Metallurgist Expert Witness

Expert Witness No.1287

California

Education

B.S., Metallurgical Engineering, University of Washington, 1960 Registered Metallurgical Engineer in California

Registered Corrosion Engineer in California

Other Education

Enrolled at University of Chicago for one Quarter for M.S. degree in business, 1964. University of California Extension, one Quarter "Failure Analysis". Attendance at several seminars in the field of metallurgy and welding

Awards and Professional Society Affiliation

Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society

Past Chairman, American Society of Metals

Chairman, "WESTEC" Technical Conference

Fellow Selection Committee, ASM

American Society for Metals

American Welding Society

American Institute of Steel Construction

National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE)

Registered Professional Engineer, California - Metallurgy

Registered Professional Engineer, California - Corrosion

American Association of Engineering

President Independent Metallurgical Engineering

National Association of Corrosion Engineers, NACE

CEAC, Firm Membership in Consulting Engineers Association of California

Work Experience

President/Owner - 1993 to present

Consulting Metallurgical and Corrosion Engineer, Materials Consulting. Laboratory Analysis, Failure Analysis, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Metallography.

LM Laboratories: President, Owner - 1986 to 1993

Consulting Metallurgical and Corrosion Engineer, Consulting, Laboratory Analysis, Failure Analysis, Electron Microscopy and Metallography.

METTEK (Materials Engineering and Technologies) Laboratories Partner: 1979 - 1986

Consulting Metallurgical and Corrosion Engineer

Testing Engineers, Los Angeles: Chief Metallurgical and Consulting Corrosion Engineer - 1967-1975

Responsible for consulting activities of two metallurgists, manager of the metallurgical laboratory, non-destructive testing and field inspection of structural steel welding. Also technical advisor to the mechanical test and chemical laboratory. Principle consultant on the following projects:

Santa Fe Engineering Company: Construction of piers in Aba Daba, Saudi Arabia.  Responsible for inspection welding, construction and painting.

Valley Nitrogen Company:  Failure analysis of large 13-18" wall forgings in the primary reformer column due to hydrogen damage. Analysis including development of non-destructive ultrasonic testing technique to find hydrogen damage in steel forging. Damage was induced to hydrogen high partial pressure at moderate temperature.

Beker Industries - Petrochemical Company: Wrote numerous welding specifications for low and high alloy steel elements for the petrochemical industries. Performed numerous failure analyses of corrosion problems inherent in the chemical processes used to produce ammonia. Work included study of alloys that functioned at temperatures as high as 1800°F.

The Boeing Company and H. W. Loud Company: Principal Engineer in charge of program on testing and analysis of Electron Beam Welding 4340 Steel used on the Boeing 747 landing gear. The program included tensile, metallography, impact, fatigue and stress corrosion testing and analysis. Developed the test program and designed technique and fixturing to do stress corrosion testing.

Parker Hannifin Corporation: Consultant on materials and processes for Apollo Space Program, and all major commercial aircraft manufacturers. Work involved selection of materials for oxygen, nitrogen oxide, hydrazine, etc., for space flight. Performed numerous corrosion failure analyses on aerospace hydraulics on aluminum, steel, and high temperature alloys.

Eagle Picture Corporation:  Research Engineer, 1960-1966

Conducted research and analysis of ceramic/metal products. Development of low and high temperature ceramic coatings for application on steel, aluminum and high temperature alloys. Development of coatings and process engineering for corrosion protection systems in the appliance industry, including washers, dryers, ovens, water tanks, grain storage, and architectural paneling. Served as plant engineer and consultant to Whirlpool, Westinghouse, General Electric, and many other similar manufacturers. Performed numerous failure analyses on corrosion problems related to metal/ceramic composite products.

The Boeing Company:  Research Engineer - 1959-1960

Conducted studies on electrolytic deburring of metals. Worked with Sam Lawrence on monitoring hydrogen in plating solutions and aided in the early research development of the Lawrence Hydrogen Gauge.

U.S. Corps of Engineers:  1958-1959

Performed laboratory analysis of construction materials for missile sites in Alaska. Monitored cathodic protection systems on piers.

Typical Clients

Gould Pump Company: St. Thomas and St. Croix Desalination Plants in Virgin Islands; Analysis of corrosion problems on painted carbon steel, stress corrosion cracking of stainless steel, corrosion of bronze impellers and corrosion fatigue of stainless steel pump shafting. Consulting included not only analyses and determination of the causes of corrosion, but also recommendations for corrective action.

