MATERIALS ENGINEERING UNIT

Director : Prof. Dr. Magdy Mohamed Abdel-Hamid

 

Unit's Objectives and Activities


We are proud to present some of the main facilities available at the Materials and Metallurgy Laboratories - Engineering Consultancy Unit - Faculty of Engineering - Ain Shams University. Our Metallurgy and Materials Engineering Laboratories include a great number of different testing machines and equipment. Testing is performed in compliance with international standards, herewith fulfilling the acceptance criteria of products. In addition, our laboratories offer consultancy in issues concerning production processes, failure analysis, and materials applications in different engineering fields. In the next few pages we present, in detail, the different equipment available at the laboratories, their capabilities, in addition to the tests and inspections that might be performed. Furthermore, it is our pleasure to list the names of some firms and companies that return to our laboratories for the accomplishment of the needed inspections and testing. Finally, we also discuss our future plans for developing our laboratories.

Equipment and Facilities


Chemical Analysis Equipment:

  • A German Spectrometer for analyzing iron alloys (low, and high carbon steels, alloy steels, stainless steels, cast iron), as well as copper and aluminum alloys.

  • An X-Ray chemical analysis unit, equipped wit an electronic microscope, for the analysis of nickel, silver, and gold alloys.

Microscopic Inspection Equipment:

  • A number of Light Microscopes, equipped with different magnifications and metallographic photography of magnifications of up to 1200X.

  • An Electron Microscope with capabilities of photographing with magnifications of up to 200,000X. The microscope is also equipped with an EDZ analyzer, using X-rays for analyzing the elements and phases in metallic specimens.

Equipment for measuring Mechanical Properties:

  • Universal Testing Machine of 30ton capacity, controlled by a personal computer. The machine is used for undergoing tension, compression, and bending tests.

  • Impact Testing Machine, for performing impact tests, according to Charpy's or Izod's method.

  • Mechanical Fatigue Testing Machine, of the rotating bending type.

  • Brinell Hardness tester.

  • Vickers Hardness tester.

  • Rockwell Hardness tester (A, B, C)

  • Shore Hardness Tester for Polymers

Equipment for Environmental Measurements:

  • : IMR 1400, USA, for measuring polluting gases from chimes (involves measurements of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, oxygen, and gas temperature).

  • Komyo-Kitagawa precision gas detector, Japan, for measuring gases and volatile fumes inside the working areas: (includes the detection of trichloroethylene, ethyl benzene, benzene, nitrogen dioxide, xylene, methyl alcohol, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and others.)

  • Data Ram 1000, USA, for the detection of suspended dust being inhaled inside working areas.

  • PAS 2000, USA, for measuring the total amount of suspended dust

  • Digital Sound Level Meter.

  • Digital Light Meter.

  • Equipments for Heat Stress Measurements.

  • Other measurements and examinations involve the determination of temperatures, ventilation, physical factors, the recycling of solid wastes (metallic or non-metallic)

Non-Destructive Testing Equipment:

  • The use of X-Rays for crack investigation (for welded parts).

  • The use of Ultrasonic waves for the examination of internal defects.

  • Dye Penetrant.

Other Equipment:


The laboratories also contain a number of furnaces that are used for the purpose of heat-treating different metals and alloys. Over and above, there exist the necessary furnaces and equipment for the determination of the ability of plastics to maintain their dimensions at elevated temperatures, as well as their resistance to cracking and to thermal deformation.

Future Plans:


Our laboratories are planning to undergo developments, to make the following equipment available:

  • Equipment necessary for thermal analysis to determine melting temperatures, specific heat, and internal heat energies.

  • Equipment necessary for constructing a laboratory for polymer testing.

Previous Practical Experience

  • Mechanical testing (tension, compression, bending, fatigue).

  • Hardness testing.

  • Impact testing.

  • Chemical analysis of iron, copper, and aluminum alloys, in addition to non-traditional alloys, such as silver, gold, and nickel alloys.

  • Microscopic inspection, and metallographic photography of the crystal structure of metals and alloys.

  • Inspection of pipes made of cast iron, PVC, and ceramics.

  • Measurements of the thickness of metal, painting, and concrete lining layers of malleable cast iron pipes.

  • Measurements of internal hydrostatic pressures for pipes and valves.

  • Measurements of the thickness of the galvanization layer in galvanized steel sheets.

  • Mechanical testing of metal sheets.

  • Technical assistance in the design and manufacturing of spare parts in Egypt.

  • Heat treatment of metal parts.

  • Analysis of the reasons of failure in mechanical parts.

  • Mechanical testing of materials used in the field of dentistry.

  • Mechanical testing of plastics, leather, and rubber.

  • Testing the effect of temperature on materials, especially plastics.

  • Testing the conformance of welding electrodes and fillers to international specifications.

  • Testing the compliance of door locks with Egyptian standards.

  • Testing the agreement of plastic sheets with Egyptian standards.

  • Testing the conformance of grinding paper to international standards.

  • Mechanical and thermal testing of glass wool.

Laboratories' Consultation Experience:

The laboratories are registered to perform mechanical testing (for metals, plastics and ceramics) and metallurgical inspection, for the following:

  • Amon for Industrial Engineering Co.

  • Mechanical Engineering Company

  • Delta Steel Mill Co.

  • Taki Vita Co.

  • Miraco Carrier

  • ABB

  • Top Quality - Acrow Misr

  • Cairo Co For Metal Casting

  • Tawakol

  • Over Seas Int. Trading Co

  • Abd Ellah M. Sons Co. For Infra & Contraction

  • Egyptian Town Gas

  • Quality Services Group (S.A.E)

  • The Arab Contractors

  • Electro Cable Egypt

  • Wadi Hatcheries

  • Central Metallurgical and Development institute

  • International Inspection & Consulting Office

  • Nile Egypt Co.

  • Tubal Egypt

  • The Egyptian Contracting Co. "EL- Abd"

  • Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities Organization "New Cairo City Authority"

  • Ghabbour Egypt

Additionally, our laboratories have successfully accomplished following projects in the field of environmental Engineering:

  • An integrated approach to environmental upgrading of Egyptian small foundries, University linkage project

  • Environmental impact assessment report for Shawa Plastics, Badr City

  • Environmental upgrading for small workshops in greater Cairo

  • The recycling of Lead, Aluminum, and polystyrene foam.

 

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