Failure [to communicate]
Analysis?
ASM-NTX Meeting
Michael S. Beaton, PE
18 February, 2010
FAILURES of COMMUNICATION
• DESIGN / MATERIAL SELECTION
• PURCHASING
• INSTALLATION
• SUBSTITUTION
• REPAIR / REWORK / REFURBISHMENT
• APPLICATION / OPERATION
DESIGN
• SPECIFICATION
– SUPPLEMENTARY REQUIREMENTS
– A36 STEEL, IMPACT REQUIREMENTS
– RETEST OTHERS, DUAL CERTIFY TO
LOWER STANDARD $
MATERIAL SELECTION
(Purchasing)
• HYDRAULIC FITTING
• Plasma cut preforms from plate
• Drill intersecting holes, tap
• Leaks at plate midline $
– Centerline segregation
Hardness Conversion,
Indentation number Hardness, HK 200 ROCKWELL
1 565 C51
2 377 C38
3 312 C30
4 301 C29
5 276 C25
6 388 C39
7 220 B94
PURCHASING
• CASTINGS
• HEAT TREATMENT REQUIRED (shown
on drawing)
• Heat treatment was OMITTED, castings
failed to meet hardness, tensile strength
requirements $
• Failure analysis resulted in redesign to
thicken area where failures had occurred
REPAIR (or lack)
• Heat Recovery Steam Generator
• Scheduled Cleaning – skipped $
• Copper build-up in system
• Fouling, galvanic corrosion, tube perforation
SUBSTITUTION
• Natural Gas Processing Plant
• Stainless steel and Cupronickel – same
plant, same fabrication shop
• CuNi filler used on stainless steel $
• COPPER CONTAMINATION CRACKING
• Ref. Welding Journal, Feb. 2010
DESIGN and INSTALLATION
• Welded construction, two heavy plate
sections, pipe – joined by welding
• Needed FULL penetration welds $
FATIGUE
• Repeated or fluctuating stress
• Stress below tensile strength of the
material
• Progressive fracture from initiation point(s)
– Often created by aggressive environment or
sensitizing condition (corrosion, fretting, arc
strikes, weld spatter, Lack of Penetration)
Trinity Metals Laboratory
QUALITY PHILOSOPHY
• QUALITY is a fundamental business strategy for
Trinity Metals Laboratory.
• Our GOAL is to be the best provider of testing
services in our market in terms of accuracy,
dependability, and value to our customers.
• We are committed to providing our customers
with consistently high quality testing services,
– defect free
– on time
– at competitive prices.
