Metallurgical Testing

Tensile and bend testing  ASTM A370,     ASTM D522, ASTM E8	Discontinuities  ASTM F788, ASTM F812
Rockwell and superficial hardness      ASTM A370, ASTM E18, ASTM F606	Decarburization and inclusion content   ASTM E1077, ASTM E45
Brinnell hardness  ASTM A370,     ASTM E10, ASTM E110	Intergranular attack  ASTM A262 Practice A, B, C & E
Microhardness  ASTM B578,      ASTM E140, ASTM E384	Orientation in microstructure  ASTM E1268
Metallographic sample preparation and     photomicrography ASTM E3, ASTM E883	Ferrite measurement  ASTM A799
Microetching and macroetching      ASTM E407, ASTM E340, ASTM E381	Replication  ASTM E1351
Grain size  ASTM E112	Coatings and platings  ASTM B748,  ASTM B487, ASTM  B578
ASATM A262 Practice A, B, C, D & E, ASTM B117, ASTM B368, ASTM  D4585, ASTM G31, ASTM G61, ASTM G85	Weld evaluation  ASME and AWS

MATCO’S location in Pittsburgh, a city built on metallurgy, ensures that the MATCO staff is deep and broad in metallurgical experience. We have people on staff with decades of experience with all the major steel companies, plus several of the specialty alloy manufacturers.

We have technicians skilled in preparing metallurgical cross sections of every kind of metal, plus application of the full range of etching techniques. And in addition to the traditional techniques based on reflected light microscopy, we also use a broad range of non-destructive testing techniques, including computerized radiography. We typically examine failures in the scanning electron microscope to augment the observations made metallographically and use energy-dispersive x-ray and even Auger spectroscopy to detect or confirm chemical contributions to the failure mechanism. Finally we have the full range of mechanical testing equipment to quantify the failure modes and rates. At MATCO, metallurgy is not only a life-work, it is a passion!

The Matco team has experience working in many other fields; from design, implementation and monitoring of FEA analysis, corrosion investigations to failure analysis to remaining life determination. Some of our clients include Allegheny Energy, Valmont, California Edison, US Airways, First Energy and NY Power.

Please review the just released Matco Case History entitled "A Re-Examination of Failure Analysis"

The following is a listing of the equipment on hand for sample preparation, examination and testing:

Sectioning:

• Buehler abrasive cut-off saw, 12” diameter blade
• Buehler Isomet low speed diamond saw
• Horizontal and vertical band saws
• Jeweler’s hand saws for precise sectioning of intricate parts

Mounting:

• Three Buehler mounting presses with a variety of hot compression mounting compounds
• Systems for Cold mount or epoxy vacuum impregnation of porous specimens or samples.
• Struers Abrapol automatic grinding/polishing system with capacity to hold up to 6 mounts
• Struers Dap-U polishing unit, 8” diameter disc

Light Microscopes:

• Nikon Optiphot Metallograph
• Olympus PME Metallograph
• Zeiss Metallograph
• Neophot-21 metallographer light microscope
• Nikon Stereomicroscope
• Meiji EMZ-TR Stereomicroscope

Scanning Electron Microscopes, X-ray diffraction and AES:

• AES & UHV Systems
• Simen's X-ray Diffraction Unit
• ETEC, ISI and JEOL Scanning Electron Microscopes
• IXRF and KEVEX-EDAX Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometers
• Light Element Detection
• Elemental Mapping/Line Scan Capabilities
• SPI Sputtering System
• AES/ESCA Elemental Depth Profiling

 
Other Specialized Instrumentation:

