Tejas Tubular Products - Laboratories

TEJAS TUBULAR LABORATORIES

General Information

Tejas Tubular's experienced QA & QC Team, specialized in Metallurgy, operate our state-of-the-art, fully equipped and continuously updated Metallographic and Mechanical Testing laboratories to make sure that beside our Quality Craftsmanship in the production process only materials free of faults and defects are processed.

Metallographic evaluations and Mechanical Testing are considered to be the primary tool of Tejas Tubular related to material and components. Material microstructures are characterized; product comparison testing assessed and required API/Customer final product Testing procedures are completed in our laboratories.

Metallographic Laboratory Control Process Chart

At Tejas Tubular, several suitably equipped metallographic laboratories are available for the preparation of test-pipe. These laboratories contain various cutters, filling presses, manual and automatic surface grinders and polishers, as well as a chemical etching area. In addition, an optical microscope (up to magnification 1000) is available.

The micrographs can be developed and printed. A mechanical laboratory, equipped with several types of hardness testers as Vickers, Micro Hardness, Rockwell and Brinell are also available.

1. Precision Sectioning Material Equipment
Samples to be evaluated by metallographic optical analysis are cut into small sections by Tejas Tubular Sectioning Machines using either automatic or manual configurations. The precision of the cutter helps us to provide quality samples in order to facilitate the mounting. Tejas Mounting Press provides high-caliber samples with efficiency and simplicity to assist in the handling of samples while the metallographic analysis is performed.

2. Metallographic Samples Preparation
Tejas Tubular prepares all samples with a different dry or wet grinder/polisher using high quality consumables, which are specially-formulated to meet our laboratory requirements. The samples are polished with different grind courses with diverse abrasives in several steps to get a surface free of roughness. After a final polish the sample is ready for chemical/metallographic etching where the structural characteristic of the steel and materials is developed and tested. The appropriate reactive is used in that procedure.

3. High Resolution Optical Microscopy
Tejas Tubular state-of-the-art optical microscope with image clarity and perfect resolution is used for metallographic evaluation of samples and allows examination of specimens with accurate magnification. It allows identification and analysis of our production process and final sample testing to assure the quality of the product is guaranteed.

Mechanical Laboratory Control Process Chart

The Tejas Tubular Mechanical Testing Laboratory does offer a wide range of mechanical testing capabilities, including standard tension, hardness & impact testing. Samples for quality control at the metallurgical laboratory are taken from different steps of the production process and when necessary from the final product to assure Quality. These procedures are established in our internal Quality Inspection plan or as required by customer standards.

4. Precision Sample Cutting and Preparation
The preparation of mechanical samples is made in our laboratory workshop by Tejas Tubular QA &QC specialists who prepare the product taken according to ASTM and other specifications taken as references. The samples are handled per production lots according with national or international standards or as required by our customers. Sections of the tubular product will be cut with our precision sectioning equipment.

5. Universal Testing Machine
Tubular products are specified by their properties. Mechanical properties are the most important because almost all fabrication processes and most service conditions involve "mechanical loading". Procedures for tension tests of metals are established in ASTM E-8 or as required by our customer. The mechanical Properties determined at Tejas Tubular Mechanical Laboratory universal testing machine are:

Y.S.: Yield Strength determinates the maximum stress that can be developed in a tubular product without causing plastic deformation. It is the stress at which steel is a practical approximation of elastic limit.

U.T.S.: Ultimate Tensile Strength of a product is the maximum stress developed in a material during a tension test.

% Elongation: Measurement of the ductility of steel. It is determined in a tension test. A Higher elongation indicates higher ductility of the steel.

Tejas Tubular Universal Testing Machine is stringent calibrated on a continuous basis and each test result is documented and fully traceable.

6. Rockwell and Brinell Hardness Testers

Tejas Tubular measures surface hardness during the process of our tubular products. The hardness determines the resistance of the steel to be penetrated or indented by known material and is a useful tool for controlling the heat treatment process.

Rockwell Testing – ASTM 18: The tester method measures the permanent depth of indentation produced by a force on an indenter. First, a preliminary test force is applied to a sample using a diamond indenter. This is the zero or reference position that breaks through the surface. Then an additional test force is applied to reach the total required test. This force is held for a predetermined amount of time to allow for elastic recovery of the metal.

After releasing the force the final position is measured against the preliminary position and converted to a hardness number.

Brinell testing - ASTM E 10: A standard carbide ball indenter with a fixed diameter is used being forced with a predetermined test load for a preset time (10 to 15 seconds) into the sample. After measuring the permanent indentation width (The test measurement is done using a standard 20X Brinell scope), a sample chart is used to convert the averaged measurements to Brinell hardness.

7. Impact Testing Machine
The Charpy impact test – ASTM E 23: Measurement of the energy absorbed by a high strain rate fracture of a standard notched specimen, indicated by the energy extracted from a simple beam apparatus employing a pendulum-type hammer.

The results are reported in terms of energy absorbed per unit of specimen width, or the energy absorbed in breaking the specimen which is equal to the difference between the potential energy at the moment of impact and the residual energy.

Tejas Tubular Products, Inc.
8640 North Green River Drive • Houston, Texas 77028

713-631-0071 Phone • 800-469-7549 Toll Free • 713-631-0072 Fax

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