Advanced Metallurgical Services Ltd

We are a UKAS accredited laboratory and metallurgical consultancy. Our highly qualified staff bring more than 80 years of combined experience to the services we provide to a variety of industries, particularly automotive, aerospace, oil & gas, power generation and civil engineering.

We have in-house laboratory facilities as well as access to advanced metallographic examination technologies such as micro phase analysis, Auger electron spectroscopy, and scanning transmission microscopy through our well-established ties with local universities and other institutions.

We specialise in the following:

We specialise in metallurgical testing, and we are ISO/IEC 17025 accredited for materials testing. We conduct weld procedure qualification and welder approval testing.

Among our consultancy services are projects in corrosion engineering, welding, brazing and soldering, welding processes, tribology and wear, failure investigations and expert witness testimony.

We also provide consultancy services on processes including heat treatment, coatings, foundry, rolling, forging, and fabrication as well as pumps and hydraulics, and on materials including cast iron, carbon and stainless steels, and alloys of aluminium, magnesium and titanium.

Chemical Analysis

Chemical analysis of metals and alloys is often used in failure investigations. There are two main types of chemical analysis. Composition analysis can very precisely identify the elements and their concentrations present in the sample. The other type of chemical analysis testing of metals is micro chemical analysis. This is a non-destructive visual or radiographic test that can be used to look for corrosion or contamination in a sample of material.

Tensile Testing to BS EN 10002-1

Tensile testing of a metallic material can determine many its mechanical properties. The testing provides a profile of the metal's strength at a given temperature. Tension is applied to the sample in increasing force intensities to the point of failure. The metal’s elasticity amount of deformation, elongation and reduction in area under tension can all be determined. The information is valuable in failure investigations and the determination of a metal's suitability and standards compliance in various applications.

Impact Testing (–70 to +25C) to BS EN 10045-1

Charpy impact testing of metallic materials (U-notch and V-notch) is a mechanical testing method that determines the metal's energy-absorption capacity during fracture at a given temperature. Charpy tests use a weighted pendulum with known arc dimensions. The sample to be tested is placed at the lowest part of the pendulum's swing. After impact, the weight continues its swing along the arc, and the maximum height reached is used to measure the amount of energy lost in the impact. As that energy will have been absorbed by the test sample, knowing its amount provides an indication of the metal’s strength, brittleness and ductility. 

Hardness to BS EN ISO 6507-1

‪Hardness testing provides a measure of a metal's resistance against plastic deformation. The Vickers indentation hardness test, also known as the Diamond Pyramid Hardness or DPH test, ‬precisely characterises the ability of metals to resist deformation under known forces ranging from 10g to 100kg. A diamond shape is pressed against the metal under a given loading for a standardised amount of time, and the resulting indentation is measured. Calculations performed on the measurement give the metal’s hardness as a Vickers hardness number.

Bend Testing to BS EN 910 and BS EN ISO 7483

Bend testing determines the ductility of a metal under pressure. The testing machine bends the sample into a given radius for a specific amount of time, then the sample is removed and its outer surface is examined for bend characteristics, cracks or surface irregularities. Bend tests are useful in determining the strength, ductility and quality of a weld. They are used in welder approval and weld procedure qualification tests.