The need for material verification is an increasingly important issue across a range of industries including aerospace, energy, rail and general engineering since meeting the correct specifications can be critical to product performance, even public safety. The chemical analysis of metallic materials is one such procedure and involves determining the precise elemental constituents of a test piece to establish that it meets the required specification, to overcheck bought-in stock, identify unknown material or provide evidence in a product failure investigation.
The Chemical Analysis department of Keighley Labs offers an independent, bespoke service to aerospace manufacturers, the energy sector, rail industry, foundries, plating companies, galvanisers, component importers and general engineers, providing a fast turnaround and precise material verification. In addition to classic wet chemistry it employs advanced inductively coupled plasma, atomic absorption and glow discharge spectroscopy to ensure the optimum method for a particular application in addition to industry standard techniques for carbon, sulphur, oxygen and nitrogen analysis.
Part of Keighley Labs’ UKAS-accredited metallurgical laboratory services capability, the chemistry department’s scope of accreditation covers an extensive range of ferrous and non-ferrous metallic materials including iron, steel, stainless steel, aluminium and aluminium alloys, copper, cobalt, lead, nickel, tin and zinc alloys. Non-UKAS accreditation covers plating solutions, air quality filters and foundry consumables. It works in tandem with the company’s in-house mechanical testing, metallography, weld testing, problem and failure investigation and heat treatment departments to provide an all-encompassing technical service housed on one site.
Headed by chief chemist John Whitaker and senior colleague Graham Woodward, each with almost 40 years’ industry experience, the department combines in-depth scientific knowledge and practical expertise. Submitted specimens range in size from a minute speck of material to a test bar or finished component of virtually any size; the team then determines the appropriate testing technique according to material type, sample size, required turnaround time and complexity of analysis.
The chemical analysis team accepts commissions from anywhere in the world providing samples can be delivered safely and is able to analyse virtually any metallic or metal-related material. With today’s engineers working to ever-tighter technical specifications and the quality control of manufactured and bought-in parts always high on the agenda, the department’s services are in growing demand.
