Metallurgical Laboratory

Advanced testing and consultation services for your tool steel grades, delivered by voestalpine’s metallurgical testing laboratory.

Our Metallurgical Laboratory team supports you with tool failure analysis by carrying out detailed field failure investigations, thereby suggesting corrective actions based on an evidence-based approach.

Metallurgical Testing Services We Offer

  • Conducting regular metallographic inspection for tool steels and HSS taken up for heat treatment. Providing metallographic structure reports for samples submitted by customers as a specific requirement.
  • Providing micrographs for microstructure study, decarb layer measurement, grain size measurement, macro examination, and inclusion rating — core capabilities of our material testing laboratory.
  • Investigating field technical complaints related to steel and HSS performance, with a focus on delivering application-based solutions through tool failure analysis carried out with state-of-the-art equipment in our technical services facility.
  • All metallurgical measuring equipment is verified against certified reference samples for the specific grades being tested.
  • Our metallurgical measuring equipment undergoes annual maintenance to meet Quality Management System requirements.

Metallurgical Laboratory Equipment

Our metallurgical lab is well-equipped to conduct metallographic and hardness testing’s with equipment like:

  • Abrasive cutting machine with coolant spray
  • Mounting machine
  • Belt grinding machine
  • Micro polishing machine with 2 discs with variable speed adjustment
  • Optical microscope, with magnification max 1500x. Model: Correct Tokyo, Seiwa Pptical
  • Inverted optical microscope, with magnification 1500x. Model: Axiovert 40 MAT.
  • Binocular microscope. Model: Stemi D4, Zeiss, Correct Tokyo and Seiwa Optical
  • Digital portable microscope. Model: Dino Lite
  • Rockwell Hardness tester
A person looking through microscope in a voestalpine Metallurgical lab

Frequently Asked Questions About Our Metallurgical Laboratory

1. Why should I choose voestalpine’s metallurgical testing laboratory?

voestalpine’s metallurgical testing laboratory combines advanced testing equipment with experienced metallurgists to identify material defects, evaluate tool performance, and recommend the right material or treatment for your application. Our laboratory supports manufacturers with accurate analysis, faster root cause identification, and technical recommendations to improve productivity and tool life.

2. What types of tool failure analysis does voestalpine provide?

Our laboratory performs comprehensive tool failure analysis to determine the root cause of failures such as cracking, chipping, wear, deformation, corrosion, thermal fatigue, and premature tool breakdown. Based on the findings, we recommend suitable tool steel grades, heat treatment processes, or surface coatings to improve performance and reduce future failures.

3. What testing services are available at your material testing laboratory?

Our material testing laboratory offers a wide range of services, including:

  • Metallographic examination
  • Hardness testing
  • Microstructure analysis
  • Fractography
  • Chemical composition verification
  • Failure investigation
  • Material characterization
  • Quality inspection and validation

These services help manufacturers verify material quality and improve production reliability.

4. Which industries benefit from your metallurgical laboratory services?

Our metallurgical testing laboratory supports a wide range of industries, including automotive, aerospace, die & mould, plastics processing, oil & gas, medical devices, heavy engineering, and precision manufacturing. We help manufacturers improve material performance, reduce downtime, and extend component life.

5. When should I request a tool failure analysis?

You should consider a tool failure analysis if you experience recurring tool breakage, excessive wear, poor surface finish, unexpected die failure, reduced tool life, or production downtime. Early analysis helps identify the root cause and minimizes costly production interruptions.

6. Can your metallurgical laboratory help select the right tool steel for my application?

Yes. Our metallurgical experts evaluate your manufacturing process, operating conditions, load requirements, wear mechanisms, and application environment to recommend the most suitable tool steel grade and heat treatment solution. This helps improve tool life, productivity, and overall manufacturing efficiency.

7. Why is material testing important before production?

Testing materials before production helps verify that they meet the required mechanical and metallurgical properties. A professional material testing laboratory can identify defects, inconsistencies, or unsuitable material conditions before they lead to production failures, reducing scrap, downtime, and maintenance costs.

8. How can I request metallurgical testing or failure analysis from voestalpine India?

You can contact voestalpine High Performance Metals India to discuss your testing requirements. Our metallurgical specialists will review your application, understand the issue, recommend the appropriate metallurgical testing laboratory services or tool failure analysis, and provide technical support to help improve product performance and manufacturing efficiency.

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION:

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