Metallography & Failure Analysis

Systematic microstructural characterisation and root cause failure analysis — from precision sample preparation and optical metallography through SEM fractography, EDS elemental mapping, and EBSD crystallography. We don’t just describe the fracture; we trace it to its origin.

Sample Preparation

Etching Reagents

Examination Types

Macro Examination

Hardness Profiling

Failure Analysis

Fracture Modes

SEM / EDS / EBSD

Standards

Section 1 — Sample Preparation

Precision Preparation. No Artefacts. No Compromises.

Metallographic interpretation is only as reliable as the specimen preparation. Every step — sectioning, mounting, grinding, polishing — is performed by trained metallographers following ASTM E3 protocols. Preparation-induced artefacts are systematically eliminated before any microstructural assessment begins.

Sample Preparation Workflow

Sectioning

Abrasive cut-off wheel or precision low-speed saw. Location and orientation documented per ASTM E3.

Mounting

Hot compression mounting (Bakelite, Phenolic) or cold mounting (epoxy, acrylic) for delicate or heat-sensitive specimens.

Planar Grinding

SiC abrasive papers: 120, 240, 400, 600, 800, 1200, 2400, 4000 grit. Progressive through each grade under controlled pressure.

Diamond Polishing

Diamond suspensions: 9 µm, 3 µm, 1 µm on polishing cloths. Scratch-free mirror finish.

OPS / Final Polish

Colloidal silica (0.04 µm) for final chemo-mechanical polish — critical for EBSD specimen preparation.

Etching

Reagent selected by alloy system. Immersion or swab etch. Time-controlled to prevent over-etching.

Hot Mounting

Compression Mounting — Bakelite & Phenolic Resins

Preferred for routine metallographic examination. Applied under heat (150–180°C) and pressure (200–300 bar) for 5–8 minutes. Produces hard, dimensionless mounts with good edge retention. Bakelite for general-purpose; Phenolic (black) for harder materials. Not suitable for specimens sensitive to heat, such as polymer-coated or low-melting materials.

Cold Mounting

Epoxy & Acrylic Systems — Ambient Cure

Epoxy resins used for maximum edge retention, corrosion-sensitive surfaces, porous specimens, and SEM/EBSD work requiring non-conductive or conductive (carbon-loaded) formulations. Acrylic (Castable) resins for rapid cure when turn-around is critical. Vacuum-assisted infiltration available for porous or interconnected defect networks.

Stage	Medium	Grit / Grade	Purpose	Duration (Typical)
Planar Grinding	SiC abrasive paper	120 → 240 → 400 → 600	Remove sectioning damage; establish flat plane	2–5 min per step
Fine Grinding	SiC abrasive paper	800 → 1200 → 2400 → 4000	Progressive scratch removal; edge retention	2–4 min per step
Diamond Polishing — Coarse	Diamond suspension on cloth	9 µm	Remove fine grinding scratches; high metal removal	5–8 min
Diamond Polishing — Medium	Diamond suspension on cloth	3 µm	Refine surface; approach mirror finish	4–6 min
Diamond Polishing — Fine	Diamond suspension on cloth	1 µm	Mirror finish; all scratches removed	3–5 min
Final Polish (OPS)	Colloidal silica suspension	0.04 µm	Chemo-mechanical polish; stress-free surface; EBSD-ready	5–15 min

Specimen sectioning uses our in-house precision abrasive cut-off machines. No outsourcing. Mounted samples are labelled, photographed, and traceable throughout the preparation-to-examination chain.

Submit Metallography Request →

Section 2 — Etching Reagents

Reagent Selection by Alloy System and Objective.

The correct etchant reveals grain boundaries, phase constituents, prior austenite grain boundaries, heat-affected zones, decarburisation, and corrosion damage. Reagent selection is based on alloy chemistry, heat treatment condition, and the specific microstructural feature to be revealed.

