Metallography in steel development, process optimization and control as well as in product clearance and customer counselling. Microstructure of a new tube steel with 0.10% Nb and only 0.003% C as example of steel development. Clarification of the cause of intercrystalline cracks in continuous-cast slabs from a boron-alloyed mild steel as example from the field of process optimization and control. Fracture of wire rod during drawing as a result of local martensite formation as example of customer counselling. Activities of the working groups of the Subcommittee Metallography of the VDEh in the fields electron miroscopy, microrange analysis, fracture and surface assessment, standardization, laboratory accreditation, deformation dilatometry and advanced training. Importance of metallography for customer counselling and clarification of damage cases. Future developments.
