This chapter provides information on the biennial International Wear of Materials Conference, which is the inspiration for this book. It reviews the fundamentals of tribology, tribosystems, and related terminology. The glossary at the end of this chapter is intended to familiarize readers with some of the fundamental tribology terms that will be repeated throughout this book.

This chapter discusses some of the ways that the lessons learned from failures have benefitted society, leading to improved product designs, better materials, safer industrial processes, and more robust codes and standards. It also provides several examples of how the technology and procedures associated with aviation security have been upgraded in the wake of air disasters.

This chapter focuses on various factors to be considered at design stage to minimize corrosion. It begins by providing information on design considerations and general corrosion awareness. This is followed by a description of several factors influencing materials-component failure. Details on design and materials selection, which assist in controlling corrosion, are then provided. The chapter ends with a discussion on the design factors that influence corrosion.

The management of a failure analysis (FA) laboratory requires a broad range of activities to optimize the efficiency of the operation. The purpose of this article is to stimulate readers to consider the various aspects of FA laboratory operations and their respective business management requirements. The various aspects include: staffing, laboratory organization, lab design and operations, strategic development, financial management, and metrics and measurements. References for further reading and examples of resource materials are also included.

This chapter discusses the selection, use, and integration of methods to control process variables in induction heating, including control of workpiece and processing temperature and materials handling systems. The discussion of temperature control includes a review of proportional controllers and heat-regulating devices. Integration of control functions is illustrated with examples related to heating of steel slabs, surface hardening of steel parts, vacuum induction melting for casting operations, and process optimization for electric-demand control. Distributed control within larger manufacturing systems is discussed. The chapter also covers nondestructive techniques for process control and methods for process simulation.

This chapter discusses the design and operation of electromechanical servo-drive presses. It begins by comparing the operating flexibility of servo-press drives with that of their conventional counterparts. It then explains the difference between direct-drive and belt and screw-driven servo presses and describes some of the innovations and improvements made possible with high-torque servo motors. The chapter provides examples of how servo presses are used in blanking, warm forming, and other applications and compares the operating characteristics of two 1100-ton presses, one driven by servo motors, the other by a mechanical crank.

Education and training play an important role if the failure analyst is to be successful in his or her work. This article discusses the history of training activities in the failure/product analysis discipline and describes where this area is heading. It provides information on three areas of education and training that should be given to the analyst for him or her to be successful developing and fielding modern semiconductor components: analysis process, technology, and technique training.

This chapter gives an overview of how steel castings may be effectively adapted to modern concurrent engineering processes. The chapter discusses computer aided design programs, solid modeling, solidification simulation programs, and rapid prototyping.

The design process is the first and most important step in corrosion control. Major savings in operating costs are possible by anticipating corrosion problems so as to provide proper design for equipment before assembly or construction begins. This chapter describes the role of the design team in producing a successful final design, general considerations in corrosion-control design, and design details that accelerate corrosion. The details that must be considered when attempting to control corrosion by design include plant/site location, plant environment, component/assembly shape, fluid movement, surface preparation and coating procedures, and compatibility, insulation, and stress considerations. Design solutions for specific forms of corrosion, namely crevice corrosion, galvanic corrosion, erosion-corrosion, and stress-corrosion cracking, are then considered. A brief section is devoted to the discussion on corrosion allowance used for steel parts subject to uniform corrosion. Finally, the chapter describes the design considerations for using weathering steels.

This chapter is a brief account of various factors pertinent to the development of an engineering component. The discussion covers the disciplines and interactions of design development, engineering of component design, validation of design and process analysis, and matrix of design and manufacturing elements.

This chapter discusses the importance of failure analysis and the role it plays in a society driven by technological advancement. It explains why failure rates are highest in the early and later stages of the life of any product and shows the extent to which failure rates increase when products are subjected to an aggressive operating environment.

