Corrosion Testing

At Matco Services we specialize in accelerated corrosion testing that is designed to simulate a variety of atmospheric and environmental service conditions.  These procedures are often used in combination with electrochemical corrosion testing, a sophisticated test method designed to evaluate the performance of paints and protective coatings (discussed below).  These methods are used to (1) identify performance parameters of a product, component or material, (2) identify areas more prone to corrosion attack (such as cracks and crevices), (3) determine if a product's materials are suited for a specific environment, (4) utilize the test data generated to make product improvements, and (5) testing of materials to verify conformation to various industry standards including ASTM, NACE, MTI, ISO, ASME, AWS, and API.  We also offer custom corrosion testing designed to meet specific requirements using the most advanced forms of corrosion testing equipment that is routinely calibrated and maintained to ensure accuracy.  It is often the case that products that have undergone corrosion testing and adjustments made to improve corrosion performance secure a competitive edge over their competitors with similar product types.

Example Reports:

To demonstrate the high quality of testing and report writing at Matco Services' the following example reports are available for review.

• Immersion Corrosion Testing of Stainless Steel and High Nickel Alloys per ASTM G31
• Specialty Corrosion Testing of Dental Amalgams per ISO 24234 Annex A

Matco Services' is also capable of performing a wide range of laboratory testing from standard ASTM, DOT/EPA, and NACE test procedures to customized test programs. This includes electrochemical corrosion testing, immersion testing, and a variety of other test methods and procedures. Matco Services also performs routine corrosion testing to ensure that supplier products do not vary in formulation or performance, which can be problematic to those who have used these products in their manufacturing process.  Products or components  that have not maintained original requirements specified are often found to have played a role in the failure of other products where changes were made without the knowledge or approval of those that rely on these various products or components in order to manufacture other products or to provide a service.

Products and or components that would benefit from corrosion testing are often those that must have an independent evaluation performed at a qualified test lab.  Industries that require corrosion testing include aerospace, automotive, pharmaceutical, entertainment, and a variety of others.  Tests are typically performed in accordance with a standardized procedure, such as those developed by ASTM and ISO.  Commonly tested products at Matco Services include parts and assemblies for companies such as Honda, Chrysler-Daimler, Harley Davidson; cable and wire assemblies for companies such as Comcast, AT&T, Q-West, Direct TV, and Dish Network;  and prescription bottle labels for companies such as Rite-Aid, Walgreens, and CVS.

These efforts are undertaken at Matco Services' Corrosion Testing and Product Development Lab in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Since 1993 Matco Services has provided an array of corrosion testing and product development methods that are designed specific to a client's needs.  These procedures often include the use of a standardized test protocol referred to as "Tier Testing for Coatings Evaluation" that is performed in stages in order to eliminate unnecessary testing and to weed out inferior coating systems.

Also part of Matco Services corrosion testing are the often times interconnected testing and inspection services that are used to improve product performance or to develop new products:

• • Materials/Coating Evaluation, Selection and Testing
  • Laboratory and Field Corrosion Testing (ASTM and NACE Tests)
  • Cathodic Protection Design, Installation and Monitoring
  • Materials Research and Development
  • ASTM and NACE Corrosion Tests and Customized Corrosion Testing

Accelerated Corrosion Testing: Accelerated corrosion testing is used for various purposes to simulate the conditions that a manufacturer or supplier product will be exposed to in actual service conditions.  As the performance of a product is often linked to the service environment where it is placed, it is of the utmost importance that products are manufactured taking the various aspects of inclement weather and corrosive environmental conditions into consideration.

The use of laboratory exposure testing provides manufactures and suppliers with an advanced understanding of the limitations of the components used in manufactured products prior to the purchase and or inclusion of these products in a larger component of final product.  This forward thinking approach not only limits the time, energy and income spent of inferior products but also limits the risk of losing market position and clientele and customers due to inferior product performance.  In a nutshell, accelerated corrosion testing is used to induce corrosion and failure in a relatively short period of time when compared to corrosion produced as a natural occurrence.  This provides the means for decision makers to tweak, redesign using alternate materials, or eliminate a particular supplier with inferior products altogether.

Matco Services' scientists can design any type of electrochemical corrosion testing set up or create any environment for corrosion testing.

The Corrosion Testing and Product Development Lab at Matco Services boasts high tech instrumentation that includes computerized Corrosion Electrochemical Testing Equipment (AC And DC), Accelerated Corrosion Testing Equipment, Environmental (CF and SCC) Corrosion Testing Equipment, Alternate and Immersion Testing Equipment, Cabinet Testing and Mixed Flow Gas testing equipment. As every good scientist knows, having the right tools is half the battle in providing accurate and reliable test results to the client.

How does it work? Accelerated corrosion testing is achieved by subjecting the test components to conditions that are more severe than normal service conditions. This results in shorter lives than would be normally observed. For example, the results obtained at higher temperatures (i.e. accelerated conditions) may then be extrapolated to room temperature (i.e. to the normal conditions) to obtain an estimate of the life under normal conditions.

Accelerated factors are based on scientific description of the corrosion failure process, but give little insight into the statistical distribution of failures. Reliable accelerating factors or acceleration rates cannot be obtained by casually calculating failure rates at different levels of stress. Acceleration can only be determined by examining the degree to which the life distribution shifts, in time, under the influence of a stress. Several requirements must be addressed in evaluating the usefulness of a stress level for testing.

1. The stress should be one that is found in service (temperature, corrosive compounds, stress, humidity, etc.)
2. The corrosion failure mechanisms should be the same as those which would occur under normal stress, (electrochemical, high temperature diffusion....).
3. Samples from a given population should respond similarly to a change in  corrosion and stress: i.e., components  & devices and components which fail first at one stress level should also have failed first if a different stress level had been used.
4. A sufficient understanding of the failure mechanism should be available so that test data can be handled in a physically meaningful way. For example establishment of basic laws governing electrode reactions under ultra thin layer electrolytes is very important in atmospheric corrosion.

Since the major purpose of accelerated testing is to compress the normal degradation process into a reasonably short period, it is important that the conditions simulated by accelerated testing, at least have some direct correlation to normal operating conditions. It is also very desirable to retain failed devices in a condition that allows them to be carefully examined to determine the causes of failure.

Electrochemical Polarization and Microstrcutral Characteristics of two Types of Coatings (Alonized & Chromatized) in acidic chlorides. Chromatized coating exhibits superior corrosion resistance in this application.

Electrochemical Corrosion Testing (EIS)

Matco Services' Galvanic Test Set-Up (Special Test Set-up for Corrosivity Determination of Presrvatives Such as CCA, CBA, ACQ, CA...and New Chemical Treatments)