View all etching reagents by alloy system

Reagent	Composition	Alloy / Application	Features Revealed	Notes
Nital	2–4% HNO₃ in ethanol	Carbon & low alloy steels, cast irons	Grain boundaries, ferrite/pearlite/martensite/bainite distinction, prior austenite grain boundaries (high Nital concentration)	Most widely used steel etchant; time-sensitive
Picral	4% picric acid in ethanol	Carbon & low alloy steels	Pearlite colony boundaries and interlamellar spacing; prior austenite grain boundaries; cementite in carbide networks	Does not attack ferrite; preferred for carbide distribution
Vilella's	1g picric acid + 5 mL HCl + 100 mL ethanol	Stainless steels (martensitic, PH grades), tool steels, high-speed steel	Prior austenite grain boundaries, martensite morphology, delta ferrite, carbide distribution in tool steel	Particularly effective for 410, 420, 440, 17-4 PH
Kalling's No. 2	5g CuCl₂ + 100 mL HCl + 100 mL ethanol	Austenitic & duplex stainless steel, nickel alloys	Grain structure, phase balance (austenite/ferrite ratio), sigma phase, carbide precipitation at grain boundaries	Standard for 304, 316, 2205 duplex; distinguishes phases by colour contrast
Oxalic Acid (Electrolytic)	10% oxalic acid in water, 6V DC	Austenitic stainless steels	Intergranular corrosion susceptibility screening (sensitisation); carbide precipitation along grain boundaries	ASTM A262 Practice A screening etch; rapid, non-destructive indicator
Murakami's	10g K₃Fe(CN)₆ + 10g KOH + 100 mL water	Tool steels, carbide-bearing alloys, Mo-containing alloys	Carbide types (M₆C, M₂₃C₆, MC), sigma phase in stainless steels and superalloys, grain boundary phases	Hot (60–80°C) or cold application; temperature governs selectivity
Beraha's	Sodium thiosulphate-based tint etchant (various formulations)	Stainless steels, duplex SS, cast irons, non-ferrous	Phase contrast by tint colour — ferrite vs austenite in duplex SS; graphite morphology in cast iron	Film-forming tint etchant; colour contrast without polarised light
Keller's	2.5 mL HNO₃ + 1.5 mL HF + 1 mL HCl + 95 mL water	Aluminium alloys	Grain structure, intermetallic particles, second-phase precipitates, weld fusion line in Al alloys	Standard for all wrought and cast aluminium alloys
Swab / Immersion HF	1–2% HF in water	Titanium alloys	Alpha/beta phase morphology, prior beta grain boundaries, transformed beta structures in Ti-6Al-4V	Short etch times; longer etch for prior beta grain boundary revelation

Section 3 — Microstructural Examination

Quantitative Microstructure. Accredited Parameters. Interpreted Results.

Microstructural characterisation goes beyond visual description. Each parameter is measured against a defined standard, reported with quantitative ratings, and interpreted in the context of the material specification and application requirement.

Examination Type	What Is Measured	Method / Standard	Reported Output
Grain Size Determination	Average grain size of single-phase metals; prior austenite grain size in heat-treated steels; austenite grain size in stainless steel	ASTM E112, ISO 643, IS 4163	ASTM grain size number (G); equivalent circle diameter; micrograph at stated magnification
Inclusion Rating	Non-metallic inclusions: sulphides (Type A), aluminas (Type B), silicates (Type C), globular oxides (Type D); worst-field and average ratings	ASTM E45 (Methods A, C, D), ISO 4967, IS 7739	Inclusion type, thin/heavy series ratings; chart comparisons; worst field and average values
Phase Identification & Volume Fraction	Phase balance in duplex/super-duplex SS; retained austenite in case-hardened steels; delta ferrite in SS welds; sigma/intermetallic phase detection	ASTM E562 (point counting), ASTM A800 (Ferritscope), image analysis	Phase volume fraction (%); spatial distribution; ferrite number (FN) for welds
Decarburisation Depth	Total decarburisation depth and free ferrite decarburisation depth in carbon and low alloy steels; surface carbon loss in spring steels, bearing steels, fasteners	ASTM E1077, IS 15916	Total decarburisation depth (mm); free ferrite depth (mm); micrograph at stated magnification
Case Depth (Effective / Total)	Case depth in carburised, nitrided, carbonitrided, and induction-hardened components; hardness gradient from surface to core	ASTM E92, E384 (Vickers traverses)	Effective case depth at defined hardness criterion; total case depth; hardness traverse plot
Coating Thickness (Metallographic)	Cross-sectional thickness of metallic coatings (Zn, Ni, Cr, hard chrome, electroless Ni), diffusion layers, and conversion coatings	ASTM B487, IS 1573	Coating thickness (µm) at multiple measurement points; interface condition assessment
Microstructure Characterisation	Phase morphology and distribution (ferrite, pearlite, bainite, martensite, Widmanstätten ferrite, acicular ferrite); graphite morphology in cast irons; precipitation and segregation	ASTM E7, various IS standards	Descriptive microstructure report with calibrated micrographs at ×50, ×100, ×200, ×500 or as required
Carburised Layer Assessment	Case structure uniformity, carbide network continuity, retained austenite distribution in case layer	Microhardness traverse + metallographic examination	Case uniformity; carbide morphology; retained austenite estimate

Section 4 — Macro Examination

Weld Macros. Sulphur Prints. Ingot Segregation. Fracture Surfaces.

