Metal failure analysis is a very intricate process. The purpose of the analysis is to find out why the particular component or equipment has failed. Do not be misled into thinking that metal failure analysis focuses only on failure of metals. In fact, the process can be carried out on different types of materials, too. Each type of material will require special experience and skills to help find out the causes of the failure.
Many of the appliances that we use every day are made up of metal. These can be anything from the casing of our computers to our bookshelves or cabinets. When buying these items, we assume that the metal will last a long time. However, misuse, improper maintenance, design errors, or even improper material can cause an unexpected collapse of such household items.
The same situation applies to the equipment which is used in manufacturing consumer goods. The failure occurs when a part of the system does not perform as planned. This can be the failure of a transmission or even the leakage in a pipeline.
Whether it is in equipment or in the items that we use every day, materials fail for many reasons. If a particular item is loaded beyond what it can bear, it will break. Until that level of stress is reached, it will function. When it fails, we can safely conclude that it was not properly designed, poorly manufactured or improperly maintained.
This is where failure analysis comes in. The purpose of failure analysis is of a positive nature: to prevent further failures. Hence, failure analysis assists in finding the root cause of the failure. Once the cause is found, a system can be put in place to prevent future failures from developing.
