Metal failure analysis laboratory – Expert investigation of fractures, corrosion, and defects
Your needs: optimize the manufacturing of your metal products and analyze the causes of failures
At FILAB, we specialize in metal failure analysis, helping industrial clients identify and understand the root causes of fractures, corrosion, deformation, or performance issues in metallic components.
Whether you’re facing a cracked steel component, weld failure, or unexpected fatigue in a high-stress environment, our laboratory provides independent, ISO 17025-accredited expertise to resolve the issue quickly and decisively.
What is metal failure analysis?
Metal failure analysis is a systematic investigation aimed at identifying the physical, chemical, or mechanical cause of a defect or break in a metallic part. Failures can originate from multiple sources: material defects, manufacturing errors, environmental factors (corrosion, fatigue), or improper use.
By combining metallurgical examination, mechanical testing, and advanced surface and chemical analysis, we can reconstruct the failure mechanism and deliver clear conclusions that help prevent recurrence.
Why perform a metal failure analysis
Steelmakers, foundries, manufacturers and suppliers, you are subject to important strategic stakes requiring you to monitor the quality of your materials in order to optimize your industrial processes (costs, lead times, scrap rates, etc.).
From the design to the marketing of a product with metallic components, you are faced with several types of problems, concerning :
- Control of raw materials
- Substitution of metallic alloys
- Understanding and anticipating the behavior of materials in their environment of use
- The performance of surface treatments
- Optimization of manufacturing and machining processes to reduce the risk of failure.
To help you solve these problems, the support of a reliable laboratory with high technical added value allows you to better understand the changes in the metallurgical sector, and to gain efficiency in your activity.
Our solutions: to support industrialists in metal failure analysis
FILAB, a laboratory formed by experts in metallurgical analysis and failure characterization, offers you its analytical services, from the design to the manufacturing and implementation of a product with metallic components.
Thanks to its experience and its state-of-the-art analytical equipment, FILAB laboratory has a wide range of tools specific to the metallurgical sector, allowing it to provide the following services
Our technical approach to metallic failure investigation
At FILAB, failure analysis of metals follows a structured, multi-disciplinary approach tailored to the specific part and context of use.
After receiving the failed component and understanding the conditions under which it failed, our experts perform a step-by-step investigation that may include:
- Fractographic examination using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) to identify crack initiation points and propagation patterns.
- Chemical composition verification using ICP-AES or SEM-EDX to detect alloying issues or impurities.
- Microstructural analysis through metallography and optical microscopy to reveal grain boundaries, inclusions, or thermal effects.
- Mechanical testing such as hardness (Vickers, Brinell), tensile strength, or fatigue performance to assess residual properties.
- Phase identification with XRD (X-ray diffraction) to detect undesirable transformations or structural failures.
- Corrosion analysis using surface techniques (XPS, MEB, ICP, salt spray simulation, electrochemical characterization) for parts exposed to aggressive environments.
Every investigation results in a detailed report summarizing the failure mode (brittle fracture, ductile overload, fatigue, corrosion fatigue, stress corrosion cracking, etc.), the root cause, and recommendations for corrective action.
Typical metal failures we investigate
ANALYSIS
Custom chemical analysis: determination of purity and impurities
Metallographic analysis and studies (metallographic examination)
Castability test on powders
Cracked stainless steel welds in piping systems
Fatigue failure of aluminum components in aerospace assemblies
Delamination or flaking of coatings on metallic substrates
Control of metal alloys grades: ferrous and non-ferrous, stainless steels (NF EN 10088-1/2/3), titanium bases, copper, lead, nickel, zinc, aluminum, tin, cobalt ...)
Analysis of aluminum, thalium, gallium and indium
Corrosion of carbon steel in offshore environments
Stress corrosion cracking in high-pressure equipment
EXPERTISE
Study of failures: study of fracture faces, analysis of contamination or particles, adhesion problems, corrosion phenomena, metallographic examination, weld analysis...
Material/fluid compatibility study
R&D
Development of a new formula
Research of substitution of CMR products
OUR RESOURCES
Metallurgical analysis: ICP, SEM-FEG EDX, OES
Powder analysis: XRD, SEM-FEG EDX, BET
Surface analysis: SEM-FEG EDX, XPS, TOF-SIMS
FAQ
FILAB investigates a wide range of metallic failures, including brittle and ductile fractures, fatigue cracks, stress corrosion cracking (SCC), welding defects, corrosion pitting, delamination of coatings, hydrogen embrittlement, and microstructural anomalies.
Our experience covers both ferrous and non-ferrous alloys, including stainless steels, aluminum, titanium, copper, and exotic alloys.
We use a combination of techniques including SEM fractography, chemical composition analysis (ICP, SEM-EDX), metallographic cross-sectioning, XRD for phase identification, hardness testing, and surface techniques like FTIR or XPS.
These allow us to precisely locate the failure origin and identify the root cause—whether related to design, material quality, manufacturing, or environment.
In general, we prefer to work on the actual failed part to analyze fracture surfaces in their original state. If that's not possible, a representative cross-section or fragment is often sufficient. We recommend avoiding any cleaning, polishing, or machining of the fracture before sending it, as this may remove critical evidence.
Yes, FILAB is accredited under ISO 17025 for many of the techniques we apply in metal failure investigations, including SEM-EDX, XRD, ICP, and mechanical testing.
This ensures that your results are traceable, reliable, and suitable for regulatory or legal use if required.