Macroscopic examination reveals large-scale structural features — weld bead geometry, segregation patterns, flow lines in forgings, and the broad morphology of fracture surfaces — that cannot be assessed at microscopic magnification.

Weld Macros

Cross-Section Examination of Welds

Macrographic cross-sections prepared and etched (typically 10% ammonium persulphate for steels or 50% HCl hot etch) to reveal bead geometry, penetration depth, fusion zone width, heat-affected zone (HAZ) extent, bead-on-bead deposition sequence, incomplete fusion, cracks, porosity, and undercut. Essential for weld procedure qualification (PQR) per ASME IX, AWS D1.1, and EN ISO 15614.

Sulphur Prints (Baumann Test)

Sulphide Distribution in Steel Sections

Photographic imprint of sulphide distribution in a steel cross-section. Sulphur segregation maps — ingot, billet, plate, and forging cross-sections — reveal centre segregation, banding severity, and macro-segregation patterns. Performed per ASTM E1180 using dilute sulphuric acid on photographic paper pressed against the polished steel surface.

Fracture Surface Macro

Visual and Low-Magnification Fractography

Initial macro examination of fracture surfaces documents overall fracture plane orientation, fracture origin location, beach marks (fatigue), chevron patterns (brittle fracture), shear lip presence, and percent shear area. Low-magnification stereo microscopy (up to ×50) bridges visual assessment and SEM fractography.

Ingot & Forging Quality

ASTM E381 — Steel Macro Rating

Macro rating of steels for central porosity, segregation, ingot pattern, and structural discontinuities. Transverse sections of bars, billets, and blooms are etched with hot acid and rated against ASTM E381 reference charts. Used for incoming inspection of bar stock, shaft forgings, and pressure vessel blanks.

Flow Line Analysis

Forging Grain Flow Examination

Macro-etch of forged and wrought components to reveal grain flow (fibre flow lines). Confirms that grain flow follows the contour of the forging — essential for connecting rods, crankshafts, aircraft structural forgings, and pressure-containing components where directional grain flow is a design requirement.

Section 5 — Hardness Profiling & Mapping

Case Depth by Hardness Traverse. Weld Hardness Mapping. Micro-Vickers to 0.01 kgf.

Hardness Technique	Load Range	Application	Standards
Micro-Vickers (HV)	HV 0.01 to HV 1 (10 gf to 1 kgf)	Case depth traverses (carburised, nitrided, induction-hardened), thin sections, coating layers, individual phases, weld HAZ mapping	ASTM E384, ISO 6507-1
Vickers (HV)	HV 1 to HV 100 (1 kgf to 100 kgf)	Weld hardness surveys (cap/mid/root), HAZ traverses, cross-weld profiles per BS EN ISO 9015, through-thickness profiles	ASTM E92, ISO 6507-1, BS EN ISO 9015-1/2
Effective Case Depth	Micro-Vickers traverse	Effective case depth defined at HV550 (carburised), HV500 (induction), or client-specified criterion; total case depth to core hardness level	ASTM E1058, DIN 50190, ISO 2639
Weld Hardness Mapping	HV5 or HV10	Grid of indentations across weld metal, HAZ, and base metal — reveals hardness gradient, local hard spots, hydrogen damage risk assessment	BS EN ISO 9015-1/2, NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 hardness limits
Jominy End-Quench Hardenability	HRC traverse	Hardenability curve for alloy steels; confirms heat lot conformance to SAE / ASTM hardenability band	ASTM A255, SAE J406

Hardness map reporting: All microhardness traverses are reported as tabulated values and plotted hardness profile charts with location co-ordinates referenced to the specimen cross-section diagram. Calibration is traceable to national reference standards. Indentation spacing conforms to ASTM E384 minimum requirements to prevent work-hardening interference.

Section 6 — Failure Analysis Methodology

Systematic RCFA. Multi-Disciplinary. Root Cause — Not Just Description.

Effective failure analysis follows a disciplined, systematic methodology. We integrate visual examination, fractography, metallography, chemical verification, mechanical testing, and advanced characterisation into a single investigation — progressively narrowing hypotheses until the root cause is confirmed and reproducible.

