Failure Analysis & Investigation
Our vastly experienced team of professional metallurgists and materials scientists can help you conduct a thorough failure analysis investigation on your metallic or non-metallic materials. To find out more, contact us today.
A thorough materials failure analysis is often a key component of the overall root cause analysis of a particular material, component or plant failure. R-Tech Materials has the range of skills, expertise and techniques to be able to conduct failure analysis for a wide range of materials, components and industries including construction, marine, petrochemical, aerospace, automotive, oil and gas and metals manufacturing. Much of our work is laboratory-based, but if required we can visit clients works for the purposes of gathering evidence, selecting samples etc. We currently conduct over 150 failure investigations per year.
Failure Analysis Services:
Click to download a PDF summary of our services:
Industrial Experience
R-Tech Materials staff includes professional engineers, metallurgists, materials scientists and chemists. Between them, they have many years experience of failure analysis for everything from electronic components to turbine blades. We have a particular expertise related to petrochemical plant.
In addition to our own experienced staff, we have a team of associates we work with in areas such as stress analysis, plant life assessment, materials modelling, welding and corrosion who can supplement our own experience when required.
How We Work
When investigating a failure, the quality of the examination, the interpretation of the results and the ability to communicate the implications of the results for clients are paramount. Because of this, R-Tech Materials has built up long-term relationships with our major clients in this area. We act in partnership with their engineering team, feeding back the results of our work as we progress, and agreeing on how to proceed based on their knowledge of the plant and processes. As a result of this approach, we work with some of the main global petrochemical companies.
We are equally at home dealing with the one-off investigation for clients who just want to determine what has happened to their material. Much of our work is done direct for clients to help them identify failures in their own materials, plant or components. We also get involved in customer complaints, legal claims and prosecutions.
Failure Analysis of Non-Metallics
Our multi-disciplined team are uniquely placed to provide analysis services for non-metallic materials. Utilising the variable pressure features of our SEM allows us to inspect non-metallics to X50,000 which can be highly advantageous for polymer and composite failures. Examples of our work include:
- Rubber O-Ring Failure
- Carbon Fibre Wear Plate Failure
- Polycarbonate plate cover Failure
- Oxygen hose Failure
- Composite Wrapped Pipe Failure
Complementary Laboratory Services
We have an extensive range of in-house mechanical testing, materials analysis and characterisation equipment available. In addition, we have links to partner laboratories for specialist techniques where we require them to supplement our own methods. We have the workshop facilities to be able to handle large-scale components, and conduct all sample cutting and preparation in house.
Failure Analysis Case Studies
Resources
Failure Analysis of a Turbine Blade
Download an example report of a failure of a turbine blade.
Failure Analysis of a Marine Engine
Download an example report of a failure of a marine engine.
Failure Analysis of Microbiologically Induced Corrosion
Download an example report of a microbiologically induced corrosion failure of a pipeline.
#epicfail Liquid Metal Embrittlement
As part of our #epicfail newsletter article series we have been sharing a summary of some of the more interesting and uncommon failure mechanisms we have experienced through conducting failure analysis. This article describes the Liquid Metal Embrittlement failure mechanism.
#epicfail High Temperature Hydrogen Attack
As part of our #epicfail newsletter article series we have been sharing a summary of some of the more interesting and uncommon failure mechanisms we have experienced through conducting failure analysis. This article describes High Temperature Hydrogen Attack.
#epicfail Corrosion Fatigue
As part of our #epicfail newsletter article series we have been sharing a summary of some of the more interesting and uncommon failure mechanisms we have experienced through conducting failure analysis. This article describes the corrosion fatigue mechanism.