ПРОГРЕССИВНЫЕ ТЕХНОЛОГИИ В МАШИНОСТРОЕНИИ THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING Grazyna Kalinowska, Jan Tacikowski NEW METHOD FOR ESTIMATION OF MACROSTRUCTURE AND MATERIAL DEFECTS BY MEANS OF A COMPUTER IMAGE ANALYSER Quantitative evaluation of surface’s topography and porosity of nitrided layers generated on steel 4340 during proc esses carried out in two various temperatures and two differentiated atmospheres have been done. <...> This evaluation was done by means of a computer image analyse. <...> This method allows the quick estimate of the structure of material and material defects, discontinuities and porosity. <...> Key words: image analyse, diffusion layers Introduction Research has been carried out for years over the quantitative evaluation of material defects, of the metallic and nonmetallic inclusions, of the structural defects which accelerate corrosive de struction and have influence on destruction of materials in various media. <...> The methods so far used refer to the standards both in case of the evaluation of the macrostruc ture [1, 2] and the corrosive changes of metals, metallic and nonmetallic coatings in various media [3, 4, 5]. <...> All these methods of evaluation have a very subjective, halfquantitative charac ter. <...> In many cases the occurrence of structural de fects or material defects is particularly dangerous in conditions where corrosive hazards exist be cause they can disqualify practical values of an applied technological solution. <...> In some cases, however, the appearance of such defects as pores in structure of surface layers can be good. <...> It can happen when nitrided layers are applied to protect steel elements against corrosion. <...> Such corrosion resistant layers are usually porous near their sur face. <...> From the side of corrosion resistance this porosity is disadvantageous; from the other side it allows impregnation of the layer with anticorro sive substances, containing corrosion inhibitors. <...> The proportions of compact and porous zones in the nitrided layers as well as participation, num ber, dimensions and morphology of pores decide about the corrosion resistance. <...> This problem – the analyse and evaluation of porous zones from the viewpoint of the use of the nitrided layers as corrosion protection – is the subject of this paper. <...> This program is very helpful when describing the changes of pores and disintegrated, irregular educts. <...> It is <...>