Metallurgical Engineering Laboratory

Staffed with seven experienced metallurgists/materials engineers (M.S./Ph.D.) and three technicians (Level 2/Level 3 in various NDI techniques), the metallurgical lab is a resource for failure and engineering investigations and metallurgical testing and analysis.

We carry out detailed conformance-to-blueprint inspections, failure analyses ranging from aircraft structural components to electronics packaging, fatigue and corrosion testing, corrosion analysis and control, wear/abrasion evaluations, metallurgical analysis, coating replacement evaluations, weld evaluations, reverse engineering programs, and the development of advanced non-destructive testing techniques.

Services

Comprehensive...Full Range of Metallurgical Services

The metallurgical engineering lab is fully equipped with various non-destructive flaw detection testing techniques, borescopes, hardness measurement machines, stereomicroscopes, inverted optical metallograph, high resolution digital imaging, scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy, arc emission spectroscope, metallographic sample preparation equipment, advanced image analysis software, and a comprehensive reference library and specifications database.

Failure Analysis

Complex Analysis...Pactical Solutions

The metallurgical lab has immediate access to in-house expertise in a wide range of technical specialties, including EMI/EMC, Shock and Vibration, Environmental Testing, Life Support Systems, Stress Analysis, Engineering Design, and Manufacturing Engineering. This allows us to field a highly skilled interdisciplinary team to perform detailed root cause analyses (see Flow Diagram). Also, because of our engineering experience, our recommendations focus on the practical and can be rapidly tested using our extensive test capabilities. See Case Histories for our experience in metallurgical failure analysis.

Metallurgical Conformance Inspections

Over 1000 Flight Safety Critical Assemblies Completed...and Counting

Our metallurgical lab performs full conformance-to-blueprint inspections using our extensive facilities. Our experienced staff of engineers and technicians generate highly reliable data on which to base your decisions. Our conformance inspections include evaluation of Shot Peening, Temper Etching, Hardness Measurements, Compositional Measurements, Microstructural Analysis, Plating/Coating Analysis, Grain Size Measurements, Grain Flow Evaluation, Case Hardening and Decarburization Analysis, Electrical Conductivity Measurements, and Passivation Measurements. See Example for a typical example of our Metallurgical Conformance Inspections.

Reverse Engineering and Materials Selection

Materials, Processes, Joining Methods, Surface Finishes and Treatments

Reverse engineering programs are undertaken as a team effort in which the metallurgical lab participates as one of the team members. We analyze every metallurgical characteristic (see Conformance Inspections) to determine alloy selection, manufacturing processes such as forging, casting and thermo-mechanical sequences, joining methods, surface finishes such as plating and coating, and surface treatments such as shot peening. We also specify the governing specifications and participate in developing technical data packages and vendor qualification.

Click here for Braze Evaluation Example

Corrosion Testing

High Fidelity Corrosion Testing. High Quality System-Wide Solutions

Using our experience and expertise in corrosion processes, environmental testing, metallurgical failure analysis, alloy systems, and corrosion protection methods, we design high fidelity corrosion test programs and provide practical solutions that apply to the system as a whole. See case histories in Corrosion for our experience in analyzing corrosion-assisted failures.

Engineering Development and Investigations

Innovative Engineering...Comprehensive Analysis…Rapid Turnaround

The metallurgical engineering lab undertakes diverse investigative and development programs, ranging from evaluation of gun barrel damage accumulation to testing cadmium replacement coatings to measuring powder mixture compositions from X-ray images.

Equipment and Facilitites

Arc Emission Spectroscopy

The arc emission spectroscope is equipped with a comprehensive standards library for highly accurate quantitative compositional analysis of all types of steels, cast irons, aluminum alloys, nickel and cobalt base superalloys, titanium base alloys, and copper base alloys.

Borescopes and Stereomicroscopes

Rigid and flexible borescopes with indexed movement and imaging in white and dark light illumination are also part of our metallurgical lab. It has several steromicroscopes with image capture and magnifications ranging from 2.5X to 75X. All systems are equipped with calibrated digital image acquisition and feature measurements.

Hardness Measurements

All standard and superficial Rockwell scales, and microhardness measurements with precision stage movements for profiles.

High Resolution Digital Imaging

The high resolution digital imaging setup is equipped with a large defect-mapped CCD system that is highly suited for macrofractography and grain flow evaluation. The system is equipped with sophisticated image analysis software for a variety of feature measurements.

Metallographic Sample Preparation

The metallurgical lab is equipped with all methods of metallographic sample preparation including electropolishing, low-damage sectioning, and edge retention. Sample mounting, grinding, and polishing are accomplished by semiautomatic methods that minimize metallographic artifacts to yield consistently high quality results.

Non-destructive flaw detection

Full range of Non-destructive Testing (NDT) capabilities including Magnetic Particle (MP), Liquid Penetrant (LP), Dual-Frequency Eddy Current (EC), Ultrasonics (UT), and Digital Microfocus High Resolution Digital X-Ray (via Teaming with OEM R and D Lab).

Optical Metallograph

An inverted optical metallograph is part of our metallurgical engineering lab, equipped with digital image acquisition and sophisticated software for stereological and feature measurements. Illumination options include brightfield and polarized light.

Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy

The metallurgical laboratory has a fully equipped SEM/EDS system with calibrated digital image acquisition and feature measurements. Typical applications include rapid qualitative determination of alloy and coating compositions, and detailed microfractographic, microstructural, and corrosion analyses.

Advanced Image Analysis Software and Reference Library

All imaging equipment in our metallurgical lab has access to a full suite of image analysis functions and stereological measurements. We have expertise in automated pattern recognition, calibrated measurements of a wide range of geometrical relationships between features, image matching, depth measurements, and extended focal correction imaging. The laboratory also maintains a comprehensive reference library and specifications database for rapid access to these valuable resources.

Failure Analysis Case Histories

Click here for Failure Analysis Case History samples.