GFAC (French Association for residual stress analysis)

The GFAC (French Association for the Analysis of Residual Stresses) is a group of industrial and academic partners aiming to better understand the causes of errors and mechanism when evaluating residual stresses in engineering materials. GFAC initiated the first French experimental standard on residual stress analysis by X-ray diffraction and contributed to the European standard EN15305. The group continues its work on standardization and organizes experimental campaigns to establish reference samples and discuss best practices for residual stress analysis. Currently, GFAC is evaluating the suitability of material removal correction methods by using synchrotron method compared to X-ray diffraction with removal layer correction. Another goal is to provide external reference samples to laboratories involved in round robin tests, as required by the EN 15305-2009 standard. These samples are used for calibration, quality control of X-ray diffraction equipment, and facilitating comparisons between laboratories. The ultimate aim is to create a common procedure for qualifying external samples and commercializing certified reference samples through the GFAC association.