Vista Engineeringand Consulting, LLC is dedicated to excellence in materials research & testing and engineering services. Our services include:
Metallurgy
Failure Analysis
Engineering Design
Welding/Brazing
Product Design
Product Liability
Material Testing
Advanced Photography/Imaging
Expert Opinions & Testimony
Computer Modeling/Simulation
Vista
Engineering consults with the metal industries such as steel producers, wire manufacturers and metal processors. Our team has the knowledge
and expertise to solve a wide-range of industrial problems. A former case appears below.
Case
Study - Industrial Device Failure
The
Problem
An industrial client experienced the failure of an eyebolt used to transport 60,000-pound concrete poles. Vista was asked to identify the cause of failure and recommend corrective actions. The eyebolts
were used in several similar installations around the country. The eyebolt was found to have failed due to metal fatigue and the eyebolt
was also found to contain numerous fatigue cracks besides the one that caused the failure. Cracks were even found in other, as yet,
unbroken eyebolts. The loading on the eyebolt assembly was too great for the eyebolt size that was being used. Additionally, the distributors
of the eyebolt failed to account for the bouncy ride that these mammoth poles take and the dynamic loads the bounces put on the
threads of the eyebolt.
Solution
Vista reviewed purchase documents, interviewed eyebolt manufacturers and their reps, and reviewed OSHA and ASTM standards related to
overhead, load-bearing eyebolts. We also performed a stress analysis on the eyebolt.
The
load calculations showed how much load was actually on the bolt
when all the dynamic loads and stress concentrations were taken
into account. By knowing the actual load, a new bolt design could
be selected that was the proper size and strength for this application.
Outcome
In the end, a larger, stronger eyebolt was recommended that provided
the proper safety factor for our client's application. The existing
eyebolts were removed and all bolts were examined for cracks. The
client wanted to know what to use to correct the problem. Vista
made the following recommendations.
One of several things must be done,
· The strength of the metal in the bolts must be increased,
· The number of load trains must be increased, or
· The size of the load cell and the eyebolt must be increased.
The minimum strength that was needed in a 2-inch cross-section eyebolt
was about 130,000 psi tensile and 110,000 yield strength. When these strength levels are achieved using a quench and temper steel, the outer edge is usually
harder and stronger while the center is softer and less strong.
The strength required in this application necessitates a quench
and temper steel. Vista recommended candidate alloys to our client
for this application.
What
This Means to You
Vista can gather the critical information related to the technical
issues of your case. This information can be scientifically analyzed
by various means from visual examination to mathematical analysis.
Once the information has been analyzed, technically sound opinions
will be rendered that are pertinent to the fast and favorable solution
of the case.
