Most modern, large industrial complexes such as petrochemical and power generation facilities utilize computers to control and monitor the production equipment known as Distributed Control Systems or DCS. This insight shows how DCS works, and we explore the data provided to help identify the cause...
You may have heard the phrase “headache ball” when someone mentions a crane. Beyond the obvious explanation (imagine walking into it), what is a headache ball?
Our Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) is capable of 100,000X magnification, allowing a close-up look at material surfaces for defects, inclusions, and fracture characteristics. By using a SEM/EDS to study the surface of the fracture, the question of how the part broke - or the mode of fracture -...
Computer graphics are visual communication tools to aid an audience in visualizing data in a clear and interesting manner, compared to text or oral communication alone. Within this article are examples of how EDT uses Computer Graphics for Forensic Engineering purposes.
EDT was asked to determine the scope of storm-related damage to a religious facility that claimed in excess of five million dollars of damage. The following information is a review of the case, and what EDT found was the actual cause of damage.
EDT was asked to review the construction of a multimillion-dollar addition to a food processing facility and to determine the cause of water penetration through the floors of the facility. The following information is a review of what we found that went wrong, and what we concluded to "solve" this...
Welcome to the last of a three-part presentation on current trends in fuel oils and fuel oil contamination. This part of the series will cover trends in fuel oil blending, means to protect your equipment, or discover when your fuel oil has been contaminated.
Have you ever noticed eye-catching stars positioned on the fronts of masonry row homes in urban areas, such as Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, and various other cities? The stars are not just ornamental; they are also functional.
Welcome to part two of a three-part presentation on current trends in fuel oils and fuel oil contamination. This part of the series will cover the typical contaminants found in fuel oil and the damage these contaminants can cause.
Those of us who choose to live in Florida, expect the occasional hurricane. Some years are quiet while others are much more active. The discussion with respect to oncoming hurricanes is always: Do I evacuate or stay put and ride it out?
Welcome to the first in a three-part presentation on current trends in fuel oils and fuel oil contamination. EDT hopes you will come away from this series with better knowledge of oil as a fuel, what can contaminate fuel oil, the damages caused by contaminants, and means to prevent or identify the...
During the 2018 Exploration and Production Standards Conference on Oilfield Equipment and Materials held in Denver, Colorado, Engineering Design & Testing Corp. (EDT) Engineer Glenn Armstrong, M.S.M.E., P.E. was presented with a 30-year award for participation in API standards activities.
The effects of Hurricane Florence have yet to be measured. There is potential for Florence to have the greatest impact of a storm making landfall on the Carolinas in recent history. While still in the Atlantic Ocean, wind gusts reached up to 150 miles per hour (mph), and there was fear the hurricane...
In a world filled with loss there is an ongoing need to respond and recover. Some loss is accepted as the ordinary result of everyday life. Other loss is exceptional (due to acts of nature) or unreasonable (defects due to actions of persons or entity that result in unreasonable hazards). Persons...
Post-fire structural evaluation by a forensic engineer is necessary to determine the extent of damage, whether the structural components of a building involved in a fire remain adequate to meet their original design intent, and/or to consider repair or replacement options.
