials.<\/p>\n

Brief Introduction<\/h3>\n

When engineers or quality inspectors need to examine the internal structure of a PCB\u2014such as copper layers, vias, plating thickness, or defects\u2014they first cut a small section of the board. This sample is often fragile and uneven, so it must be embedded (mounted) in a mold<\/strong> using resin or epoxy.<\/p>\n

The metallographic mold<\/strong> provides:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • A controlled shape and size<\/strong> for the sample<\/li>\n
  • Protection<\/strong> for delicate PCB features during grinding and polishing<\/li>\n
  • A stable base<\/strong> for handling under microscopes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    advantage of Plastic Molds<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Lightweight and disposable or reusable<\/li>\n
    • Common in cold mounting<\/li>\n
    • Low cost<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Why It\u2019s Used<\/h3>\n

      After mounting in the mold, the sample undergoes:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Grinding<\/strong> \u2013 to create a flat surface<\/li>\n
      2. Polishing<\/strong> \u2013 to achieve a mirror-like finish<\/li>\n
      3. Etching (optional)<\/strong> \u2013 to reveal material structures<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        This preparation allows clear observation of:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • CopMetallographic Mold per trace thickness<\/li>\n
        • Layer alignment<\/li>\n
        • Plating quality in vias and holes<\/li>\n
        • Defects like voids, cracks, or delamination<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          To make a PCB microsection (cross-section analysis), metallographic molds are only one part of the process. A variety of consumables are required throughout cutting, mounting, grinding, polishing, and etching.<\/p>\n

          Here\u2019s a clear breakdown:<\/p>\n

          1. Sectioning (Cutting) Consumables<\/p>\n

          Used to cut a small piece of the PCB without damaging internal layers:<\/p>\n

          Diamond cutting wheels \/ blades \u2013 for precise, low-damage cutting
          \nCoolant fluids \u2013 prevent overheating and smearing of copper\/resin
          \n2. Mounting (Embedding) Materials<\/p>\n

          Used together with the metallographic mold:<\/p>\n

          Epoxy resin (cold mounting) \u2013 best for PCB microsections due to transparency and low shrinkage
          \nAcrylic resin \u2013 faster curing but slightly more shrinkage
          \nPhenolic powder (hot mounting) \u2013 for robust samples (less common for PCBs)
          \nHardener and mixing cups\/stirrers
          \n3. Grinding Consumables<\/p>\n

          Used to flatten the sample and expose the cross-section:<\/p>\n

          SiC (silicon carbide) abrasive papers
          \nTypical grit sequence: 240 \u2192 400 \u2192 600 \u2192 800 \u2192 1200 \u2192 2000
          \nGrinding lubricants (water or special fluids)
          \nBacking discs or platen liners
          \n4. Polishing Consumables<\/p>\n

          Critical for achieving a scratch-free, mirror finish:<\/p>\n

          Polishing cloths\/pads (different textures: coarse to fine)
          \nDiamond suspensions\/pastes
          \nCommon sizes: 6 \u00b5m \u2192 3 \u00b5m \u2192 1 \u00b5m \u2192 0.25 \u00b5m
          \nAlumina or silica suspension (final polishing step)
          \nLubricants for polishing<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Metallographic Mold used to hold the PCB microsection of PCB<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":2895,"template":"","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"default","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"default","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"default","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[85,108],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2892","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-acrylic-hardener","7":"product_cat-pcb-laboratory-consumables","9":"first","10":"instock","11":"shipping-taxable","12":"purchasable","13":"product-type-simple","14":"entry","15":"content-bg","16":"loop-entry"},"taxonomy_info":{"product_cat":[{"value":85,"label":"Acrylic Hardener"},{"value":108,"label":"PCB laboratory consumables"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/welleltron.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PCB-mold-2-1024x761.jpg",1024,761,true],"author_info":[],"comment_info":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/welleltron.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/2892","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/welleltron.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/welleltron.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welleltron.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2895"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/welleltron.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welleltron.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=2892"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welleltron.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=2892"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/welleltron.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=2892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}