Virtual Failure Analysis of an Aerospace Aluminum Alloy Component

One party believes they may have received substandard aluminum that caused their aluminum aircraft component to fail.  The party being questioned says their aluminum passed all required tests, which were conducted at their lab.  Both parties agreed to engage aluminum metallurgy failure analysis experts to determine if substandard aluminum contributed to failure and if not, what happened to the “good” aluminum that may have led to failure and how could failure of this component be mitigated in the future. 

Learn how an independent third party laboratory, assigned to investigate this practical case, conducts a failure analysis to find the root cause of failure as it relates to the mode of fracture and integrity of the aluminum.  This presentation will describe in detail all necessary steps taken to arrive at a root cause and recommendation.  From investigation work involving no tests, to non-destructive testing (NDT) destructive tests and a final engineering analysis, the audience will see the importance of each step in coming up with answers or further questions.

Many aircraft designers, aerospace engineers and others never see how NDT, metallographic analysis, routine mechanical tests or more advanced fracture mechanics tests are conducted.  By seeing this virtual failure analysis, many tests will be explained in detail from the test purpose, to specimen design, equipment used and how tests are conducted. And although this is a virtual failure analysis, many years of conducting actual failure analysis on actual failed aerospace components has convinced the author that much can be learned about mechanical testing and failure analysis of aerospace aluminum alloys without failure of a single component.