TEServices Metallurgy

TEServices provides all metallurgical services related to IGTs, such as failure evaluation root cause analysis; component life assessment before, during and after repair; mechanical, oxidation and corrosion testing; and first article qualifications. TEServices performs this for end-users, end-user organizations and end-users' suppliers, such as repair and coating facilities.

TEServices provides full metallurgical services including failure analysis and life assessments. TEServices prides itself to give advice that is easy to understand, even for customers that are not metallurgically educated. Some of the services that TEServices can provide are:

Metallurgical Evaluation (Destructive).
A sample is taken in a repairable area, such as the tip of the Trailing Edge of a turbine blade. After mounting, grinding and polishing, this sample is reviewed in un-etched as well as in etched condition, at low magnifications with visual microscopy, and at high magnifications with a Scanning Electron Microscope. This evaluation can be critical to define the proper repair scope, the need for coating and possible limitations of operation hours.

Replica Metallurgical Evaluation (Non-destructive). Sometimes, the metallurgical condition needs to be known without cutting a sample out of the component. TEServices can polish the surface, and microscopically evaluate the material with, or without replica technology. Although this technique only gives the metallurgical conditions at the surface, this information can be very valuable.
This technology has also been proven to evaluate the condition of Frame 7FA row 0 compressor blades. TEServices can use samples that were taken at the plant by the customer or by TEServices and can perform the evaluation in our lab within a couple of days.

Failure Analysis. When one of your components fails, the reason why may become the most critical question. Not only to be able to recoup some of the losses, but also to avoid this type of failure in the future. TEServices not only has the metallurgical expertise, but also the component and operational knowledge to provide you with the best failure analysis.

Process Qualification. Not many repair and coating facilities have coating specifications in place, or have performed coating and other process qualifications on components such as yours. TEServices has provided qualifications for coating and repair organizations, as well as for end-users. Typical coating qualification reviews the coating chemistry and thickness, but these are not the only factors for good performance of coatings. To ensure that your components are properly protected, coating selection and qualification is critical for success. During coating qualification, the interface, un-melted particles, porosity, oxidation, and the amount of other contaminations needs to be determined on the actual component.

Coating Support. TEServices can provide independent review and detailed analysis of coating specimens. We can include extensive Photomicrographs for visual support with detailed explanations of each to meet your specification requirements.

We can also write accurate and detailed coating specifications, as well as pass/fail photomicrographs with all of the details necessary to ensure your quality coating needs.

We can assist you in your first article coating qualification and examination.

TEServices is available to write detailed process procedures to include stop points and inspection steps for your high quality coating applications.

We can provide your tensile and/or bend testing needs. We also perform micro and macro hardness testing services of your coating specimens with reports to support for each.

Life Assessment (D estructive). When non-destructive evaluations give reasons for concern or when there are other concerns, such as over-firing the turbine, TEServices can provide you with a more comprehensive evaluation. Life assessment combines metallurgical evaluation at critical locations with mechanical testing. Stress rupture testing reveals the true strength of the material at elevated temperatures. The life assessment evaluation together with the history of the part can determine the remaining life time of the component.

Life extensions (Destructive). Life extensions of components including the above described metallurgical evaluations together with mechanical testing, models, and other experiences of that specific component enables TEServices to assess the remaining life. In many cases TEServices is able to extend the components life by advising special repairs or heat treatments. TEServices support end-users with management, including budgeting, for their components, see CPAM.

TEServices standard metallurgical evaluation limited itself to visual microscopy and can in many opportunities performed within 24 hours after receiving of the sample. Advanced metallurgical evaluations uses also a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to provide pictures at higher magnification than 1000X to be able to define gamma prime and other phases and abnormalities.