The Woodstock team in India has completed over 500 failure investigation assignments, including over 50 major projects on manufacturing…pressure vessels, aircraft/aerospace, gas turbine engine components, oil and gas transmission pipelines, food processing equipment, heat exchangers, medical supplies, automotive components, refineries, petrochemical plants, offshore structures, industrial machinery, weldments and ships.
Woodstock’s failure analysis strength is in evaluating high temperature and high pressure failures.
Our initial step to perform failure analysis begins with visually studying the failed part and asking detailed questions regarding associated parts, plant environment and operational procedure.A complete evaluation sequence of the failure investigation steps are summarized as under:
- Collection of background data and selection of samples
- Preliminary examination of the failed part
- Complete metallurgical analysis of failed material
- A thorough examination of the failed part, including macroscopic and microscopic examination and analysis (electron microscopy may be necessary)
- If necessary, tests may also include: weld examiniation, case depth, decarburization measurement, coating/plating evaluation, surface evaluation and/or grain size determination.
- Chemical analysis (bulk, local, surface corrosion products, deposits or coating and micro probe analysis)
- Tests to simulate environmental and physical stress that may have played a role in the failure
- Selection and testing of alternative products and/or procedures that will significantly improve performance
- Analysis of fracture mechanics.
- On-site evaluation and consulting services
- Analysis of all the evidence, formulation of conclusions and a written report (including recommendations)
- The completed failure analysis report includes the following sections
- Description of the failed component
- Service condition at the time of failure
- Prior service history
- Manufacturing and processing history of component
- Mechanical and metallurgical study of failure
- Metallurgical evaluation of quality
- Summary of failure causing mechanism
- Recommendations for prevention of similar failures