Background Collection & Specimen Receipt

Document service history, operating conditions, load cycles, environment, material specification, and previous maintenance history. Photograph all submitted parts undisturbed before any cleaning or sectioning.

Visual Examination

Systematic macro examination of the entire component — fracture plane orientation, origin identification, surface condition, corrosion deposits, mechanical damage, deformation mode. Stereo microscopy at up to ×50.

Fracture Surface Analysis (Fractography)

SEM fractography at high magnification to identify failure mode: fatigue striations, dimple rupture, cleavage facets, intergranular vs transgranular crack path, beach marks, radial marks, secondary cracking, and oxide layers on crack surfaces.

Metallographic Sectioning

Cross-sections through the failure origin and representative sound locations. Microstructure, heat treatment condition, defects (laps, seams, voids, inclusions), grain boundary condition, prior processing damage, and comparison with specification.

Chemical Analysis & Material Verification

OES or ICP composition verification against the material standard. Detection of wrong-material substitution, dilution in weld metal, contamination, and coating chemistry. EDS for localised elemental characterisation at the failure site.

Mechanical Testing

Hardness traverses across the failure zone, tensile testing from unaffected material if sufficient stock is available, and impact testing to assess notch toughness relative to the operating temperature.

Advanced Characterisation (SEM / EDS / EBSD)

EDS elemental mapping at the fracture origin for corrosion deposits, pit chemistry, and crack-tip precipitates. EBSD for local misorientation (GND density, KAM), grain boundary character (CSL boundaries), and texture-driven cracking anisotropy.

Root Cause Determination & Report

Integration of all findings into a root cause conclusion with contributing factors ranked by significance. Recommendations for corrective action: material change, process modification, design revision, maintenance interval revision, or specification update.

Common Failure Modes We Investigate

Fatigue fracture — HCF/LCF, fretting fatigue, corrosion fatigue, thermal fatigue
Overload / ductile fracture — tensile overload, torsional fracture, shear lip
Brittle fracture — cleavage, low-temperature embrittlement, temper embrittlement, hydrogen embrittlement
Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) — chloride SCC, caustic SCC, polythionic acid SCC
Hydrogen damage — hydrogen embrittlement, hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC), SSCC
Corrosion-assisted cracking — pitting-initiated fatigue, crevice corrosion, galvanic attack
Sensitisation — intergranular attack, carbide precipitation at grain boundaries in SS
Creep & high-temperature damage — creep cavitation, oxide wedging, thermal fatigue cracking
Weld defects — lack of fusion, hot cracking, cold cracking, underbead HAZ cracks, liquation cracking
Manufacturing defects — forging laps/seams, decarburisation, quench cracking, grinding burns

Industries Served

Section 7 — Fracture Modes & Identification

Every Fracture Has a Fingerprint. We Read It.

The morphology of a fracture surface is a direct record of the failure mechanism. Identifying the mode correctly is the prerequisite for any meaningful root cause conclusion.

View all 8 fracture modes and identification markers

Mode — Ductile

Mode — Brittle

Mode — Fatigue

Mode — Intergranular

Mode — Hydrogen

Mode — SCC

Mode — Creep

Mode — Temper Embrittlement

Section 8 — Advanced Characterisation

SEM. EDS. EBSD. Sub-Micron Characterisation of Failure Sites.

Multi-channel servo-hydraulic endurance test beds for automotive component
durability, suspension fatigue, and structural validation.

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FE-SEM Fractography

FIELD EMISSION SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

High-resolution imaging of fracture surfaces at 10 nm to 1 mm field widths. Resolves fatigue striations, dimple populations, cleavage facet crystallography, secondary crack networks, and surface oxide chemistry invisible to optical microscopy. Three FE-SEMs available with EDS detectors.

Fatigue striation spacing measurement (crack growth rate estimation)
Dimple size and morphology analysis (fracture mode confirmation)
Cleavage facet orientation and river mark tracing
Secondary crack morphology and branching pattern
Corrosion product morphology and distribution
Inclusion characterisation at fracture origin

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EDS Elemental Mapping

ENERGY-DISPERSIVE X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY

Elemental composition at the fracture origin, pit interior, crack tip, and grain boundary regions. Point analysis, line scans, and full-field elemental maps at sub-micron spatial resolution. Critical for corrosion deposit identification, contamination detection, wrong-material verification, and diffusion layer profiling.

