ZEISS Microscopy Knowledge Base

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ZEISS Microscopy Knowledge Base

Tools

Image Selection Tool

With this tool you select an image and display the results of all jobs you ran in a table in the Result View.

Parameter	Description
Statistics	To display the statistical results, click Statistics. The results are displayed in a table containing detailed parameters. For DIN EN ISO 643 (2024) the following applies: When the Operator runs the Job, the software checks the magnification of the image. In case the magnification is other than the default value (100x), the determined values are recalculated. Both tables with G values are displayed: On the left side the determined value and on the right side the calculated value for the selected magnification. The right table will be archived and displayed in the report.
Image <No.>	To display the images in the center screen area, click on the image. To exclude an image, hover over the desired image and click Exclude. The excluded image is not included in the statistics calculation. To include the image again, hover over the desired image and click Include.

Parameter

Description

Statistics

To display the statistical results, click Statistics. The results are displayed in a table containing detailed parameters.

For DIN EN ISO 643 (2024) the following applies: When the Operator runs the Job, the software checks the magnification of the image. In case the magnification is other than the default value (100x), the determined values are recalculated. Both tables with G values are displayed: On the left side the determined value and on the right side the calculated value for the selected magnification. The right table will be archived and displayed in the report.

Image <No.>

To display the images in the center screen area, click on the image. To exclude an image, hover over the desired image and click Exclude. The excluded image is not included in the statistics calculation.
To include the image again, hover over the desired image and click Include.

Check Scaling Tool

This tool checks if the image has scaling information.

Parameter	Description
All checks passed	A message is displayed if the scaling information is not available.
Ignore notice	Activated: The message will be ignored and not displayed.

Frame Setup Tool

This tool enables you to set up a measurement pattern type for the analysis of grain with the intercept method.

Parameter		Description
Pattern Type		The selected pattern will be superimposed on the image. By using the controls you can adjust the pattern according to the image. The number of grain boundary intersections along the lines and circles is counted to calculate the average grain size.
–	Hilliard Single-Circle Procedure	One circle is superimposed on the image. This procedure is useful when the grain shape is not equiaxed but has been distorted by deformation or other processes.
–	Abrams Three-Circle Procedure	Three concentric circles are superimposed on the image. The procedure is useful for materials with non-equiaxed grains or those that have been deformed.
–	Heyn Lineal Procedure	One to 50 straight lines are superimposed on the image.
–	Random Lines	Lines are superimposed randomly on the image.
–	Combined Lines	Four lines are superimposed on the image in a systematic pattern to ensure comprehensive coverage.
–	Combined Pattern	Combined lines in addition with the Abrams Three-Circle pattern are superimposed on the image.
Scaling		Default value: 75% Sets the scaling factor in a range from 5% to 90%.
Angle		Sets the angle of the pattern. Only available for the following pattern types: Heyn Lineal Procedure Combined Lines Combined Patterns
Count		Sets the number of patterns. Only available for the following pattern types: Heyn Lineal Procedure Random Lines
Pattern Color		Sets the color of the pattern on the image.
Pattern Width		Sets the widths of the pattern on the image.

Image Segmentation (Intercept) Tool

With this tool you set the image segmentation settings for Grain Size Analysis with intercept method.

Parameter	Description
Threshold	Optimized the results of the detection
Auto	Starts the detection.
Dark Grains	Activate for dark field images, grain boundaries are displayed white.
Center of Grains	Activated: The center of the grains will be used as measurement points instead of the intersections with the grain boundaries.

Image Segmentation (Planimetric) Tool

This tool uses different parameters for grain detection. There are four parameters to adjust. If you are in the Grain Size Analysis (Planimetric) workflow, the software automatically provides default values.

Foreign Phase Section

Parameter		Description
Threshold
–	Reset	Clears the upper and lower thresholds. No pixels are considered.
–	Undo	Undoes the last change made to the threshold values.
–	Redo	Restores the last undone change to the threshold values.
–	Low	Sets the lower threshold. Only pixel values above this value are considered. The range of possible values depends on the bit depth of the image.
–	High	Sets the upper threshold. Only pixel values below this value are considered. The range of possible values depends on the bit depth of the image.
–	Invert	Only pixels outside the threshold boundaries are considered, i.e. those pixels below the lower threshold and above the higher threshold.
–	Full Range	Sets the lower threshold to 0 and the upper threshold to the highest value (depending on bit depth). The entire range of pixel values is considered.
HISTOGRAMM		Changes the lower and upper threshold value for the activated value. Drag the lower or upper adjustment handle or shift the entire highlighted area between the lower and upper threshold value.

Grain Detection Parameters Section

Parameter		Description
Boundaries Type
–	Dark grain boundaries
–	Light grain boundaries
–	Color Etching
Sigma		Default: 0,5 Rough Adjustment
Threshold		Default: 0,17 Rough Adjustment
Maximum Area		Default: 51 Fine Adjustment
Smoothing		Default: 5 Fine Adjustment

Algorithm for Grain Detection Parameters

Sigma

This parameter uses the Valleys Tool to specify the extent of smoothing to the input image before the lines of dark pixels are detected. Values lower than the default values lead to the detection of finer grains. Higher values lead to detection of coarse grains.

Parameter Low	Default	Parameter High

Threshold

This parameter uses the Valleys Tool to specify the steepness a valley must possess to be recognized by the tool.

Values lower than the default values lead to the detection of finer grains. Higher values lead to detection of coarse grains.

We recommend moving the slider only in the front fifth of the bar to adjust the analysis results. Excessive deviations of the values from the default values distort the analysis results.

Parameter Low	Default	Parameter High

Maximum Area

This parameter uses the Scrap Tool to remove foreground structures (white) from the current image, depending on the size of the structures.

Values lower than the default values lead to the detection of finer grains. Higher values lead to detection of coarse grains.

We recommend moving the slider only in the front third of the bar to adjust the analysis results. Excessive deviations of the values from the default values distort the analysis results.

Parameter Low	Default	Parameter High

Smoothing

This parameter uses different Tools in a certain order:

The NOT Tool is applied to invert the image.
The Distance Tool is applied to create a distance map from the image.
The NOT Tool is applied to invert the image.
The Lowpass Tool is applied to reduce noise in the image.

Values lower than the default values cause the selected grain boundaries to become straighter and more angular. Higher values round off the detected grain boundaries.

We recommend that you do not change the default value or change it only slightly in the front area of the bar. Excessive deviations of the values from the default values distort the analysis results.

Parameter Low	Default	Parameter High

Interactive Image Segmentation (Intercept) Tool

This tool displays the grain size number and the number of intersections in correlation with the pattern type. To add or remove intersections, in the center screen area, click on the pattern.

Parameter	Description
Grain Size Number	Displays the grain size.
Number of Intersections	Displays the number of intersections and the minimum number depending on the pattern type. If the minimum recommended number of the required intersections, according to the standard and pattern, is reached, a green dot is displayed. A red dot indicates that the minimum number is not reached.
Undo	Removes the marked intersection.
Redo	Restores the previous marking.

Interactive Image Segmentation (Planimetric) Tool

With this tool you cut or merge boundaries by using the tools in the Edit Regions section, see Interactive Segmentation.