Metallurgical Failure Analysis

Metallurgical failure analysis is the scientific study of failures, mechanisms, and prevention of failures of metallic materials and components. Alfa Chemistry has more than 20 years of experience in providing analytical testing and material characterization. Our state-of-the-art metallurgical failure analysis services help ensure the reliability, safety, and performance of metal components in various industries.

What is Metallurgical Failure Analysis?

Metallurgical failure analysis (MFA) is the systematic investigation to determine the root cause of failure of a metallic component during manufacturing, testing, or in-service conditions. Metals can fail due to various mechanisms such as mechanical loading, thermal effects, corrosion, or environmental factors. The main objectives of metallurgical failure analysis are:

• Root Cause Identification: Identifying the metallurgical, mechanical, or environmental causes of component failure.
• Failure Mechanism Elucidation: Understanding the development of fractures, corrosion, fatigue, or other failure modes.
• Preventive Solutions: Providing recommendations for design changes, material selection, processing modifications, and maintenance practices to prevent recurrence.

The Importance of Metallurgical Testing

Metallurgical testing is a crucial process to evaluate the properties, integrity, and performance of metallic materials. It involves a series of techniques and methods to ensure that the materials meet the required specifications and standards. The main reasons for metallurgical testing are:

By integrating metallurgical testing with failure analysis, Alfa Chemistry ensures that both production processes and final components adhere to rigorous standards of reliability and performance.

Common Metallurgical Failure Modes

Failures in metallic materials are typically categorized based on their origin: stress-induced, corrosion-induced, or a combination of both. Alfa Chemistry identifies and analyzes these failure modes meticulously.

• Stress-Related Failures

• Fatigue
• Mechanical overload
• Creep
• Embrittlement
• Cracking
• Rupture

• Corrosion-Related Failures

• Pitting corrosion
• Oxygen pitting
• Hydrogen-induced cracking
• Hydrogen embrittlement
• Erosion-corrosion
• Corrosion fatigue

• Stress and Corrosion Combined Failures

• Stress corrosion cracking (SCC)
• Hydrogen-assisted stress corrosion cracking

Understanding these modes is crucial for identifying the root cause and implementing effective preventive strategies.

Metallurgical Testing Services Provided by Alfa Chemistry

Alfa Chemistry is equipped with advanced metallurgical testing services for different industries.

• Corrosion Evaluation: SEM-EDS, FTIR, GC/MS, ion chromatography to characterize environment variables and corrosion agents.
• Fracture Mechanics: Test crack initiation, propagation, and instability using ASTM E399 with MTS fatigue frames.
• Hardness Testing: Vickers microhardness and macrohardness test to verify the performance of material or check material quality.
• Thermal Spray Coating Analysis: Check coating integrity for aerospace components,industrial parts, and products.
• Weld Qualification: Evaluate welding, brazing, and soldering procedures with tensile, bend, pressure, and visual inspection tests.
• Metallography and Microstructure Analysis: Prepare metallographic micrographs to determine phase, grain size, porosity, and coating thickness, etc.

The methods enable Alfa Chemistry to provide accurate and actionable data to help the customer in production quality and failure prevention.

Sample Requirements for Metallurgical Failure Analysis

To ensure accurate and representative results, Alfa Chemistry specifies precise sample requirements for metallurgical failure analysis:

Proper sample collection ensures comprehensive analysis and reliable conclusions.

Why Alfa Chemistry?

• Professionalism: Over 20 years in metallurgical failure analysis, with experts in materials science, mechanical engineering, and corrosion.
• Advanced Equipment: Equipped with SEM, EDX, metallography, and mechanical testing for high-accuracy results.
• Holistic Analysis: Blends traditional metallurgical analysis with stress, environmental, and computational analysis for thorough failure investigation.
• Diverse Industry Expertise: Serves automotive, aerospace, medical, energy, food, and marine sectors.
• Timely Results: Fast and efficient analysis and reporting without compromising scientific rigor.

Applications of Metallurgical Failure Analysis

The following are some of the fields where Alfa Chemistry's metallurgical failure analysis is used:

• Automotive: Engine, transmission, and chassis
• Aerospace: Airframe, thermal coatings, and landing gear
• Marine and Offshore: Corrosion-related failures, hull, and subsea equipment
• Medical Devices: Surgical tools, implants, and prosthetics
• Energy and Power Generation: Turbine blades, piping, pressure vessels, and nuclear
• Food and Plant Engineering: Metallic equipment that encounters corrosive or abrasive media.

Failure analyses will not only address a failure issue, but also improve material selection/design/manufacturing methods for better reliability.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Metallurgical failure analysis is more than just determining what broke; it is about providing precise insights, prevention strategies, and actionable recommendations. With decades of experience and advanced analytical capabilities, Alfa Chemistry delivers scientifically rigorous failure analysis that enhances safety, performance, and reliability across multiple industries.