Materials Testing

2. One Eighty brings high level technology to real life problems that manufacturers and fabricators face.  We provide engineering solutions.  Solutions to problems that are practical, reasonable and affordable.  One Eighty does this by conducting root cause failure investigation, materials selection analysis, testing of materials, helping clients evaluate new suppliers, or conducting research and development for commercial outcomes.  One Eighty is a team of 10 engineers, bringing a wide range of expertise to the fingertips of our clients.  We solve problems with all engineering materials, including all the metal alloys, plastics, ceramics and composite materials.  We can solve the problems from mechanical failures to chemical degradation.  We have also tested sludges from pickling lines, spices blending plants, and all manner of widgets, from gears, big end bearings, crank shafts, structural steel and aluminium, to breast implants.  Whatever the problem may be and whatever the industry sector,  if it is a part, and there is a problem with it, we can solve it. 

3. Materials Testing • Tensile Testing • Bend Testing • Charpy Impact testing • Hardness Testing • Microstructural Investigation • Spectrographic Analysis

4. We load the specimen into a 60 ton load frame and pull it apart A curve like this one is generated From this curve we calculate the tensile properties of the material What is Tensile Testing? Test the failure load of a material

5. We bend the specimen in our 60 ton load frame and check the bend for cracks, see below: What is Bend Testing? Bend a specimen through 180

6. What is Charpy Impact Testing? Impact a specimen with a load frame We measure the energy needed to break the specimen in half. Ductile materials use a lot of energy, brittle materials use little energy.

7. What is Hardness Testing? Indent a sample with a diamond indenter We indent the sample with a diamond and measure it under a microscope Tempered steels have high hardness, aluminium has low hardness This is what an indent looks like under a microscope

8. What is Microstructural Investigation? Its the materials fingerprint The microstructure tells us how a material has been processed. All materials have different structures. Tempered steels look spikey, but annealed steels have smooth grains. Annealed steel Tempered steel

9. What is Spectrographic Analysis? A way to measure the composition of metals

10. Failure Investigation We determine exactly why something failed Fatigue, Corrosion, Overload, User Abuse, Flaw in the Material, Manufacturing Defect

11. Fatigue Striations The pump shaft failed in fatigue. SEM showed presence of fatigue striations. Misalignment in the assembly detected, accounted for fatigue failure Failure Investigation Example Pump Shaft Failure

12. Corrosion of beam in bolted assembly • Aluminium beam + stainless steel washers + coastal atmosphere = Galvanic Corrosion • Polymer washer installed on wrong side of beam Failure Investigation Example Corrosion Failure • Fast corrosion due to assembly error

13. We researched and developed the adhesive that should be used for the laminate sail cloth We tested various combinations and found the best solution. Product Design & Development

14. Materials Selection Using materials selection software we chose the right cast iron for the client to specify to the Chinese supplier. The cast iron had to have the optimal tensile properties and good toughness. .

15. Commercial Research & Development Developing and commercialising a new ceramic materials for the orthopaedic industry: Knee and hip joints

16. For more case studies and information www.one-eighty-degrees.com