Product reliability and lifetime are important issues that affect the consumer and the company that produces these products. During the manufacturing process, stresses are introduced into parts which can determine whether these parts will work as intended. Making sure that a product has beneficial stresses and will safely work for the expected lifetime is a vital part of the testing provided by Materials Testing. Mechanical systems, consumer goods, and – most importantly – the safety of those who use them rely heavily on dependable, accurate testing. Analysis using the right techniques helps to maintain industry standards that allow for uniform quality, strength, and reliability under normal operating conditions.

Residual Stress

Manufacturing imparts various levels of stress on the products it creates, whether through heat-treating, grinding, welding, electro-plating, shot peening, or other process. The resulting residual stress can be compressive, neutral or tensile. In most cases, compressive residual stresses act to keep a part “pushed together” and are beneficial for the integrity of the part. Tensile stresses, on the other hand, are stresses that are “pulling apart” a part, and can significantly reduce its life and reliability. These tensile residual stresses are often associated with failures such as fatigue, stress corrosion cracking, dimensional stability, and overload failures even when the loads on the part are less than it can normally bear. These failures can be costly whether they occur during the manufacturing process or after the product is in service. In the worst case, these stress-related failures can adversely affect the safety of the part in use. By measuring residual stresses at different stages of the manufacturing process and even during service life, you can greatly improve the chances of having manufactured goods that work safely for the expected lifetime.

High Quality Testing

TEC testing methods are known throughout many industries across the world for their speed and accuracy. Our systems have been used to test all types of common engineering materials and are designed for compact portability. In the field and in our A2LA-accredited laboratory, our experience guarantees the best analysis and insight. We uphold the most stringent quality standards while also delivering rapid results, even when you need to meet an unexpected deadline.