ASTM B117 Salt (Fog)
Metal failures involve the incorrect alloy, a missed heat treatment, an inclusion, or a weld defect. MatX Lab checks composition, confirms microstructure and hardness, and finds the root cause of a failure.
Metals can fail because of problems that are often hidden beneath the surface — the wrong alloy being used, an incorrect heat treatment, trapped inclusions, weld issues, or a grain structure that cannot withstand real operating conditions. MatX Lab helps you understand what is happening inside metals and alloys by analyzing their composition, heat treatment, microstructure, and failure mechanisms. Whether you are checking incoming raw materials or investigating a failed component, our work helps identify what the material is, why it failed, and how it is expected to perform.
When working with metals, the main focus is making sure the material is correct, the manufacturing process has been done properly, and any failures are fully understood. The key questions are whether the alloy is the right one, whether the heat treatment and internal structure of the material are suitable, whether a weld can withstand service conditions, and what caused a component to crack, fail through fatigue, or suffer from corrosion.
Metals work usually pairs composition and microstructure with mechanical or fractographic analysis. We scope the combination and report it so your quality or engineering team can act.
| Method | What It Answers | Typical Samples |
|---|---|---|
| Elemental Analysis | Alloy verification and material ID | Bar stock, castings, welds |
| Mechanical Testing | Tensile, hardness, impact | Coupons, welds, fasteners |
| Imaging & Microscopy | Microstructure, grain size, inclusions, fractography | Cross-sections, fracture surfaces |
| Failure Analysis | Root cause of fracture, fatigue, corrosion | Failed components |
| Corrosion & Environmental Testing | Corrosion resistance and behavior | Alloys, coated metals |
| Structural Characterization | Phase and residual stress | Heat-treated and worked parts |
The work centers on metals and alloys and the coatings and joints applied to them.
Metals & Alloys · Thin Films & Coatings · Powders & Bulk Solids · Ceramics & Glass
Metals testing is method-driven, and your specification usually names the standard. Where an applicable standard exists, testing is aligned to it and cited in your report. We align to the method your specification requires and document it.
| Analysis / Standard | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Fac | Flow Accelerated Corrosion |
| Corrosion Inhibitor | Corrosion Testing |
| Pitting and Crevice Corrosion | Corrosion Testing |
| Indentation Hardness of a Material | Hardness & Indentation |
| Confocal Microscopy | Optical & Metallographic Microscopy |
| FMR | Field Metallographic Replication to Analyze Microstructure In-Situ |
| Analysis of Heavy Metals | Restricted Substance & Compliance Screening |
| ASTM A577 | Ultrasonic Angle-Beam Examination of Steel Plates |
| ASTM A435 | Standard Specification Straight-Beam Ultrasonic Examination of Steel Plates |
| ASTM A388 | Or Ultrasonic Examination of Steel Forgings |
| ASTM F3571 | Metal Powder Feedstock Quality Characterization for Additive Manufacturing |
| ASTM F3049 | Metal Powder Characterization for Additive Manufacturing |
| ASTM E975 | Retained Austenite Measurement by XRD |
| ASTM E930 | Estimating the Largest Grain Observed in a Metallographic |
| ASTM E407 | Microetching Metals and Alloys |
Yes. Elemental analysis confirms whether a metal matches its grade or certificate, and identifies unknown alloys directly. Positive material identification and grade verification are among the most common metals requests we run.
Yes. Microscopy and hardness testing help reveal what is happening inside the material, including its grain structure, phases, and any unwanted inclusions. They also show whether the heat treatment process achieved the properties that were intended. We compare and report the microstructure based on the specification requirements you are working to.
Yes. Fractography, microstructural analysis, and composition testing together help uncover whether a fracture was caused by overload, fatigue, corrosion, or a material-related issue. The findings are supported by the evidence collected during the investigation. Send the fracture surface in its original condition, as cleaning or altering it can remove important clues and make it harder to identify the true cause of failure.
MatX Lab brings together the right accredited partner laboratories for each type of testing, so composition, microstructure, and mechanical analysis can be handled as part of one connected project. Instead of managing different laboratories separately, you have one person to work with and one report that brings all the findings together. We follow ASTM, ISO, IEC, UL, and MIL-STD methods wherever an established procedure is available. Our role is to analyze materials and provide clear results; we are not a standards organization,n and we do not provide certifications. If needed, your project can also be protected under an NDA.
Test Your Materials