NW Labs


Chemistry


Forensic Science


Metallurgy


Physical Testing


Products Testing
 
  • Assist in research and design
  • Corrosion and erosion problems
  • Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis
  • Hardness and microhardness testing
  • Macro and microscopic examinations and digital documentation
  • Metallurgical Evaluation of Industrial Components
  • Metallurgical failure analysis
  • Non-destructive testing
  • Quality control for heat treatments
  • Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis
  • Secure web share folders are available for remote projects
  • Weld evaluation

In the area of METALLURGY the biggest contribution we make is to determine the mode of metal failure. Why did a part break? Did it fail because of fatigue, overload, incorrect heat treatment or still another reason? If a problem seems due to corrosion, the usual approach is to try and determine which mechanism is operative and work backwards to see what chemical, metallurgical or electrical factors might be at the root of it. We work directly with manufacturers, test engineers, design engineers, service personnel and users to determine if they are inadvertently creating a problem or perhaps using a material which is not adequate for the job. Sometimes the opposite is true and a user may be using a material that has capabilities that he does not require. We might then suggest a more inexpensive material.

We have worked on thousands of these types of problems.

Another aspect of our work is to serve as quality assurance/due diligence testers. We test materials and products to see if they comply with recognized standards (domestic or foreign) or specifications. This is a vital link in the manufacturing process and is ultimately related to product safety.




 

"The crankshaft of a farm tractor suddenly broke. It happened that just days before the engine had been dismantled due to some trouble. The owner suspected it had been tampered with. It seemed too much of a coincidence to the owner that the shaft failure was not related to the recent service. However, when we inspected the shaft, we found the characteristic markings on the fracture surface which accompany metal fatigue. The fineness of these markings indicated that a crack had been growing for months. The crankshaft just happened to break after the engine was overhauled and had no relation to the recent overhaul."