Metallurgical Testing
Additional Metallurgical Test Services, SEM and EDS Analysis and More
Metallurgical testing is extremely helpful in detecting internal and surface defects on test samples, revealing the microstructure or macrostructure of metals, evaluating treatments and processes, and determining conformance to required specifications. Customers rely on Laboratory Testing Inc.’s metallurgical testing engineers to perform the required microhardness testing, microscopic examinations and macroscopic examinations.
These engineers also conduct failure analyses on materials that do not perform to expectations in order to determine the reason each material failed. During a failure analysis, metallurgical test results are analyzed in conjunction with the results of other materials testing performed in the chemistry, mechanical or NDT labs to provide insight into the nature and root cause of the failure.
Precise sample preparation is critical to the accuracy of any materials testing. LTI has a complete metallurgical sample preparation lab to properly prepare all metallurgical test specimens and a machine shop to prepare other destructive test specimens.
Additional capabilities that aid in the metallurgical testing and failure analyses performed at LTI include:
- Photomicrographic examination and digital imaging with optical magnification from 7X to 1000X to document results
- Scanning Electron Microscopy or SEM Analysis with magnification capabilities to 300,000X for microanalysis and analyzing small areas of interest on samples
- Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry or EDS Analysis to detect and measure elements in or on the surface of samples for qualitative analysis and/or quantitative information on elemental composition
Metallurgical testing performed at LTI is PRI/Nadcap and A2LA accredited. Accreditation certificates are available online and from our Quality Department listing each covered metallurgical test. The laboratory completes all testing according to detailed procedures and applicable industry standards to assure reliability. All results are documented in Certified Test Reports or Failure Analysis Reports.
LTI Capabilities
Additional services performed by Metallurgical Testing Department
- Failure Analysis & Report Writing
- SEM Analysis / Scanning Electron Microscopy
- EDS Analysis / Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry
- Digital Imaging
- McQuaid-Ehn Grain Size
- Welder and Procedure Qualification in accordance with MIL & API specifications, ASME & AWS codes, ASTM & EN standards and the Pressure Equipment Directive
Subcontracted Services
- Residual stress measurements by X-ray diffraction (XRD)
- Plating thickness by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy