Failure Analysis Experts 
Since 1983 Touchsone Research Laboratory has provided fast, accurate and affordable failure analysis to a wide range of industries - from underground mines to advanced spacecraft.
The Touchstone Advantage:
Touchstone's failure analysis team has access to a technology campus of technical equipment and scientific and engineering expertise. With two acres under roof, Touchstone is the largest commercial failure analysis, R&D and testing facility in the region.
Our equipment includes electron microscopes, a chemistry laboratory, a metallographic and petrographic laboratory, a world-class mechanical testing facility, physical testing capabilities, a well-equipped corrosion laboratory, machine shops, prototype foundry, rolling mills and a full composites facility.
This unique combination has created an excellent foundation for defect analysis and root cause analysis.
Over the years Touchstone has performed thousands of failure investigations. Among the typical failure mechanisms studied are:
| - Corrosion |
- Liquid Metal Embrittlement |
| - Crevice Corrosion |
- Marine Corrosion |
| - Ductile and Brittle Fractures |
- Pitting Corrosion |
| - Fatigue |
- Stress Corrosion Cracking |
| - Galvanic Corrosion |
- Uniform Corrosion |
| - Hydrogen Embrittlement |
- Wear Fractures |
| - Intergranular Corrosion |
|
Prevention:
Once a failure mechanism is determined, Touchstone engineers can often recommend preventions to reduce the probability of a recurrence of the failure again. Touchstone engineers use scientific failure analysis methods, including traditional tools such as root cause analysis.
New Design Center:
Touchstone's new Design & Analysis Center provides the opportunity to model failures using finite element analysis, computerized fluid dynamics, and otherr specialized modeling software.
Failure Reconstruction:
Combining Touchstone’s design, analysis, fabrication and testing capabilities, failed parts can be recreated and tested in the laboratory to reproduce the failure mode.
Failure Analysis can lead to New Developments:
In some cases, the insight generated during a failure analysis has led to ongoing research and development at Touchstone, developing next generation products.
Certifications:
Touchstone is ISO 9001:2000 with Design & AS9100 Revision B as well as Nadcap Certified.
Location:
Touchstone’s technology park is located along I-70, about 1 hour’s drive from the Pittsburgh airport and 30 minutes from Washington, PA.
Failure Analysis Examples:
Below are just a few examples of our failure investigations. If you don’t see a case study related to your interests, please contact us, as we likely have solved the same or similar problem in the past.
Aluminum Window Frame Corrosion
Coal Mine Fire Explosion Failure
Drive Shaft Motor Failure
Excessive Knife Wear At Cut Nail Plant
Spline Shaft Failure
Steel Conduit Culvert Corrosion
Waste Recovery Grinding Swarf
Mill Drive Shaft Failure Analysis
Methane Sensor Failure Analysis
Cracking Failure of Longwall Pan Floor Plate in Mine
New Radiator Design Evaluation
Foundry No-Bake Sand Failures
HVAC Prototype Assembly Corrosion Evaluation
Steel Shot Cracking
Bronze Casting Defect
Crankshaft Porosity
DPIC - Double Poured Indefinite Chill Roll
Engine Bearing Failure
Weld Failures in Powder Forgings
Aluminum Oxide Fibers Failure Analysis Leads to Process Improvement
Improved Service Life of Mill Guides in the Steel Industry
Metal Casting Inclusions
Saddle Spall Failure Investigation
Come visit us:
Come and get to know us. We value building long term relationships. The better we understand you and the issues you face, the better service we can offer.
Contact us today to discuss your failure analysis needs.
For a PROMPT response, e-mail info@trl.com, call 304-547-5800, or visit us - we are conveniently located less than an hour from Pittsburgh International Airport and two hours from Columbus, Ohio.
|
