You wish to carry out metallurgical analysis in accordance with RCC-M
What is the RCC-M?
The RCC-M is the reference code for the design, manufacture and inspection of mechanical equipment in pressurised water nuclear facilities, mainly civil reactors in France.
It is mainly used by the nuclear industry to guarantee the safety and reliability of equipment subjected to extreme conditions.
To meet these stringent requirements, manufacturers must rely on rigorous, traceable and standardised metallurgical analysis.
Why carry out metallurgical analyses to meet RCC-M requirements?
In the nuclear industry, every mechanical component must meet extremely strict quality, reliability and traceability requirements. The RCC-M (Règles de Conception et de Construction des Matériels Mécaniques) is the technical reference for the manufacture of equipment for pressurised water nuclear power plants.
Carrying out metallurgical analyses in accordance with the RCC-M means :
The RCC-M imposes precise characteristics for each metal grade: chemical composition, metallurgical structure, mechanical properties, absence of inclusions or defects, etc.
These criteria must be verified by rigorous, standardised metallurgical analyses before the material is used.
Critical components (pipes, flanges, vessels, heat exchangers, etc.) are subject to intense thermal, mechanical and chemical stress. Poor material quality can have major consequences in terms of safety.
Metallurgical analyses are used to validate the resistance of materials over time and under extreme conditions.
Analysis in accordance with the RCC-M is compulsory in material qualification files or for quality control services during manufacture. They are used to :
- Justify compliance with customer specifications
- Document manufacturing or repair procedures
- Ensure traceability of material batches
In the event of non-conformity or doubt about the quality of a batch, metallurgical analyses can be used to:
- Identify the origin of a material defect (cracks, inclusions, poor structure, etc.)
- Provide independent technical expertise
- Secure the return or rejection of a batch
The FILAB laboratory can help you carry out metallurgical analyses to meet RCC-M requirements
Why choose FILAB for your RCC-M metallurgical analysis?
The FILAB laboratory’s expertise in the energy and nuclear field contributes to the development of your industrial projects in terms of inspection, optimisation and advice on your activity.
For many years, the FILAB laboratory has been approved by EDF to carry out the analysis required for PMUC certification and PMUC inspections.
From the design to the implementation of your installations, the FILAB laboratory assists you in assessing their compliance with RCC-M requirements.
Our metallurgical analysis services in accordance with RCC-M
Metallurgical analysis
- Observation by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
- Grain size measurement, phase assessment (carbides, ferrite, etc.)
- Heat treatment control (annealing, hardening, tempering)
Tensile strength at ambient and hot temperatures
Charpy impact at variable temperatures
Hardness (Brinell, Vickers, Rockwell)
- Determination of inclusion cleanliness (ASTM E45, ISO 4967, NF A04-106 methods)
- Analysis of type A, B, C and D inclusions - impact on mechanical strength
- Elemental composition by ICP-OES, ICP-MS or emission spectrometry
- Checking carbon, sulphur and nitrogen content (CHONS analyser)
- Checking compliance with RCC-M standard grades
Intergranular corrosion test (ASTM A262)
Analysis of corrosion sensitisation in stainless steels
Our RCC-M analysis services
Our analytical equipment dedicated to the energy and nuclear industries
