Sample preparation starts with cutting and good cutting means a good start. Selecting the right cut-off wheel ensures freedom from burn and distortion and is the best way to save time and consumables. Correct cutting produce specimens which are in perfect conditions for the next preparation steps. The most commonly used abrasives for the cutting of different materials are Si C and Al2O3.
Silicon carbide is suitable for non-ferrous metals whereas Aluminium oxide is preferred for ferrous metals. Hard wheels are used for cutting soft materials while soft wheels are recommended for cutting harder materials. TRENO type wheels are used to obtain superior cut surfaces. CUTO series wheels are suitable for routine laboratory applications requiring a balance between wheel life and performance.

Metal bonded wheels are used for cutting brittle materials, such as ceramics or minerals, whilst resin bonded wheels are used for more ductile materials, such as sintered carbides or composites containing predominantly hard phases.

After cutting the specimen the next step is mounting. The aim of mounting is to handle small or old shaped specimens and to protect fragile materials, thin layers or coating during preparation as well as to provide good edge retention. Mounting produces specimens with uniform size so that it is easier to handle in automatic holders for further preparation steps.

Hot Mounting
The most important properties of a hot mounting compound are: Hardness, Shrinkage and Viscosity.
The Hardness of the compound should match the hardness of the specimen in order to avoid uneven abrasion during grinding. If the shrinkage during curing is large, a gap between the specimen and the mount will occur and edge will not be adequately protected. Viscosity is important to reach to all areas.