Southern California Edison: Utility; Consultant on many structural material failures involving boiler tubing, steam piping, condenser tubing, steam turbines and jet turbines and coal fired, oil fired and nuclear generating plants in California and Nevada. Coordinated failure analyses programs with General Electric, Westinghouse and Bechtel Corporation on major failure analyses.

Bertea Corporation: Aerospace Hydraulics; Establishment of specifications for heat treatment, machining, plating and processing of HP-9-4-30 alloy for space shuttle landing gear hydraulics.

The Boeing Company and Rohr A/C: Establishment of design, manufacture and material selection for test fixture to test the shear bolts that hold the engines on the wings of the 747 airplane.

Marine Hardware: Consultant to Captain Brian Smith in San Diego (Marine Surveyor). Conducted failure analysis of propeller shafting, bearings and diesel engine parts. Primary consultation has been performed on tuna fishing vessels out of San Diego.

Wheel Industry: Consultant to many wheel manufacturing companies, lug nut manufacturers, test fabricators, and SEMA and SFI organizations. Consultant and expert witness in numerous wheel cases.

LeFiell Manufacturing: Manufacturer of Pratt Whitney engine shafts and precision high alloy tubing for aerospace industry. Consultant to Management of LeFiell Manufacturing on materials and process sequences, welding procedures and evaluation, development of forging furnaces and forging practices for manufacture of jet engine shafts and development of high temperature furnaces, forging furnaces, and quenching facilities. Conducted failure analysis of manufacturing process sequences and corrected manufacturing sequences as needed.   Interfaced with all of LeFiell' s manufacturing customers with respect to any failure analysis conducted for the company.

Pacific Scientific/Kentec Company: Corporate consultant to company. Manufacturer of aerospace controls and actuators and also manufacturer of pipe snubbers for nuclear plant installations.

Toyota Racing and Development, Inc, Irvine, California: Corporate metallurgical consultant. Conducted failure analysis and evaluated materials and processes sequences for manufacturing of high precision racing components for racing cars, and worked with research department on development of new alloys and new applications. Metallurgical consultant to not only the Toyota racing team but also other racing teams within the racing industry.

Department of Transportation/State of California/CALTRANS: Metallurgical consultant to CALTRANS since 1985. Conducted failure analysis on construction projects including bridges, freeway overpass construction, etc. Provided consultation and metallurgical evaluation of welded reinforcing steel for freeway project repairs in the San Diego area and the Orange County freeway system.

Lectures

Course on Welding Inspection and Testing

Failure analysis of Welds

Failure Analysis in Manufacturing

Failure Analysis of Welded Structures

Corrosion Seminar

Failure Analysis

Metallurgy for Non-Metallurgists

Basic Approach to Failure analysis

Failure Analysis of Aluminum Wheels

Typical Investigations and Areas of Failure Analysis of Components Involving Products Liability Litigation

Hydraulic power booms and winches on Tuna Vessels

Crane failures and lifting platforms, electric and hydraulic actuated devices.

Scaffolding on buildings and bridge projects.

Hydraulic and pneumatic devices for Aerospace (large and small aircraft)

Hydrogen embrittlement and stress corrosion failures of many ferrous and non-ferrous alloy structural components.

Medical implants, prosthesis, heart valves, nails, hip devices.

Piping, pumps, turbines, boilers at power plants and petrochemical plants.

Automobile and truck wheels (ferrous and non-ferrous).

Pressure vessel analysis, water and steam, gas butane.

Fasteners, bolts, rivets used in power plants and on aircraft and automobiles.

Seats, structural frame, doors, roof tops of automobiles.

Swaged components cables, regulators on aircraft and automobile.

Typical Investigations of Failures Associated With Pressure Vessels in The Refinery Industry / Failure Analysis of Equipment For Utilities

Failure analysis of air recirculating fans for San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station

Technical reports and literature survey on corrosion and stress corrosion cracking of ferritic stainless steels performed for Southern California Edison

Failure analysis of reactor vessel primary condenser tubes for Lever Brothers Company

Literature survey and corrosion studies on metals in liquid ammonia performed for J. C. Carter Company

Metallurgical evaluation of seam welds in A-514 steel shock tubes for New Mexico Research Institute and United States Army

Failure analysis of 18" diameter Christmas tree header attached to reactor vessel at UNOCAL Wilmington Station. The study involved the failure analysis of the vessel, analysis of the catalyst materials in the vessel, and involved ultrasonic thickness inspection and evaluation of the vessel for continued service

Failure analysis of secondary super heater tube failure, Huntington Beach Plant of Southern California Edison

Consulting, failure analysis, welding, metallurgy, and corrosion evaluations of new equipment during construction and installation at Southern California Nuclear Generating Station

Failure analysis of transition weld from super heater tubing Mohave Fossil Fired Utility Plant for Southern California Edison – SA-213 T-22 type steel operating at 1000 degrees F.