Point analysis at crack origin — corrosive species identification
Elemental maps — chlorine, sulphur, oxygen at fracture surfaces
Grain boundary segregation profiling (P, S, Cr depletion)
Coating layer composition and diffusion zone mapping
Phase identification support — EDS combined with BSE contrast
Inclusion chemistry — MnS, Al₂O₃, TiN, complex oxides

●

EBSD Analysis

ELECTRON BACKSCATTER DIFFRACTION

Crystallographic characterisation at the microstructural level. Maps grain orientation, identifies phases by crystal structure, quantifies local plastic strain through kernel average misorientation (KAM), and characterises grain boundary type and special boundary fractions — information unobtainable by any other laboratory technique.

Inverse pole figure (IPF) maps — texture and grain orientation
Grain boundary character — CSL boundaries, twin fraction, Σ3 frequency
KAM / GND density — local strain concentration at crack tips
Phase identification — austenite/martensite/ferrite fractions
Retained austenite quantification (complementary to XRD)
Deformation texture in forming failures and fatigue

Our dedicated FE-SEM / EDS / EBSD page details instrument specifications, specimen preparation requirements for EBSD, representative case studies, and the full scope of crystallographic services available.

Full SEM / EBSD Details →

Section 9 — Standards & Codes

ASTM. ISO. IS. AWS. ASME. All Major Metallographic Standards.

View complete standards reference list

Standard	Title / Scope	Parameter Covered
ASTM E3	Guide for Preparation of Metallographic Specimens	Specimen preparation — sectioning, mounting, grinding, polishing
ASTM E7	Terminology Relating to Metallography	Reference standard for all metallographic terminology
ASTM E45	Determining the Inclusion Content of Steel	Inclusion rating — Type A, B, C, D; Methods A, C, D
ASTM E112	Determining Average Grain Size	Grain size number (G), planimetric method, comparison method
ASTM E340	Macroetching Metals and Alloys	Macro-etch techniques, reagent selection, reporting
ASTM E381	Method of Macroetch Testing Steel Bars, Billets, Blooms and Forgings	Macro rating — porosity, segregation, structural discontinuities
ASTM E1077	Estimating the Depth of Decarburization of Steel Specimens	Total and free ferrite decarburisation depth
ASTM E562	Determining Volume Fraction by Systematic Manual Point Count	Phase volume fraction — duplex SS, retained austenite
ASTM E384	Microindentation Hardness of Materials	Micro-Vickers and Knoop hardness; case depth traverses
ASTM E92	Vickers Hardness and Knoop Hardness of Metallic Materials	Vickers hardness; weld traverses; case depth
ASTM A800	Steel Casting, Austenitic Alloy — Delta Ferrite Content	Delta ferrite content in austenitic SS castings and welds
ASTM A255	Determining Hardenability of Steel	Jominy end-quench hardenability curve
ASTM E1180	Preparing Sulfur Prints for Macrostructural Examination	Sulphur print (Baumann test) procedure
ISO 643	Steels — Micrographic Determination of the Apparent Grain Size	Grain size determination — ISO method
ISO 4967	Steel — Determination of Content of Non-Metallic Inclusions	Inclusion rating — ISO micrographic method
IS 4163	Methods of Microscopical Examination of Grain Size	Grain size — Indian Standard method
IS 7739	Methods for Assessment of Cleanliness in Steels by Microscopic Method	Inclusion rating — Indian Standard method
AWS D1.1	Structural Welding Code — Steel	Weld macro acceptance criteria; macro examination requirements
ASME Section IX	Welding, Brazing and Fusing Qualifications	Macro examination for PQR and WPQ
BS EN ISO 9015-1/2	Destructive Tests on Welds in Metallic Materials — Hardness Testing	Weld hardness survey — Vickers traverse requirements

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Failure Analysis Is Never Standalone

A complete failure investigation draws on corrosion testing, mechanical characterisation, chemical analysis, and advanced fractography. All are available in-house.

FE-SEM / EDS / EBSD

Thermo Fisher + Zeiss + COXEM FE-SEMs. nm-resolution fractography, EDS elemental mapping, EBSD orientation mapping, phase identification — the investigative tools that close failure cases.

Corrosion Testing

When failure analysis identifies a corrosion mechanism, corrosion testing quantifies susceptibility. SSCC, HIC, IGC, SCC, pitting, electrochemical — full NACE / ASTM suite.

Fatigue, Fracture & Creep

Fatigue failure identified in the field? Quantify remaining life with KIC, da/dN, and CTOD testing. Creep damage characterised metallographically can be correlated to creep rupture data.

