Component failure is usually due to a sequence or combination of events which can initiate from the design and choice of materials through to manufacturing, processing and assembly, including the application of heat, welding and grinding, as well as machining and distortion of the part due to bending, rolling or forging. In services, conditions can also contribute to the failure of a part such as variation in temperature and environmental conditions, uneven, high or low cyclic loads or stress profile, compression, torsion and bending as well as foreign object damage. Matching the maintenance needs of the component to its operating conditions and environment is also important to reduce the effects of aging and wear.
Curtiss-Wright Surface Technologies supports every stage of the manufacturing process from design and new manufacturing, to material testing and analysis through to in service maintenance, metal repair and overhaul of components – our metal repair and component protection services increase the strength and performance of parts, thereby reducing costs and downtime.
For materials characterization or failure analysis, contact IMR Test Labs
What Causes Component Failure?
The table below gives a brief overview of typical components that we process, what failures they are susceptible to and the component protection available to prevent failure.
Note: Failure Modes and Solutions may be relevant for some or all of the components.
Aero-Engine
Blade roots
Air foils
Tie wire holes
Propeller blades
Turbine discs and blisks and drums
Rotating rings
Engine mounting brackets
PTO Gears
Internal bores and surfaces
Oil well drill pipes
Cooling tubes – water walls and heat exchangers
Transmission shaft oil holes
Steam generator roll transition zone
Plastic pallet transportation
Failure modes
Corrosion
Stress corrosion cracking
High temperature corrosion
Fatigue
Fretting
Galling
Angel hair effect