Metallurgical Analysis Detecting Defects: Find Them Before They Become a Problem
Customers rely on Laboratory Testing's metallurgical analysis laboratory to detect internal and surface defects on test samples, reveal the microstructure or macrostructure of metal and determine conformance to required specifications. Metallurgical analysis services also provide insight into the cause of material failures, when performance does not meet expectations.
A wide-range of metallurgical testing services are provided from test sample preparation to grain size measurement, coating thickness measurement, case depth analysis, alpha case, surface roughness measurement, macrostructure analysis and many other microscopic, macroscopic and microhardness examination methods. Our capabilities also include photomicrographic examination and digital imaging with optical magnification from 7X to 1000X to document results.
Sample Preparation
- Precision Cutting
- 1.5" and 2" Mounts
- Thermoset and Thermoplastic Mounting
- Cold Mounting
- Automatic/Hand Grinding/Polishing
- Immersion/Swab/Electrolytic Etching
Metallurgical engineers perform microstructural and macrostructural analyses on samples using a variety of metallurgical analysis methods:
Microscopic Examinations
- Microstructure
- Carburization/Decarburization
- Grain Size (ASTM E-112)
- Inclusion Rating (ASTM E-45)
- Plating Thickness
- Carbide Precipitation
- Ferrite by Point Count (ASTM E-562)
- Intergranular Attack/Oxidation
- Alpha Case
- Intergranular Corrosion (ASTM A-262)
- Sensitization
- Surface Contamination
- Nodularity/Nodule Count
- Eutectic Melting
Macroscopic Examinations
- Macro-etch (ASTM E-340)
- Grain Flow
- Weld Qualification
- Surface Condition
- Surface Finish
Microhardness Examinations
- Case Depth
- Profiles
- Knoop & Vickers Testing
- Carburization/Decarburization
- Surface Contamination
Additional Services
- Failure Analysis/Report Writing
- McQuaid-Ehn Grain Size
- Digital Imaging
Additional capabilities include:
- Weld qualifications in accordance with MIL specifications, ASME codes, AWS codes, EN standards and the Pressure Equipment Directive (PED)
- Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
- Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS)
- Residual stress measurements by X-ray diffraction (XRD)
- Plating thickness by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy