Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) allows ATRONA to acquire live, high-resolution, micro scale, three-dimensional images of the surface of a failed metal part or component. Using these digital images or "photomicrographs" with a magnification of up to 500,000x, failure modes are easily revealed and identified. Even if the fracture face is corroded or has other contamination, ATRONA has ways to clean the fracture surface to reveal the mode of failure. Fracture initiation can also be revealed.
Generally speaking, failure modes are either ductile or brittle. Ductile failures are typically accompanied by significant plastic deformation. Brittle failures are normally accompanied by no elongation or plastic deformation. They produce catastrophic failures with little to no strain. Ductile fractures are more desirable than brittle fractures because generally ductile fractures give warnings prior to a catastrophic event.
Specific failure modes include Dimple Rupture Overload, Microvoid Coalescence, Intergranular and Transgranular, Stress Corrosion Cracking, Hydrogen Embrittlement, Gaping Grain Boundaries, Cleavage Rupture, Creep and Elongation, Tensile and Compressive Modes, Corrosion (various types), Fatigue (High and Low Cycles & High and Low Loads), Lamination and Streaking, Embrittlement, and others.
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