Power

Testing and failure investigations

TWI's capabilities include the following:

Creep testing
TWI has a creep testing facility with a maximum temperature capability of 700°C.
Expert witness
TWI's experts are available to act as expert witnesses in legal proceedings, if required.
Failure investigations
TWI has considerable experience in carrying out failure investigations to establish the mode and cause of failure, and to recommend appropriate follow-up action. Investigations can be carried out for a single organisations or for a group of interested organisations, which may involve insurers and the certifying authority. In such investigations TWI staff are accepted as independent experts.
On-site metallography and hardness testing
TWI has considerable experience in a number of in-situ techniques. The production of acetate replicas, an essentially non-destructive technique, facilities microstructural examination for material characterisation, and allows assessment of in-service degradation including creep damage. Hardness testing can be carried out using either an Equotip or Krautkramer Microdur portable hardness tester, as appropriate. Within a TWI Group-Sponsored project, considerable effort has been expanded in validating these test methods. TWI also has 'boat sampling' capabilities, allowing the removal of samples of various sizes for chemical analysis, microstructural examination and/or mechanical testing, while leaving an excavation which is ideally suited for a welded repair.
Other capabilities
Further expertise and available techniques include chemical analysis, ferrite measurement, optical and electron metallography, fractography and fracture replication.

For further information, please contact: power@twi.co.uk