Komatsu Study of Failure Investigation

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Principles of Factures

Module 6

Komatsu America Corp.

Cartersville Georgia USA
Copyright © 2010 All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2010 Technical Training COT0057710E0-1R

Principles of Fractures
Subject to 2010 Terms of Use of Komatsu Training Materials. © Komatsu America Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2010 Terms of Use of Komatsu Training Materials

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Principles of Fractures
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Komatsu Failure Investigation

Eight Steps of Failure Investigation

1. State Problem Clearly & Concisely
You are Here
2. Organize Fact Gathering
3. Observe and Record Facts
4. Think clearly and Logically with all Facts
5. Identify Most Probable Root Cause
6. Communicate with Responsible Party
7. Make Repairs as Directed
8. Follow-Up with Customer

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Principles of Fractures
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Course Overview

● Product Physical Properties

● Temperature vs. Material Strength

● Fracture Characteristics

● Material Loading

● Stress Raiser

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Principles of Fractures
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Beware of Preconceived Ideas

Beware of
Preconceived Ideas
Think Clearly with All Failure Facts

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Principles of Fractures
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Product Physical Properties

● Metal Strength – Loading

● Overloads
● Physical Damage

Load Load

Weak Link

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Principles of Fractures
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Metal Physical Properties vs. Temperature

● As temperature goes up
material strength goes down
● Not all metals have the same
strength vs. temperature
characteristics but they all lose Steel
strength with an increase in

Strength

St r
temperature

en
Aluminum

gth
De
c re
as
ing
Temperature Increasing

Temperature
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Principles of Fractures
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Metal Physical Properties vs. Temperature

● Light Blue 500˚ F (260˚ C)

● Yellow 750˚ F (399˚ C)

● Gray 1200˚ F (650˚ C)

● Dark blue / Black 1600˚ F

(870˚ C)

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Principles of Fractures
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Loads vs. Fracture Types

Load Stress Raiser Fracture

Impact / Overload None Brittle/Ductile
Fast
Rough
Result of failure
Cyclic Usually Present Fatigue
Slow
Smooth
Associated with
Root Cause of failure

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Principles of Fractures
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Basic Facture Terminology

● Stress Raiser ( Physical Irregularity)

● Initiation Site (Starting point of Fracture)

● Final Fracture ( Ending point of Fracture)

● Fast Crack ( Brittle, Ductile)

● Slow Crack (Fatigue)

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Principles of Fractures
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Metal Strength and Hardness

● This fracture has smooth

progression marks
moving away from the
initiation site
● Slow crack growth
upward to the center
● Notice that corrosion has
started forming
● The rough texture
produced by the fast
portion and final fracture initiation sites

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Principles of Fractures
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Fracture Factors

Brittle Fractures Ductile Fractures

● Medium to High Hardness ● Medium to Low Hardness

● Low Temperatures ● High Temperatures

● High Stress Concentration ● Low Stress Concentration

● High Load Rates

● Low Load Rates

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Principles of Fractures
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Fracture Examination

● Fracture Cleaning
 Nonabrasive / Non-corrosive Cleaning
 Air or Blow dry
● Fracture Investigation
 Use unaided eye
 Use good lighting
 Rotate to see all surfaces
 Areas of interest use low magnification
● Preservation
 Coat surfaces with rust inhibitor
 Package part to prevent damage

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Principles of Fractures
Brittle Fracture Characteristics
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Chevron pattern in cast material

● Fast fracture in most cases can not be
● Crystalline seen with unaided eye
● No Plastic Deformation

Chevron pattern in wrought material

also points to the origin of fracture

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Principles of Fractures
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Brittle Fracture Characteristics

● Face to Face separation

● Illustrate separation with

cards

● Crack begins at cleavage

● No plastic deformation

● Two broken halves fit

together

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Principles of Fractures
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Brittle Fracture Characteristics

● Brittle fracture on this

track pad shows chevron
indicating crack growth
from the top to the bottom

Initiation site

Chevrons pointing to initiation site

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Principles of Fractures
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Ductile Fracture Characteristics

● Fast

● Large Shear Lips

● Dark

● Rough and Woody

Ductile failure of a specimen strained axially
● Plastic Deformation

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Principles of Fractures
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Ductile Fracture Characteristics

● Ductile cracks form by

slippage with in the grains

● Allow grains to become

elongated and distorted

● As a deck of card slides

in various direction this
illustrate slippage in grain
layers in ductile fractures

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Principles of Fractures
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Fatigue Fracture Characteristics

● Origin / initiation Site

● Fatigue Zone / Slow Crack

Growth

● Progression Marks / Beach

Marks (also called
Striation)

● Instantaneous / Final
Fracture / Fast Fracture
Zone

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Principles of Fractures
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Fatigue Fracture Characteristics

● Figure shows a classic fatigue-

fracture surface

● Showing progression marks

(beach marks)

● Indicate successive positions of

the advancing crack front.

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Principles of Fractures
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Fatigue Fracture Characteristics

● Light in Color
(1) Drilled Hole
Initiation Site

● Slow Crack Growth

● Flat and Smooth (2)

● Beach Marks also

called Striation or
Progression Marks (2)

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Principles of Fractures
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Fatigue Fracture Characteristics

● Light in Color

● Slow Crack Growth

● Flat and Smooth

● Beach Marks also called

Striation

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Principles of Fractures
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Fatigue Fracture Characteristics

● Fatigue fracture surface of a

broken shaft.

