How can manufacturers trust that their powders will result in a quality, high-performing product? Powders can pose unique challenges to characterize, because unlike most materials where you’re dealing with one solid material, you need to describe millions – or even billions – of tiny individual particles that contribute to a collective property or behavior. No…

Earning accreditations is a critical asset for a third-party materials testing lab because it provides independent validation of technical competence, impartiality, and consistent operation. Here at NSL Analytical, we understand these certifications bolster the trust and reliability our customers expect. Industry accreditations give our clients confidence, knowing that their test results are consistently accurate, dependable,…

Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) and LECO (Combustion Analysis and Inert Gas Fusion) testing are the leading industry methods for testing the elemental composition of metals, ceramics, and other materials. Each brings a unique capability to accurately and repeatably generate reliable testing results on various materials. When used in conjunction, however, they allow manufacturers and engineers…

The materials behind today’s products matter as much – or more – than the design itself. Whether for standard components for heavy machinery or complex parts for mission-critical applications, material performance and integrity can mean the difference between meeting strict compliance standards and missing your important timeline goals. This is where objective materials testing from…

Different phases of materials have different benefits to their performance in a specific application. These phases form from the relationship of how atoms in a material stack together and even the same chemistry can present as different phases under different conditions of heat treatment or in different environments! Examining a material’s phase requires special testing…

In 1965, Gordon Moore set the path for the semiconductor revolution with his article “Cramming More Components onto Integrated Circuits” That vision of doubling the number of integrated circuits on each chip every 1-2 years was coined “Moore’s Law”. For the past 60 years, it has motivated exponential technology roadmaps that have transformed modern life….

Unlocking Velocity in Metal AM Materials Development through Testing Metal AM printing technology is going through an exponential development period with a myriad of new alloy development approaches coupled with exciting new process improvements.  Taken together a new phase of industrial application expansion of its use is happening.  The key to unlocking this potential is…

Metal powders exhibit native oxide surface films which readily interact with ambient moisture to varying degrees. A series of typical metal powders used in AM powder bed fusion processes were exposed to various environmental conditions in order to control their moisture content. The bulk flow properties of the powders were then characterized using a drum-style…

The use of true cryogenic treatments in the United States can be followed back to the Watertown Arsenal in Watertown, Massachusetts circa World War II. Since then, the use of cryogenic and sub-zero treatments during conventional heat-treating processes has continued to play an important role in maximizing wear resistance and dimensional stability in high alloy,…