Failure analysis laboratory
Would you like to carry out a failure analysis on your materials or products?
At FILAB, our failure analysis laboratory supports industrial and R&D clients in investigating product defects, premature breakage, and non-conformities.
Our ISO 17025-accredited methods ensure accurate, neutral, and reliable diagnostics of materials failure.
We combine advanced techniques (SEM, XRD, ICP, DSC, FTIR…) and multidisciplinary expertise to deliver detailed root cause analysis (RCA) and actionable recommendations.
Failure analysis
Failure analysis is a scientific and technical approach that aims to identify the origin of a problem with a product, material or process.
It is generally carried out after a fault, failure or malfunction has occurred, with the aim of understanding why it happened and how to prevent it happening again.
The different types of failure
When a product or material fails to perform its function correctly or presents a compliance problem, it is referred to as a failure. There are three types of failure: physical, chemical and mechanical.
Physical failure refers to problems with the appearance or shape of the product or material, such as cracks or breaks.
Mechanical failure refers to problems with mechanical performance, such as hardness or strength.
Chemical failure refers to chemical alterations that can cause the material to corrode or lose its properties.
How does a fault manifest itself?
A fault can take many forms:
Our objective as a failure analysis laboratory: to identify the origin and causes of failure
FILAB provides you with tailored support and a progressive analytical approach to the following services:
Failure analysis: mechanical and structural behaviour
Micrographic examination and chemical bath for metallic materials
Non-destructive testing by X-ray tomography
Failure analysis: physico-chemical, thermal and surface phenomena
Corrosion analysis (aggressive environments, oxidation, degradation)
Detection of pollution or residual deposits
Study of polymerisation and cross-linking defects (varnishes, paints, polymers)
Thermal analysis using dilatometry (expansion, phase transition)
Morphological defects / appearance defects
Analysis of morphological defects (porosity, roughness, surface structure)
Analysis of surface defects (scratches, inclusions, heterogeneities)
Material / mechanical defects / R&D
Our solution: to determine the nature and the causes of a defect with an expertise of the product in a laboratory
Our failure analysis services
FILAB provides you with tailored support and a progressive analytical approach to the following services:
Failure analysis and fractography
Characterization of surface defects: adhesive problems, residual pollutants identification (lubricants, cleaning residue…)
Study of morphological defects (porosity, rugosity…)
Microsection characterization
Weld inspection
Biocapacity expertise
Expertise of defects: corrosion, wear and tear, premature ageing, fissures, ruptures…
Characterization of defects in surface treatments
Galvanization thickness measurement
Pollutant deposit expertise
A methodical approach to material failure
When a failure occurs, the first step is understanding the full industrial context: production environment, usage conditions, part history, and observed symptoms. Once that is established, we apply a combination of advanced analytical techniques to reconstruct the chain of events that led to the defect.
Our lab uses scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to observe fracture surfaces, track crack propagation paths, and detect corrosion or fatigue patterns. We combine this with elemental analysis techniques (ICP-AES, ICP-MS, SEM-EDX) to reveal potential contamination, alloy inconsistencies, or manufacturing residues. In parallel, X-ray diffraction (XRD) allows us to assess changes in crystalline phases, while thermal techniques like DSC and TGA help identify issues like embrittlement or material degradation under heat exposure.
Each investigation ends with a detailed technical report that includes the identified root cause(s), supporting data and images, and practical recommendations. Our team can also support you with implementation of corrective measures and material substitutions if necessary.
Failure analysis by industrial sector
Find out more about failure analysis in the FILAB laboratory
Carrying out a preliminary investigation to gather all the information needed to understand the failure and its context (nature of the materials, conditions under which the failure occurred and how it became apparent, etc.),
Assisting the customer in defining and, if necessary, implementing corrective actions, whether preventive or curative.
Implementation of a comprehensive assessment programme to check the conformity of the materials involved and to analyse the defect specifically in order to identify it and diagnose its origin,
Laboratory failure analysis is a study used to detect potential non-conformities in products or materials. Our laboratory sets up comprehensive tests to understand the reasons for the failure, whether physical, chemical or mechanical.
Laboratoire FILAB has expertise in the study of cosmetic non-conformities, and also offers R&D support in the measurement of non-quality.
Detecting failures in a material or product involves a stage of on-site investigations to understand the factors that have contributed to the failure. Samples are then taken for more in-depth laboratory analysis.
The data collected during these stages will help to determine the cause of the failure and to propose recommendations to prevent it happening again in the future. Our failure analysis experts use a variety of techniques such as microscopy, spectroscopy, radiography and thermography to identify potential problems. With an excellent failure detection method, product safety and reliability can be guaranteed.
With our 3 levels of services – analysis, expertise and R&D support – our laboratory supports industrial companies of all sizes and in all sectors in solving their industrial problems. FILAB provides the know-how and expertise of its team and offers you a privileged technical contact.
Further information
As part of a complex failure assessment, FILAB is able to offer an on-site audit, carried out by one of our experts, to better analyse the client's environment. This audit can be carried out before or after the analyses to complete an interpretation.
FILAB can help you draw up specifications that are better suited to your process. We can also offer you comparative deformations of materials to compare different sourcing methods.
FILAB can help you train your teams in a specific analytical technique and set up reliable analysis methods tailored to your needs.
FAQ
Commonly used methods for failure analysis include:
- Visual analysis and macroscopic examination to detect visible damage.
- Microscopic analysis, such as optical or electron microscopy, to examine defects on a finer scale.
- Non-destructive testing, such as ultrasound, X-rays and magnetic testing, to detect internal defects without damaging the material.
- Laboratory tests, such as mechanical or chemical tests, to assess the properties and characteristics of materials.
- Data analysis and statistics to identify trends and failure patterns.
Failure analysis can be applied in many fields, such as mechanical engineering, materials engineering, aerospace, automotive, electronics, oil and gas, and many others. It is used to understand failures in components, structures or systems, and to improve reliability and safety in these areas.
General steps in the failure characterisation process may include:
- Identification and documentation of the failure, including the circumstances surrounding the event.
- Visual and/or microscopic analysis to examine damage or defects.
- Non-destructive testing and laboratory testing to obtain additional information on material properties and characteristics.
- Data and statistical analysis to identify contributing factors and failure patterns.
Drawing conclusions and making recommendations based on the results of the analysis. - Communicating the results to the parties concerned and implementing the appropriate corrective measures.
The failure of a part and the phenomenon of breakage may seem similar, but there is a significant difference between the two. Part failure can refer to a malfunction, abnormal wear, a physical change in surface or shape, a performance anomaly, a manufacturing or design fault... Failure can also be an invisible problem that can cause serious damage after prolonged use.
Breakage can be more obvious and immediate, and occurs as a result of excessive stress due to impact, overloading for example, or normal wear and tear of the material.
To ensure the safety of their products, manufacturers must control risk by identifying, assessing and managing these risks. Failure analysis is a method of understanding why a material or product has failed and under what conditions. Failure analysis can help manufacturers improve the quality of their products by identifying defects and correcting them.
