CED/Accident Analysis Inc.’s engineering experts have performed
thousands of accident reconstructions over the last 17 years. When an accident
is
reconstructed, engineers often analyze different types of materials that
contributed to or are an accessory to the accident. For such material testing,
CED/AAI’s engineers turn to our metallurgy experts and state-of-the-art
testing laboratory. This facility contains different types of equipment
that are utilized by CED/AAI’s experts depending on whether they
are investigating the materials composition or if they are examining
stress, strength, or identifying a materials defection.
Our laboratory includes:
Electron Microscope
Allows metallurgists to examine materials at a magnification of up to
100,000X which helps them determine composition breakdown and surface
cracks
Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS)
Works together with the electron microscope to establish chemical composition
of materials
Optical Microscope
Utilized by engineers to create visual displays to show composition and
magnification of an area in question
Industrial Microscope
Used to exam materials for stress cracks or forgery such as a weak material
covered by a stronger material
Emission Spectroscope
Is capable of analyzing the chemical elements contained in alloys and
other metals through the measurement of sparks generated by scraping
the surface of the metal
Fourier Transform Infrared (FT- IR) Spectrometer
Records the interaction of infrared radiation with a piece of a material
by measuring the frequency at which the radiation is absorbed and the
intensities of the absorption
Tensile Testing Machines
Utilized to determine the quality and strength of materials such as plastics,
rubber, fibers and metal. Tests performed with these machines include
strength and pull testing
Polarization
Used to view stresses in material such as plastic or glass to determine
a materials resistance
Exemplar Testing
Construction of models or the use of a duplicate product/material sample
for the purpose of recreating an accident scene