Stainless steels have a wide variety of applications for household products, food-handling equipment, major appliances, medical equipment, and industrial equipment. Stainless is also featured in many architectural designs and monuments. Many of the most important applications of stainless steel can be found in the transportation industry, where both the cutlery martensitic and the chromium-nickel austenitic stainless steels have been used. This chapter provides a detailed discussion on these applications.

Most filament winding machines now have computer controls and at least three axes. Winding with four axes is increasingly common because the shapes of the products have evolved to include more complexity. The automation used on the winding machine and ancillary components does not eliminate the need for proper fiber handling. This chapter is a primer on modern filament winding equipment and its use, starting with an overview of machine control and then discussing the design and structural analysis of filament wound components such as pressure vessels, pipes, grid structures, deep sea oil platform drill risers, high-speed rotors, and filament-wound preforms.

This chapter familiarizes readers with the design, configuration, and function of tooling and dies used to extrude aluminum alloys. It discuses basic design considerations, including the geometry, location, and orientation of die openings; allowances for thermal shrinkage, stretching, and deflection; and the length and profile of bearing surfaces. It outlines the steps and processes involved in die making, describes the selection and treatment of die materials, and examines the factors that influence friction and wear. It also discusses the general procedures for on-site die correction.

This chapter describes some common pitfalls encountered in failure investigations and provides guidance to help engineers recognize processes and “quick fixes” that companies often try to substitute for failure analysis. It discusses three important skills and characteristics that a professional engineer must improve to conduct an effective and successful failure investigation, namely technical skills, communication skills, and technical integrity. The chapter also provides information on the additional basic tools available for failure investigation and root cause determination: the Kepner-Tregoe structured problem-solving method, PROACT software for root cause analysis developed by the Reliability Center, Inc., and other processes and methods developed by the Failsafe Network, Inc., and Shainin LLC.

This chapter summarizes the progress that has been made in the study of high-entropy alloy (HEA) systems and the process-structure-property relationships that define them. It describes the various ways HEAs can be strengthened and explains how alloying elements influence tensile and yield strength, fracture toughness, and fracture strength. It discusses the stages of plastic deformation in HEAs and the role of dislocations and twinning in the evolution of microstructure. It reviews some of the work that has been done on fatigue behaviors and the methods developed to assess fatigue performance. It discusses the influence of defects on fatigue life, the effect of temperature and grain size on fatigue-crack propagation, and the role of nanotwinning in crack-growth retardation. It describes the methods used to produce HEAs in bulk and powder form and to apply them as protective coatings and films. It also identifies potential applications based on properties such as strength, hardness, density, wear resistance, high-temperature stability, and biocompatibility.

Semiconductor memories are superb drivers for process yield and reliability improvement because of their highly structured architecture and use of aggressive layout rules. This combination provides outstanding failure signature analysis possibilities for the entire design, manufacturing, and test process. This article discusses five key disciplines of the signature analysis process that need to be orchestrated within the organization: design for test practices, test floor data collection methodology, post-test data analysis tools, root cause theorization, and physical failure analysis strategies.

This chapter provides guidelines for conducting metallographic evaluations and offers suggestions on how to effectively report the results. It explains how the approach depends on the objective of the evaluation, which is usually to measure a structural feature, test a hypothesis, or investigate structure-related effects. The chapter addresses each case, tailoring its guidelines and suggestions accordingly.

Many companies conduct only metallurgical evaluations in the wake of failures, discovering nothing more than the physical mechanism by which the failure occurred. The origin of failures, however, is often complex, involving not only physical mechanisms, but also human behavior and latent factors. Failures may also involve multiple parts, entire machines, or processes of any size and shape. The chapter examines the unique aspects of many failures and explains how they can sometimes be traced to systemic issues. It also covers the reasons why products fail, including improper service or operation, improper maintenance, improper testing, assembly errors, fabrication or manufacturing errors, and design errors. The case of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse is presented to illustrate the consequence of overlooked factors, in this case, wind dynamics, and the importance of identifying root causes to prevent repeat failures.