Original Date: 04/06/1998
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

The Anniston Army Depot’s (ANAD’s) Materials Laboratory is a 1,800- square foot facility built in 1988, utilized to support on-Depot and off-Depot customers and missions. The laboratory’s equipment and capabilities consist of the following: Metallography (sectioning, mounting, polishing); Stereo Microscopes (1-50X); Metallographs (50- 1000X); Photography (1-1000X); Scanning Electron Microscope with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analyzer (5- 100,000X); Optical Emission Spectrometer (9 bases); X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer; Universal Mechanical Tester (Tension/Compression) shown in Figure 2-1; Charpy Impact Tester; Macro and Micro Hardness Testers; Profilometer; and Laboratory Information Management System.

The laboratory’s mission can be identified in the following four categories:

1. Support of Depot Materials Related Processes
Laboratory personnel support the Depot’s materials related processes consisting of welding, heat treating, plating, flame spraying, vacuum brazing, and nondestructive testing (NDT). The support rendered consists of metallurgical and mechanical testing, process procedure development and validation, trouble-shooting process problems, identification and purchase of new equipment, quality control testing, process control documents development, failure analysis, and certification of equipment as well as consumables.

2. Training and Certification
Laboratory personnel develop course material, conduct classroom training, and serve as the program managers for the welding and NDT training and certification programs. The welding program consists of welder inspection training and physical testing and certification to 18 various skill codes (e.g, specifications). The NDT program consists of training and certification in Magnetic Particle, Liquid Penetrant, Ultrasonic, and Radiography. Re-certification is required every three years for more than 100 welders.

3. Reclamation Procedure Development
The laboratory is extensively involved in the development of reclamation procedures for the repair of unserviceable components for various end items such as AGT 1500 turbine engines. Laboratories are typically considered overhead organizations and do not contribute to the bottom line. The Materials Laboratory, however, working with shop personnel and commercial vendors, has developed repair procedures that generate substantial cost savings ($13.5 million over three years). Savings per engine reclaimed amounted to $12,000 as a result of using the less expensive repaired components in lieu of purchasing the higher priced new components.

4. Support of Off-Depot Customers
The support of off-Depot customers by the Materials Laboratory consists of materials testing; serving as expert witnesses for fraud investigations; materials testing and failure analyses for teaming customers (ANAD joint venture partners); tours for high school and college students to introduce them to materials engineering and various engineering career options; and sharing of resources (e.g., equipment) with a local university.

The existence of the Materials Laboratory is well justified because it serves to meet many of the Depot’s needs and generates significant revenue that covers its expenditures.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.