Proficiency Testing for Metallography & Grain Size

[KevinMH]

We're in the process of acquiring Nadcap certification for our internal laboratory and are having difficulty in finding an outside source for proficieny testing for general metallography and grain size. PRI's list of recognized providers does not have anyone currently providing that service for the products we produce - stainless steel, tool steel and low alloy steel bar, billet and plate. PRI used to offer the service, but no longer do so and collaborative testing service doen't offer a test for what we need. I've done an internet search and am not turning up any providers. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[EdStainless]

Who do you know on the NADCAP Materials Testing Laboratory Task Group?, Ask.

First of all you are trying demonstrate compliance with ASTM (or AMS) specifications.
How do you do that now?

We have divided ours up, sample prep has one set of rules, and size measurement another.
This lets me use precision powder samples are a verification of the size measurement.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Plymouth Tube

 

[KevinMH]

Ed, Thanks for the reply. I'm relatively new to Nadcap and this organization, though experienced in the industry. We currently demonstrate compliance to ASTM and AMS specifications mostly by certification changes and calibrations. We also run both internal round robins for employees trained for various tests and participate in external proficiency testing. We do plan on contacting Nadcap regarding this and one other item from the audit.

Nadcap specifically has written in a requirement for external proficiency testing that covers metallography and grain size measurements. I don't seee how using a precision powder sample to verify size measurement meets a requirement for proficiency testing - it strikes me as 2 different issues. Verification of calibration versus an indication of how well your lab does analyzing samples versus other labs.

Kevin