Matco Associates is your one stop source for virtually all metallographic services.  We have excellent material sectioning, mounting, preparation, and imaging capabilities, permitting us to handle anything from very large samples to small intricate parts.  For sectioning, a Buehler Isomet low speed diamond saw handles small samples and critical sectioning requirements, while a 12" Buehler abrasive saw takes of larger specimens.  Specimen mounting is an often overlooked yet very important part of the materials analysis procedure.  We can mount in a variety of hot compression materials utilizing our two Buehler mounting presses, or vacuum encapsulate the sample with cold mount epoxies.  In sample preparation, specimen flatness and edge retention are of paramount concern, and we do our utmost to ensure that these important criteria are met.  Our Struers Abrapol automatic polishing system not only assures consistent and repeatable results, but also enables Matco to run large numbers of samples in a short period of time.  We have an extensive selection of metallographic supplies that enable us to follow optimum preparation preparation procedures for all types of materials.  The completed specimens may be examined with either our Nikon Optiphot or Olympus PME metallographs, both of which have a magnification range of 50x to 1000x.  Accurate photo documentation of the prepared sample is essential, and at Matco we have a state of the art digital video camera adaptable to all of our microscopes and metallographs, making it simple to obtain and store digital images.  A powerful image refinement/enhancement system based on Adobe PhotoShop is used to perform many different types of quantitative measurements.  Coating thickness, particle distribution, and volume fraction are just a few of the quantitative analyses that can performed using our image analysis system.  Additionally, our two scanning electron microscopes with EDS systems further enhance our metallographic and analytical capabilities.  Whether you require simple imaging or complex.

Metallurgical and Failure Analysis Team

Our team is comprised of certified and experienced personnel from a variety of technical disciplines including: mechanical engineering, cathodic protection, Coating, chemistry, metallurgy, and materials science.  We also have a vast array of laboratory and field testing equipment. All of Matco's testing equipment is calibrated on a routine basis in accordance with both national and international standards, and is ready to be put to use at a moment's notice.

Our team includes professional engineers, metallurgical engineers, coating specialists, FEA specialists and NACE Certified Materials Selection/ Design / Corrosion/Coating Specialists (*) includes:

                    Dr. M. Zee(*)                                             Mr. Geoff Rhodes (*)

                    Dr. Don Gibbon                                         Mr. Kevin Groll  (*)          

                    Dr. George Bayer                                      Ms. Debra Riley (*)

                    Mr. Joe Tureck                                          Mr. Ed Larkin

                    Mr. Ed MaCan, PE                                    Mr. Walter Gretz, PE

                    Dr. Kasraie, PE                                         Dr. Huping Xue

                    Dr. Bavarian                                              Mr. Jay Metha 

An illustrated formal report documents the results of the investigation. If necessary, Matco personnel can usually be on site almost immediately when requested during emergency situations.

We Value Our Customers... Throughout the years, we have noticed that much of our business comes from repeat customers. Our expertise and well-equipped lab can account for much of this, but we believe there is something more to it. We attribute it to the fact that we promote an open and friendly environment that is never too busy to meet your needs. At Matco, we value your business whether you are a large corporation or a small enterprise. We will provide you with the attention you need and deserve. We invite you to visit us and get to know our staff, and share in the learning experience.

Why Choose Matco Associates? As one of the premier testing and failure analysis firms featuring state of the art equipment, Matco Associates is able to provide a unique and diverse blend of services. Thousands of investigations have been performed at Matco Associates, ranging from jet engines and boiler tubes, to computer components and implants. Projects are not only conducted on your schedule from initiation to completion with competent and experienced personnel, and conducted in a discrete manner that ensures confidentiality as well.

Matco's Typical Projects
 

Although Matco's work is vital to its clients, it is rarely seen by the public. Here are some examples of recent jobs in which Matco provided the timely, competent, customer-oriented engineering analysis that made the difference.

Failure Analysis: Metallurgical support for a major commercial airline fleet (US Airways) that includes failure analysis investigations, corrosion investigations, and quality control testing. Bridge and construction failure investigations are routinly performed at Matco

Corrosion Engineering: Cathodic protection system design and installation for a submerged ocean tunnel for the off-loading facility of the largest liquified natural gas (LNG) process facility in the United States . Our certified team of corrosion investigators can perform testing to evaluate the integrity of pressure vessels. These include refineries, underground and above ground oil,  gas and chemical process facilities   Our team has performed such analyses nation and worldwide, and will travel to your project site at a moments notice for emergency evaluations. 