● The fracture originated at the

corner of the key-way

● The beach marks swing

counterclockwise due to the
clockwise rotation of the shaft

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Principles of Fractures
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Typical of Fatigue Failure Striations

● Example of Fatigue
striations
(Beach Marks)
Magnification, 5000×
● Aluminum alloy test
coupon showing changes
in striation spacing due to
changes in alternating
stress (load).

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Principles of Fractures
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Complex Failures

● Fracture surface on the flange

side of a broken steel axle
shaft chevron marks. Chevron
marks consistently point
toward the origin.
● The origin is indicated by the
arrow and located at the fine-
structured induction-hardened
case.

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Principles of Fractures
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Material Loading

● Five Fundamental Loading Characteristics

● Axial

● Bending

● Torsional

● Direct Shear

● Contact

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Principles of Fractures
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Material Loading

● Five types of Material Loading Characteristics

 Axial Loads
 Bending
 Torsional
 Direct Shear
 Contact Tension

Compression

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Principles of Fractures
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Material Loading

● Five types of Material Loading Characteristics

 Axial
 Bending Loads
 Torsional
 Direct Shear
 Cantilever
Contact

Simple

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Principles of Fractures
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Material Loading

● Five types of Material Loading Characteristics

 Axial
 Bending
 Torsional Loads
 Direct Shear
 Contact

Twisting Loads

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Principles of Fractures
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Material Loading

● Five types of Material

● Loading Characteristics

 Axial
 Bending
 Torsional
 Direct Shear Loads
 Contact

Direct shear loads

are placed on the bolt

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Principles of Fractures
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Material Loading

● Five types of Material

● Loading Characteristics

 Axial
 Bending
 Torsional
 Direct Shear
 Contact

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Principles of Fractures
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Stress Raisers

● Physical Irregularity Concentrate existing Stresses

Physical Irregularity Stress Concentrators

Crack = 8 X Stress
Rounded groove 1.5 X V shaped 3 X Stress

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Principles of Fractures
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Stress Raiser Samples

This is a list of many Stress Raisers

● Material Geometry ● Manufacturing
 Fillets  Forging Laps
 Holes  Quench Cracks
 Keyways  Grinder Cracks

● Material Defects ● Abuse

 Inclusions  Scratches
 Voids  Nicks
 Cracks  Gouges

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Principles of Fractures
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Know Your Customer

Know Your Customers

●Equipment

●Application

●Operation

●Maintenance

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Principles of Fractures
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Komatsu – Failure Investigation 8 Steps

Eight Steps of Failure Investigation

1. State Problem Clearly & Concisely You are Here
Gathering Facts
2. Organize Fact Gathering
3. Observe and Record Facts
4. Think clearly and Logically with all Facts
5. Identify Most Probable Root Cause
6. Communicate with Responsible Party
7. Make Repairs as Directed
8. Follow-Up with Customer

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Principles of Fractures
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Obtain Wear Facts Summary

Wear Facts System Facts Lube Facts

● Location ● Materials ● Compatibility

● Type ● Temperatures ● Quality

● Load ● Pressures ● Quantify

● Lubricants

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Principles of Fractures
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Summary

1. There are 8 principal steps to follow in conducting a failure investigation--from

collecting and examining samples to testing, determining the failure mode,
writing the report, and developing follow-up recommendations.
2. In working to produce economical, reliable products, it is vital for
manufacturers to recognize the importance of analyzing failures that occur
during testing or in service.
3. Of primary importance in conducting a thorough failure investigation, is the
compilation of information regarding the manufacturing, processing and
service history of the failed part. This includes obtaining original specifications
and drawings, if available.
4. It is important for failure analysts to keep written and visual records of their
investigations.
5. An essential first step in any failure investigation is a thorough visual
examination including consideration of fluids, soil, debris, paint or corrosion
found on the surface of the failed part.

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Principles of Fractures
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Summary
6. Nondestructive testing methods: magnetic particle, liquid-penetrant, ultrasonic,
radiography and eddy current testing as well as mechanical tests: hardness,
tensile, and impact, can be helpful in determining the cause of a failure.
7. The influence of the chemical and thermal environment must be kept in mind
during any failure investigation. Corrosion and property changes may be critical
in an investigation.
8. Macroscopic examination of the fracture surfaces can be considered the most
important part of a failure investigation. It is typically performed at magnifications
of 1 to 100× using the unaided eye, a hand lens, a low-power stereoscopic
microscope or scanning electron microscope (SEM).
9. Performing metallographic examination provides important evidence about the
type and structure of the material involved in the failure.
10. Brittle fractures are typically more difficult to analyze because of the large number
of possible fracture mechanisms and the lack of obvious deformation.
11. In any failure investigation, all avenues must be explored to ensure that the
Investigator's final conclusions are well-documented

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Komatsu Study of Failure Investigation
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Fracture Facts

Make the Difference

Komatsu America Corp.

Cartersville Georgia USA
Copyright © 2010 All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2010 Technical Training COT0057710E0-1R

Komatsu Study of Failure Investigation
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End of Principles of Fractures

Module 6

Komatsu America Corp.

Cartersville Georgia USA
Copyright © 2010 All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2010 Technical Training COT0057710E0-1R