Metal Testing and ID
The Metal Testing department can identify ANY metal.
With a broad spectrum of instruments plus years of experience and a technical library of information, we can match unknown metal compositions with common domestic grades found in the market.
It is possible to analyze solid samples, drill shavings and irregular shaped pieces.
An example of how metal identification can be useful is in reverse engineering: when you need to recreate or repair something you already have, but don't know what it's made of.
Hardness testing can identify HAZ (Heat Affected Zone) in weld areas, as well as to verify the qualities of your metal. Hardness can also test polymers and coatings!
See Tensile testing to learn more about how your metal performs under pounds per square inch (PSI). Our tensile machine can test up to 120,000 lbs!
In welding, metal ID is a particularly useful resource. Welders need to know what metal they have so as to choose the correct welding rod to create the perfect weld repair. Please see Weld Testing for more information.
SEM-EDS is an invaluable tool for identifying metal composition. An example of a metal composition graph is shown below.