It consists in the examination of a metal sample’s constituents, which are highlited by smoothing and polishing the surface, attacking it with appropriate reagents and observing it at a microscopic level; often the process is followed by photographic documentation.

The study is called macrography and is used to observe strong heterogeneity or interruption revealing segregation, the provisions of the fibers and correlative processing systems, due to heterogeneity influences the mechanical, physical, etc.