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ERATECHNOLOGY

Mechanical Plant and Equipment

Forensic Engineering

ERA Technology provides a fast and efcient failure investigation service aimedat identifying the mechanism and cause of plant failure

ERA has a proven track record

of failure investigation based onexperience over many years andcovering a wide range of plant andequipment.

When mechanical equipment fails

ERA Technology provides a fastand efcient forensic engineeringservice to identify the cause ofthe failure, and recommendseffective actions to reduce the risk

of further occurrence. Each failure

investigation is divided into threephases, the collecting of evidence,the analysis to determine themode and cause of failure, andthe reporting.

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Mechanical Plant and Equipment

Forensic EngineeringERAs investigation teams typically

comprise experts in mechanical

engineering, high temperature plant,

metallurgy and polymeric materials asappropriate. Their expertise covers a wide

range of mechanical equipment including:

Turbines

Pipework and boilers

High temperature petrochemical

processing equipment

Vehicle components

Aircraft structural components

Building cladding and structural

components

Low temperature cooling equipment Drilling equipment and rotating shafts.

Where required a Scanning Electron

Microscope (SEM) with EDX analysis

is available to examine failed samples

in microscopic detail. ERA also has

a dedicated metallurgical laboratory

where metallurgical samples can be

prepared for investigating issues such as

grain structure, morphology and crack

propagation. Replication and other NDT

techniques can also be carried out on

site to provide further information on the

condition of other equipment similar tothat involved in the failure.

Expert witness services

Our technical experts are trained in

providing expert witness consulting

for litigation and civil arbitration cases.

We are used to working as independent

experts in technically challenging cases

and to acting as a joint expert to the court.

Capturing all of the evidence

It is benecial if a thorough, impartial

investigation is undertaken as soon

as practicable following a failure.

Important clues to the mechanism and

cause of failure can be identied if

investigations are carried out without

undue delay. ERAs experts can travel to

sites at short notice where vital evidence

can then be collected before the failed

equipment is removed or repaired. Eye

witnesses can also be interviewed while

the details of an incident are still fresh

in their minds.

The experts will also include in

their investigation other sources of

information, as appropriate, such as

design documents, installation records,

condition assessment reports, operating

procedures and any previous failure

reports.

Framework agreement

Whilst this investigation service can

be requested when a failure occurs,

companies with a signicant investment

in plant and equipment will benet from a

failure investigation framework agreement

arranged in advance, for emergency

support when necessary. This will ensure

an appropriate failure investigation team

responds within an agreed timescale and

pricing structure. There is no charge for

setting up such an agreement.

ERATECHNOLOGY

Image above shows stress corrosion

intergranular cracks in a copper-brass alloy.

For further information please contact:

ERA Technology Ltd

Cleeve Road,

Leatherhead,Surrey KT22 7SA UK

Tel: +44 (0)1372 367345

Fax: +44 (0)1372 367359

Email: info@era.co.uk

Web: www.era.co.uk

FM 572 824

ERA Technology provides specialist

technical consultancy to owners and

operators of high-value capital assets

and systems; assisting clients in areas

of safety, efficiency and resilience.

ERA has built an enviable reputation

for its standard of technical excellence

in the delivery of its services to the

Defence, Energy, Industry, Infrastructure

and Transport sectors. Formed in the

1920s as a research association, a

foundation of collaborative research has

provided a basis for todays world-class

international consultancy business.

ERAs vision is to be the technical

consultancy of choice, with an

expansive global presence; closer to our

clients operations and needs.