Metallurgical analysis of boiler feed water pump, Alamitos Unit - Southern California Edison

Metallurgical evaluation of heat affected zone cracking at the toe of the welds on main steam lines at Mohave Generating Station, carbon steel tubing type operating at 1000-1000 degrees F -1974.

Failure analysis evaluation of heat exchanger inlet nozzle crack in 304 stainless, Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station performed for Bechtel Power Corp.

Analysis of cracking in F-601 furnace tube failures for USA Petrochem Corporation, material was 2-1/4" chrome, 1" molybdenum steel

Metallurgical analysis of boiler tubing from Azurn boiler for Ultrapower, Inc., Irvine, California, boiler tube samples operating at 825 psig and approximately 950°F

Evaluation of welding on nozzles of pressure vessel for hydrogen reactor for Beker Resources Corp., Carlsbad, New Mexico. Involving welding and fabrication sequence of RA-330 alloy steel for special high temperature hydrogen service at the Beker Industries ammonia power plant

Metallurgical evaluation of all pressure vessels and piping at Monsanto ammonia power plant purchased by Beker Industries to be moved to Idaho for reconstruction. All pressure vessels were evaluated and criteria established for inspection and degradation of all old pressure vessels. Subsequent to this evaluation, new construction guidelines and welding procedures were written for the Idaho plant. Some 25 different welding procedures were written to cover all types of carbon steels and alloy steels for construction of the new ammonia plant

Failure analysis of heat exchanger tubing for Valley Nitrogen Producers. The material involved carbon steel SA-179 tubing

Metallurgical analysis of PCC high temperature superheater tube failure for superheater section Valley Nitrogen Producers

Metallurgical analysis and cracking of steel pipe on tail gas reactor nitric acid plant, Valley Nitrogen Producers

Evaluation of welding procedures to be used in welding A-515 steel for secondary reformer and burner chamber, Valley Nitrogen Producers

Failure analysis of HK-30 heavy wall pipe used for hydrogen generation for ammonia plant, Valley Nitrogen Producers
Failure analysis of Inconel 600 expansion joint for solarflex and pressure vessel, Valley Nitrogen Producers

Metallurgical evaluation of pipe samples from converted gas waste heat boiler, Unit H8, Valley Nitrogen Producers

Metallurgical study and evaluation of 13" wall steel forgings on the top and bottom ends of a 72" ID ammonia converter. Enclosures top and bottom suffered hydrogen damage due to excessive temperature and high partial pressure. Approximate partial pressure of hydrogen in this vessel was 1500 psi and skin temperature on the outside surface was 350-600°F. At the top of the vessel, the maximum temperature was 600-700°F. The analysis revealed the damage and degradation was due to hydrogen diffusion and internal fissuring at microstructure constituents within the steel forging.
My recommendation was to replace the forgings with a 3 chrome 1 molybdenum type of steel consistent with SA-182 F22 material - Valley Nitrogen Producers

Litigation Experience Expert 1287 Has Given Approximately 300 Depositions and Testified in Court Approximately 40 Times as an Expert Witness

Typical Consulting Provided to the Legal Industry:

Pasadena Bridge Collapse

Consultant and Failure Investigations on many cases (especially aluminum ladders) for Claims Manager

Consultant and Failure Analysis of Helicopter

Corrosion analysis of aluminum seats at the Rose Bowl Deposition given

California defendant in murder trial court testimony three days Client acquitted

Investigation and on boating accident involving death of one part.

Steel wheel failure, investigation and report

Analysis of Monel shaft from tuna boat "navigator" and Analysis of boom failure, case in progress

Analysis and report on failure of prosthesis, Court Testimony

Oil spill in San Diego Bay

Optical Radiation Corp - Federal Court

Investigation conducted on failure of ball joints on automobiles.

Metallurgical analysis of a wheel failure and testimony in trial in Bakersfield

Investigations were conducted on aircraft hardware.
Analysis of a large sailing yacht was conducted and testimony given in trial

Failure analysis and testimony given

Metallurgical failure analysis and testimony have been given

Failure analysis of aluminum wheel and deposition were given

Case involving a truck wheel failure, failure analysis of suspension on small Dodge Omni

Failure analysis of automobile wheel

Metallurgical consultant and failure analysis on numerous cases involving Fruehauf Truck and Trailer,
Cessna Aircraft, truck wheel failure for Alcoa Aluminum Company.

Publications, Patent Awards (Corporate)

Available upon request