The staff at Global Technology Experts has over 25 years experience in failure analysis investigations. GTE has the capabilities to analyze a wide variety of engineering and electronic materials involved in failures to determine root cause. Our capabilities extend to the failure analysis of materials for attorneys and insurance companies, as well as, failure analysis investigations and engineering studies for commercial and aerospace industries.
Globaltech Experts

Some of the industries and clients that Global Technology Experts serve are:

*Attorneys involved with Product Liability
*Lawsuits and Expert Witness Testimony
*Insurance and Claims
*Automotive and Transportation
*Aerospace
*Semiconductors and Electronic Materials
*Gas and Steam Turbine Engines
*Chemical and Chemical Processing
*Manufacturing and Production
*Heat Treating, Plating, Welding, Brazing, and Thermal Spray

GTE’s failure analysis experience includes a wide variety of engineering and electronic material, such as:

Ferrous Alloys: Steels, Stainless Steels, and Superalloys
Non-Ferrous Alloys: Aluminum, Copper, Magnesium, Lead, Gold, Silver,
Molybdenum, Nickel, Titanium, Tungsten, Zinc, Rubber, Composites and Plastics
Electronics, Batteries, Electronic Materials and Semiconductors

How does GTE perform a failure analysis perform a failure analysis investigation?

Typically, the failure analysis investigation begins with a complete understanding of all factors involved, and it is divided into four phases, as follows:

Phase I

In the first phase, GTE performs Accident Reconstruction. The purpose of this phase is to achieve a clear picture of the events leading up to the failure and to determine loads and stresses on the materials prior, during and after the accident.

Phase II

In the second phase, GTE performs Non-Destructive Testing. The purpose of this phase is to evaluate and document the failed components without causing damage to the components, or their failed surfaces. Oftentimes, attorneys, insurance and aerospace companies will provide failed components to GTE, through a chain-of-custody letter, and specify that only Non-Destructive Tests be completed because the opposing side demands the opportunity to examine the failed components in their own laboratories. The tools employed in the Non- Destructive phase are: various measurement instruments, cameras, and microscopes.

Phase III

In the third phase, GTE performs Destructive Testing. The purpose of this phase is to metallurgically evaluate and document the failed components in order to examine the fracture surface, and adjacent areas for any material imperfections. In this phase, failed components are carefully sectioned and “mounted” for microscopic evaluation by the Scanning Electron Microscope, or similar analytical instruments. The destructive phase can determine the failed component’s hardness, degree of heat treatment, weld defects (if applicable), porosity, inclusions, micro-constituents and alloy / material type. This information is useful to the metallurgists at GTE in an effort to determine the failure mode of the component or assembly.

Phase IV

In the forth phase, GTE performs Bench / Assembly Testing in a Laboratory or Field Environment of newly purchased assemblies that have not failed. The purpose of this phase is to document and observe the ways in which similar components fail under a strict testing procedure. The results obtained are then correlated to the observed failure mode for components involved in the actual failure. Typically, the test procedure is devised or composed by the metallurgists at GTE. This phase is very important because it shows, in detail, exactly how the components failed when exposed to the same conditions involved in the actual failure. GTE can perform similar investigations for material property assessments.

Finally, GTE will complete the engineering study and compose a technical report for review by our clients, or other applicable agencies. The Technical Report is then used as the basis to settle out-of-court, or to use the report as conclusive or documented evidence, for Expert Witness Testimony, in a court of law.