Expert Materials & Process Consulting

The materials and processes used to manufacture a part or product are essential to its successful performance in service.  Metallurgical Associates engineers have the expertise and experience required to recommend alloys and manufacturing processes that assure cost effective optimal performance.

Our expertise can be utilized at the “front end” in the conception and design stage.  We also provide solutions to problems that develop in “mature” parts and processes and get you back in production FAST!

Full Materials and Process consulting services are provides at our offices or on-site at your manufacturing facility.

Product  Liability & Litigation Support

Expertise

Metallurgical Associates expertise in supporting litigation and evaluating insurance claims provides our clients with concise, definitive results supported by meticulous scientific analysis and documentation.

MAI engineers convey demonstrated credibility, Professional Engineer (P.E.) credentials, and multi-discipline certification.  Precise analysis protocols are developed and submitted at the initiation of the investigation.  Internationally recognized ASTM Standards are applied to sample preparation and examination (ASTM E 860), collection and preservation of samples and data (ASTM E 1188), and handling of evidence (ASTM E 1492). Our documented “Chain of Evidence” procedure and locked legal evidence storage assure the integrity of evidential samples.

Resources

MAI applies extensive knowledge and in-house analytical instrumentation to determine the specific cause and sequence of events responsible for product failures.  These resources include Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy, Glow Discharge Spectroscopy, and a comprehensive range of other material analysis assets.

MAI engineers provide coordination of third party testing procedures for our clients when outside testing laboratories are mandated or agreed by the litigating parties or insurance company.  In cases of opposing council receiving authorization to perform analyses at a laboratory of their choosing, our engineers are available on-site to monitor conformance of test procedures to protocol and engineering standards, verify the validity of test procedures, and interpret results for our client attorneys and insurance investigators on the spot.

MAI provides litigation and insurance investigation expertise on a wide range of products and materials.  Our expertise includes, but is not limited to:

  • Identification of defects resulting in product failure.
  • Identification of abuse resulting in product failure.
  • Expert witness deposition and trial testimony.
  • Product mechanical, chemical and physical properties.
  • Determine product conformance with design specification.
  • Determination of the root cause of mechanical and corrosion failures.