Now in business for over 35 years, Metallurgical & Materials Technologies (MMT) is best known for its forensic engineering and root cause failure investigations.
In order to support its forensic and investigative work, Thomas Shelton, Ph.D., P.E., founder and owner of MMT, made the decision to establish his own testing laboratories with such advanced equipment as a scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectrometer and an optical emission spectrometer. This decision has led MMT to become one of the top metallurgical/materials testing facilities in the Gulf South with both routine testing and engineering analysis capabilities.
"We determine why things fail," Shelton explained. "That item can be small, like determining why fasteners or electronic circuits failed, or larger projects, like analyzing the cause of a train derailment, pipeline explosion or plane crash."
In the realm of metallography, the structure of metal can be evaluated using multiple visual or optical techniques. The structure of the metal can tell the history of the material. For instance, the microstructure of metal can be used to determine if the material was heat-treated properly. The microstructure affects the strength, corrosion resistance, whether the material is brittle or ductile, and more.
One key differentiator of MMT is its experience in interpreting the results of the analyses. The outcome of testing can be used in failure inquiries, litigation, quality testing, product design and much more. "Determining the cause of corrosion at a chemical plant is an important service," Shelton explained. "We can also assist with quality control to ensure a fabrication shop is using the appropriate materials. We can evaluate all types of items -- screws, fasteners, bolts and piping."
A recent project for an industrial plant required detecting flaws in a propeller blade using dye-penetrant analysis, a nondestructive testing method. For a fabrication shop, MMT utilized corrosion analysis techniques to determine the corrosion resistance of the weld metal, giving valuable information in determining if the material is appropriate for the respective environment. The company's engineers also used failure analysis techniques to determine the cause of failure of a shaft from a crane. "Many businesses request materials verifications to ensure a product meets their standards, using destructive or nondestructive testing methods," Shelton added.
MMT's client list spans the U.S. as well as internationally and includes chemical plants, oil refineries, pipeline and oil production, fabricators, and legal and sales organizations. It works on complex projects for large industrial giants and, at times, conducts testing for individuals.
MMT's routine testing clients can benefit from extensive engineering analysis expertise to further enhance their quality, equipment life and ability to solve problems.
For more information, visit www.mmtinc.com or call (800) 772-0251.
