Mechanical and Metallurgical Failure Analysis is the combination of mechanical engineering and materials science principles to locate and determine why a mechanical system failed. It can range from determining which part contributed to the overall failure to identifying how the specific material properties of that part contributed to the incident.
When a mechanical system fails, whether it involves pneumatics, hydraulics, plumbing, or mechanical linkages and transmission systems, a typical question asked is whether any observed damage occurred before an incident or as a result of it. A mechanical failure analysis will focus on locating the point of failure to determine cause. A metallurgical failure analysis will dig deeper and consider how the failure of a metal may have played a role by considering manufacturing processes, metallurgical microstructure and composition, and corrosion.
Explico’s mechanical and metallurgical engineers have over 30 years of combined experience investigating a variety of mechanical and metallurgical failures across industries including petroleum, refining, construction, and manufacturing as well as industrial and consumer products such as medical implants and personal protective equipment.
