Cabinet Testing Capabilities

ASTM, NACE  and Mil-Specified Tests	Neutral and Acid Salt spray Tests and EIS
Humidity, Mixed Fow Gas, UV, Cyclic & Special Testing	CASS – copper-accelerated salt spray
Tests for conformance with product specifications	Testing, EIS Evaluation, Analysis and Formal Report

Salt spray (fog) testing is the most popular form of testing for protective coatings. These tests have been used for more than 90 years as accelerated tests in order to determine the degree of protection afforded by both inorganic and organic coatings on a metallic substrate. The most widely used salt spray (fog) tests are described below.

The neutral salt spray (fog) test (ASTM B 117): is perhaps the most commonly used salt spray test in existence for testing inorganic and organic coatings, in particular where such tests are used for material or product specifications. The duration of the test can range from 8 to over 3000 hours, depending on the product. A 5% sodium chloride solution containing not more than 200 parts per million (ppm) total solids and with a pH range of 6.5 to 7.2 is used. The temperature of the salt spray chamber is controlled to maintain 35 + 1.1 or – 1.7Þ C (95 + 2 or -3Þ F) within the exposure zone of the closed chamber.

The acetic acid salt spray (fog) test (ASTM G 85, Annex A1): is also used for testing inorganic and organic coatings, but is particularly applicable to the study or testing of decorative chromium plating and cadmium plating on steel or zinc die castings, as well as for the evaluation of product quality. This test can be as short as 16 hours, although it normally ranges from 144 to 250 hours or more. Similar to the neutral salt spray test, a 5% sodium chloride solution is used, but the solution is adjusted to a pH range of 3.1 to 3.3 by the addition of acetic acid. The temperature of the salt spray chamber is controlled to the same temperature range as for neutral salt spray.

The copper accelerated acetic acid salt spray (fog), or CASS test (ASTM B 368): is primarily used for the rapid testing of chromium plating on steel and zinc die castings. It is also useful in the testing of anodized, chromated, or phosphated aluminum. The duration of this test ranges from 6 to 720 hours. A 5% sodium chloride solution is used, with one gram of copper (II) chloride dihydrate added to each 3.8 liters of salt solution. The solution is then adjusted to a pH range of 3.1 to 3.3 by adding acetic acid. The temperature of the salt spray chamber is controlled to the same temperature range as for neutral salt spray and for acetic acid salt spray.

Corrosion Group

Corrosion team is comprised of certified and experienced personnel from a variety of technical disciplines including: corrosion engineering, cathodic protection, paint inspection, 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.

Dr. Zee, Walter Gretz, P.E. and Debra Riley

Our team of NACE Certified Corrosion/Materials Selection/ Design/Coating/Cathodic Protection Specialists (*) includes:

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

                    Dr. Don Gibbon                                         Mr. Kevin Groll  (*)          

                    Dr. George Bayer                                      Dr. Bavarian

                    Mr. Joe Turek                                           Mr. Ed Larkin

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

                    Dr. Kasraie, PE                                         Dr. Huping Xu                       

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.

ASTM Testing Methods
ASTM A90/A90M Weight of Zinc Coatings	ASTM G5 Potentiostatic / Potentiodynamic Anodic Polarization
ASTM A262 Practice A (Oxalic Acid Etch)	ASTM G28 Method A (Ferric Sulfate / Sulferic Acid)
ASTM A262 Practice B (Streicher Test)	ASTM G28 Method B (PEMT)
ASTM A262 Practice C (Huey Test)	ASTM G31 Immersion Testing
ASTM A262 Practice D (Modified Strauss Test)	ASTM G36 Boiling Magnesium Chloride
ASTM A380 Cleaning and Descaling Stainless Steels	ASTM G44 Alternate Immersion Testing
ASTM A923 SSAT Duplex Stainless Steels	ASTM G47 Stress Corrosion Cracking of Aluminum
ASTM B813 Liquid and Paste Fluxes for Soldering Copper	ASTM G48 Method A (Ferric Chloride Pitting)
ASTM B154 Mercurous Nitrate - Copper and Copper Alloys	ASTM G48 Method B (Ferric Chloride Crevice)
ASTM C871 Extraction of Leachable Ions	ASTM G48 Method C (Ferric Chloride Critical Pitting)
ASTM D1141 Ocean Water	ASTM G48 Method D (Ferric Chloride Critical Crevice Temperature)
ASTM D1193 Reagent Water	ASTM G49 Constant Load Test
ASTM D2240 Rubber Property Durometer Hardness	ASTM G61 Cyclic Potentiodynamic
ASTM D2583 Barcol Hardness	ASTM G71 Galvanic Couple Test
ASTM D4340 Pressurized Hot Wall	ASTM G75 Miller Weat Test
ASTM E3 Standard Metallographic Practice	ASTM G102 Calculation or Corrosion Rates from E/C Measurements
ASTM E45 Inclusion Content	ASTM G108 E/C Reactivation for Detecting Sensitization
ASTM E112 Grain Size	ASTM G123 Boiling Sodium/Calcium/Lithium Chloride
ASTM F746 Medical Implants	ASTM G150 Critical Pitting Temperature
ASTM F2129 E/C Testing of Surgical Implants in Hank's Solution	ASTM G3 Conventions Applicable to E/C Measurements
ASTM G1 Preparation, Cleaning, Evaluating Test Specimens

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? As one of the premier testing and failure analysis firms featuring state of the art equipment, MATCO is able to provide a unique and diverse blend of services. Thousands of investigations have been performed at MATCO, 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 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 routinely 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.