books on analyzing broken parts? 3

[BobM3]

I've got a small shaft that is broken and I'd like to learn a bit about looking at the fractured surfaces and trying to figure out what happened. Are there any good books (with pictures) you can recommend?

 

[TVP]

BobM3,

There are a number of very good books on the subject of failure analysis, fractography, etc. Almost all of the good ones are available from ASM International. My recommendations are as follows:

Understanding How Components Fail by Donald Wulpi. This is a good introduction to the subject, with useful illustrations. Only 293 pages, so it is somewhat limited in depth of coverage.

http://asmcommunity.asminternational.org/portal/site/

http://www/menuitem.2b9d1953d012ee1...453501f0f8110VgnVCM100000701e010aRCRD&itemId=

ASM HANDBOOK Volume 12 Fractography. This is probably the best single reference if you want to understand everything about fracture surfaces. Over 1300 fractographs are packed into a little over 500 pages. An amazing reference.

http://asmcommunity.asminternational.org/portal/site/

http://www/menuitem.2b9d1953d012ee1...810a74e0f8110VgnVCM100000701e010aRCRD&itemId=

ASM HANDBOOK Volume 11 Failure Analysis and Prevention. This is another great ASM reference, but it is not devoted to fracture—lots of other coverage such as corrosion, wear, distortion, tools & techniques for analyzing failures, etc. I can’t recommend this one over Volume 12, but if you are looking for long term reference value for a business, both of these provide outstanding value.

http://asmcommunity.asminternational.org/portal/site/

http://www/menuitem.2b9d1953d012ee1...e10a74e0f8110VgnVCM100000701e010aRCRD&itemId=

Also take a look at these previous threads and web links. Some of the links won’t work any more, but there is some good information freely available on the web that you will find useful:

thread330-227459

thread330-161384

http://www.lbl.gov/ritchie/Teaching/MSE212/FCP07.pdf

http://www.tech.plym.ac.uk/sme/Interactive_Resources/tutorials/FailureAnalysis/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractography

 

[BobM3]

Wow, great reply TVP! I'll get going looking at those.

Thanks,
Bob

 

[swall]

I think you may find Wulpi's book right up your alley,as he he does incorporate elements of shaft failures in several sections of the book. Much of his failure analyis work at International Harvester involved shaft failures--axle shafts, crankshafts, beam shafts on tractors, etc.