Weld Qualification

Weld failures are investigated through macro/micro examination, hardness surveys, and EDS at the fusion zone. PQR and WPQ macro examination are standard outputs from our metallography laboratory.

Examination Workflow

From sample receipt to engineer-authored report

Step	Process	Details
1	Sample Receipt & Logging	Unique ID assigned, condition documented (photography), chain-of-custody initiated for failure analysis specimens
2	Sectioning	Abrasive cutting with coolant to prevent thermal damage. Location selected based on failure zone, weld HAZ, or specification requirements
3	Mounting	Hot compression (Bakelite/phenolic) or cold mounting (epoxy) depending on specimen sensitivity. Edge retention mounting for coatings and case-hardened layers
4	Grinding & Polishing	Progressive SiC papers (120–2500 grit), diamond paste (6–1 μm), final colloidal silica (0.05 μm) for EBSD-ready surfaces
5	Etching	Chemical etchants selected per alloy system: Nital (carbon steel), Vilella's/Kalling's (stainless), Keller's (aluminium), oxalic acid (IGC screening)
6	Optical Microscopy	Bright-field, dark-field, polarised light, DIC. Magnification 50×–1000×. Image analysis for grain size, inclusion rating, phase fraction, porosity
7	SEM / EDS / EBSD	Escalation for sub-micron features, elemental identification, fracture surface analysis, or crystallographic mapping. Separate report section if requested
8	Interpretation & Report	Engineer-authored narrative: observations, standard compliance, anomaly identification, comparison with specification, conclusions, and recommendations

Failure Class → Investigation Pathway

How we determine which methods to deploy based on the failure type

Fracture / Cracking

Broken component or visible cracks

Visual examination → SEM fractography (origin, propagation, final fracture) → Cross-section metallography (microstructure, defects) → EDS if contamination suspected → Mechanical testing of adjacent material if needed.

Corrosion / Pitting / Perforation

Wall loss, pitting, discolouration

Visual + stereo microscopy → Cross-section metallography (pit morphology, attack depth) → SEM/EDS (corrosion product composition) → Chemistry verification (material grade confirmation) → IGC screening if intergranular suspected.

Wear / Surface Damage

Galling, erosion, abrasion, scoring

Surface profilometry → Cross-section metallography (deformation zone, subsurface damage) → Hardness profiling → SEM imaging of wear features → EDS for transfer material identification.

Weld Defects

Cracking, porosity, lack of fusion, undercut

Macro-examination (cross-section, etch, geometry) → Micro-examination (HAZ, fusion line, weld metal microstructure) → Hardness survey across weld → SEM if cracking mechanism needs characterisation.

Heat Treatment Issues

Unexpected hardness, distortion, soft spots

Hardness survey → Microstructure comparison (actual vs. expected) → Decarburisation/carburisation depth measurement → Grain-size analysis → Chemistry to confirm grade before blaming heat treatment.

Material Mix-Up / Grade Dispute

Suspected wrong material

Chemistry (OES/ICP) for grade identification → Microstructure comparison with specification → Hardness confirmation → Mechanical testing if contractual properties are in dispute.

Evidence Handling & Chain of Custody

Litigation-grade protocols for dispute and insurance investigations

Sample Intake Protocol

Photographic documentation at receipt, tamper-evident packaging, unique tracking ID, condition assessment before any preparation begins. All observations logged with timestamps.

Non-Destructive First

Visual, photographic, and non-destructive examination completed before any cutting or preparation. Fracture surfaces imaged by SEM before cross-sectioning. Preserves maximum evidential value.

Retained Material

Untested portions of failure specimens retained for 90 days (or as agreed) for independent re-examination. Sample disposal only after written client authorisation.

2–3 Days

Standard Turnaround

1–2 Days

Express Available

ISO 17025:2017

Reporting structure

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FE-SEM / EDS / EBSD

Nanometre-resolution imaging, elemental mapping, and crystallographic analysis

Metals Testing

Mechanical, chemical, and metallographic testing of ferrous and non-ferrous metals

Corrosion Testing

SSCC, HIC, IGC, salt spray, pitting, and electrochemical corrosion evaluation

Weld Qualification

PQR and WPQ testing per ASME IX, AWS D1.1, EN ISO 15614, and API 1104

Fatigue & Fracture

KIC, JIC, CTOD, da/dN, LCF/HCF fatigue and creep rupture testing

Investigating a Failure? Start Here.

Send a brief description of the component, service history, and the nature of the failure. An engineer will respond within one business day to confirm the investigation scope, sample requirements, and deliverables.

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