Paint/Coating Analysis: On-site and laboratory investigation of paint delamination failures (flaking and peeling) on galvanized structural members of several major stadiums in the United States .

On-site Inspection: Our certified team of inspectors can perform non-destructive testing on project sites to evaluate the integrity of large structures.  Our team has performed such analyses nation and worldwide, and will travel to your project site at a moments notice for emergency evaluations.  Such large structure evaluations have included off-shore oil platforms, wind power generation towers, concrete domes and stadiums, large underground cooling systems, and large elevated water towers. Our projects have taken us from Aloha Stadium in Hawaii to Alyeska Ski Resort in Alaska; from bridges in the Bahamas to titanium structures in Tokyo, Japan and damage evaluation of hurrican in Florida. This project included roofing, siding, paint and internal water damage for a large structure.

Enviromental Testing: Comparative testing of the resistance of pharmaceutical labels to environmental stresses (MFG, Humidity, and QUV testing) for a major drug company to determine what labels held up the best.

Fire Investigation: Same-day analysis of the effects of a truck fire on the superstructure of a major highway bridge to determine whether or not the highway could remain open.

Explosion Investigations: Failure analysis of a gas main explosion that caused casualities.

Power Plants: Failure analysis and remaining life determination of boiler components in the power industry.

Implant  Materials: Electrochemical corrosion evaluation and failure analysis of implant materials such as hips, knees, stents, etc. to improve products and performance.

Galvanized Steel: How its microstructure and galvanized layer chemistry affect its appearance and corrosion resistance. Prevention and evaluation of storage rust, cracking of galvanized layer, failure of painted galvanized steel. Cabinet salt spray testing, EIS testing of painted galvanized steel and metallurgical characterization tests are routinly performed for galavanized and painted galvanized steel panels.

Utility and Light Poles & Lattices: Inspection and evaluation of galvanized, corten and painted carbon steel utility, light poles/lattices. Failure analysis, fatigue investigations, protective coating evaluation, life expectancy determination, corrosion evaluation, underground, ground level and above ground were included in this investigations

R&D: Research & Development of new materials, coatings and sensors for the pipeline, construction/chemical  industry.

Failure Analysis
Identificaiton of Types of Failures	Ductile and Brittle Factures
Fatique Failures	Distortion Failures
Wear Failures	Liquid Erosion Failures
Corrosion Failures	Stress Corrosion Cracking
Liquid Metal Embrittlement	Embrittlement by Solid Metal Environments
Hydrogen Damage Failures	Corrosion Fatique Failures
Elevated Temperature Failures	Failures in Sour Gas Environments
Types of Failures Dealt with on a Routine Basis
Failures of Cold Formed Parts	Failures of Forgings
Failures of Iron Castings	Failures of Steel Castings
Failures of Weldments	Failures of Brazed Joints
Failures of Shafts	Failures of Sliding Bearings
Failures of Rolling Element Bearings	Failures of Lifting Equipment
Failures of Mehcanical Fasteners	Failurs of Springs
Failures of Tools and Dies	Failures of Gears
Failures of Boilers and Related Equipment	Failures of Heat Exchangers
Failures of Pressure Vessels	Failures of Metallic Orthopedic Implants
Failures of Pipelines	Failures of Bridge Components
Failures of Locomotive Axles	Failure Analysis of Continuou Fiber Reinforced Composites
Failure Analysis of Ceramics	Failure Analysis of Polymers
Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits	Concrete cracking and Petrographic Analysis

MATCO is conveniently located halfway between the Pittsburgh International Airport and downtown Pittsburgh, and only a few yards from an exit on the Parkway West (I-279/US22-30), so reaching our laboratories and offices is quick and easy. Please feel free to call to discuss your problems and arrange a visit to our laboratories.  Matco has an office and laboratory in Florida/ Miami/ Fort Lauderdate area. You can always call Matco at 1-800-221-9090 or Cell 412-952-8441 if you need emergency rush job.