Failure Analysis and Damage Prevention: Study in Its Entirety Presentation of Results
Failure Analysis and Damage Prevention: Study in Its Entirety Presentation of Results
Failure Analysis and Damage Prevention: Study in Its Entirety Presentation of Results
Failure analysis serves to recognise failure causes and, therefore leads to damage
prevention. BAM utilises an interdisciplinary approach, i.e., the know-how of all available
internal experts / expertise is used. The topic range is from design assessment to
production, as well as material selection to operation. It is possible to use the entire
equipment and testing technology available at BAM, which is partly unique, for these
investigations. In this way, all potential influences on the root cause(s) can be optimally
analysed. BAM carries out systematic failure analysis in accordance with VDI Guideline
3822. The independency of BAM ensures a neutral evidence-based failure analysis. BAM
also operates as a legal expert / expert witness in this relation. Both commissioning by
several parties as well as arbitration and court appraisal activities can be agreed.
Presentation of results:
• mechanical engineering: structural components, roller bearings, mechanical seals, main rotor
bearing of wind turbines…
• medical technology: various implants e.g. hip prostheses, hip nails, femur plates etc.
• railway technology: wheelsets and axles ICE3 (2008), cylinder head, connecting rod…
• safety technology: Hazardous goods containers, safety valves…
• power engineering: turbine blades, bearing bushings
• vehicle technology: camshaft, wheel bolts
• plant construction: piping, heat exchangers, pressure vessels
• steel construction: overhead transmission towers (Münsterland 2005)
• ship technology: MS Estonia (1994)
How?
Testing methods:
• sampling and sample production
• macro and micro fractography
• materialography (micro-sections etc.)
• chemical analysis
• hardness testing
• mechanical-technological tests, notched bar impact tests, tensile, compression, bending tests
(static and cyclic), component comparison testing
• surface topography
• non-destructive testing (ultrasonic, radiation, eddy current, etc.)
• welding and soldering seam evaluation
• stress analysis with finite elements (FEA)
• light microscopes (various incl. Stereo), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with energy
dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) unit and electron back scattering diffraction (EBSD),
Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Focussed Ion Beam (FIB), Microprobe (WDX), X-Ray
Diffractometer (XRD), White Light Interferometer (WLI)
• optical emission spectrometer (OES)
• corrosion test chamber
• static and cyclic testing machines; force range from 1 kN to 25 MN, with temperature chambers,
high-speed tensile testing machine up to 20 kN (15 m/s), pendulum impact tester
• ultrasonic testing devices (manual probes, dipping system)
• various radiological methods e. g. x-ray
• etc.
External customers
• industrial companies
• insurance corporations
• investigative bodies, for example detective squads, public prosecutors
• courts
• ministries
Contact: