Specializing in: product liability, failure analysis, patent disputes and intellectual property. We have 25 years experience with glass, ceramics, plastics, wood and metals; 100 depositions & many court appearances.


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Read Consulting Failure Analysis Blog

In addition, READ CONSULTING provides services to industry in the areas of failure analysis, process development and process improvement. Read Consulting is prepared to use its experience and expertise to analyze customers' specific problems.

Failure Analysis Articles & White Papers

Glass Failure Analysis of Wine Bottle

California Glass Failure Expert performs failure analysis of wine bottle revealing a manufacturing defect. In this case the root cause is a piece of un-melted glass.

Glass Failure Analysis of Beer Bottle

California Glass Failure Expert performs analysis on an exploding beer bottle. Failure analysis demonstrates that previous damage caused the delayed failure.

Glass Failure Analysis of Automobile Rear View Mirrors

California Glass Failure Expert analyses failures of heated automobile rear view mirrors. During the start of the scribe and break process, the scribe tool would crush the glass. This crush initiated the thermal stress failure.

Glass Failure Analysis of Glass Cookware

California Glass Failure Expert analyses broken glass cookware. This is a Pyrex pie plate that broke during use.

Plastic Failure Analysis of Plastic Chair

California Plastic Failure Expert Discusses failure of plastic lawn chair.

Glass Failure Analysis of Broken Glass Cookpot Cover

California Glass Failure Expert was asked to perform a failure analysis on a failed tempered glass cook pot cover. Root cause failure analysis of a tempered glass cookpot cover was performed. Included are the fracture origin and a discussion of the tension and stress of tempered glass.

Metal Failure Analysis of Knodt Rod Surgical Implant

California Materials Failure Expert discusses Metal Failure Analysis of a surgical implant; Product liability study and Failure analysis of a 316 stainless steel surgical implant. Includes scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis of the fatigue failure. Example of product defect analysis.

Materials Failure Analysis of Porcelain Ceramic

California Ceramic and Porcelain Failure Expert performs a product defect analysis which includes failure analysis of a porcelain toilet water tank. Included are porcelain ceramic failure analysis and evidence of prior leaking. Results indicate that there was no product defect or manufacturing defect present.

Reverse Engineering and Trade Secret Case

California Intellectual Property and Patent Expert discusses an Intellectual property case that includes a discussion of a trade secrets and the measurement techniques that are used to perform reverse engineering. Included are coordinate measuring machine, materials surface analysis and various polymer analysis techniques.

Food Contaminant Analysis

California Packaging Expert discusses a food packaging and product liability case which includes a root cause analysis of the source of steel filing contaminant found in tomato sauce. Detection methods include Fourier Transform Infrared Analysis, FTIR, to identify the polymer can liner and Energy dispersive X-ray analysis, EDAX, of the steel filing to determine its composition.

Glass Failure Analysis of Broken Jar

California Glass Failure Expert discusses a product liability case with a detailed failure analysis of a broken jar. Includes a root cause determination and detection of the failure origin. Includes analysis of damage to the steel lid of the jar. This failure was the result of impact damage to the jar. There was no product defect present.

Glass Failure Analysis of Wine Bottle Fracture

California Glass Failure Expert performs a root cause failure analysis of a broken wine bottle. Included is an analysis of damage caused by the cork screw, crack initiation and crack propagation.

Glass Failure Analysis of Tempered Glass

California Materials Failure Expert performs a Root Cause failure analysis of two tempered glass objects; a basketball backboard and a pickup truck rear window. Includes a discussion of Polarimeter surface stress measurements using a Strainoptics Grazing Angle Surface Polarimeter, GASP. Included is a detailed glass fracture analysis which includes determining the failure origin. This failure analysis study demonstrates how to analyze tempered glass.

Plastic Failure Analysis of Chair

California Plastic Failure Expert performs a Root Cause failure analysis on a plastic lawn chair. This paper discusses plastic fatigue, plastic weathering and plastic overload failure.

Glass Failure Analysis of a Sauce Bottle

California Glass Failure Expert performs a Root Cause failure analysis on a broken sauce bottle. This paper discusses analyzing a broken sauce bottle using Nomarski prism photomicroscopy.

Glass Failure Analysis on several Tempered Glass Doors

California Glass Failure Expert performs a Root Cause failure analysis on several tempered glass doors. This paper discusses analyzing tempered glass using Nomarski prism photomicroscopy, SEM and EDS analysis.

Glass Failure Analysis of a Broken Wine Bottle

California Glass Failure Expert performs a Root Cause failure analysis on a broken wine bottle that was involved in a personal injury lawsuit.

Metal Fatigue Analysis of a Bicycle Seat Post

California Product Liability Expert performs a Root Cause failure analysis on a bicycle seat post that was involved in a personal injury lawsuit.

Glass Failure Analysis on a tempered glass window

California Glass Failure Expert performs a Glass Failure Analysis on a tempered glass window installed in a custom home. This paper discusses the use of a Strain Optics Grazing Angle Surface Polarimeter (GASP).

Product Liability and Personal Injury case involving a Broken Grinding Wheel

California Product Liability Expert performs a Root Cause Failure Analysis on a hand held grinding tool.

Glass Failure Analysis on an "Exploding" Beer Bottle

California Glass Failure Expert performs a Root Cause Glass Failure Analysis on an "exploding" beer bottle.

Metal Fatigue Failure Analysis on an Automatic Wafer Test Station

California Metal Failure Expert performs a Root Cause Metal Fatigue Failure Analysis on an automatic wafer test station manufacturing equipment.

Glass Failure Analysis: Over Pressure Test Failures of Beer Bottles

California Glass Failure Expert builds an hydraulic pressure test apparatus that characterizes glass bottle failures.

Metal Failure Analysis: Metal Contaminant in Can Containing Food

California Metal Failure Expert determines the source of a metal contaminant.

Metal Failure Analysis: Yellow Brass Pipe Failure

California Metal Failure Expert determines the root cause of a yellow brass pipe failure.

Plastic Failure Analysis: Failure Analysis of an Acetal Plastic Valve Stem of a Water Shut off Valve

California Plastic Failure Expert determines the root cause of a acetal valve stem failure.

Glass Failure Analysis: Failure Analysis of Cracking Glass Pool Tiles

California Glass Failure Expert determines the root cause of cracking glass pool tiles and proves that they would not pass the ASTM 484-99 Standards Test as claimed.

Metal Failure Analysis: Food Packaging Failure Analysis

California Metal Failure Expert determines the root cause of Chips of a foreign material found in a canned tomato product.

Metal Failure Analysis: Broken Carbide Cutting Tool Root Cause Failure Analysis

California Metal Failure Expert determines the root cause of the failure of a broken carbide tip on a mild steel shank.

Glass Failure Analysis: Community College Window Damage Evaluation and Root Cause Failure Analysis

California Glass Failure Expert evaluates damaged windows and determines the root cause of the damage.

Metal Failure Analysis: Metal Weld Failure Analysis, Chair Failure Due to Inadequate Weld

California Metal Failure Expert evaluates failed "stackable" chair weld and determines root cause.

Rubber Failure Analysis: Failed Hydraulic Seal Failure Analysis

California Rubber Failure Expert evaluates a hydraulic seal failure determines the root cause.

Metal Failure Analysis: Comparison of Domestic and Off-Shore Pogo Pin Connector Electronic Contacts Failure Analysis

California Metal Failure Expert compares a domestic with an off shoe pogo pin connector to determine the root cause failure.

Glass Failure Analysis: Broken Glass Cookpot Cover

California Glass Failure Expert performs a failure analysis on a failed glass cookpot cover. Discussion of stress and tension on tempered glass defects.

Plastic Failure Analysis: Andirondack Chair Failure

California Plastic Failure Expert performs a failure analysis on a failed plastic Andirondack Chair. Discussion of stress and cracking of Andirondack Chair leg.

Glass Failure Analysis: Bending Failures of Brittle Materials

California Glass Failure Expert performs a failure analysis experiments on brittle material fracture under bend load stress.

Electronic Failure Analysis: Surface Mount Glass Encapsulated Zener Diodes

Electronics Failure Expert performs a root cause failure analysis on surface mounted glass encapsulated Zener diodes.

Glass Failure Analysis: Aircraft Windshield Failure Analysis

Glass Failure Expert performs a root cause failure analysis on a shattered aircraft windshield.

Glass Failure Analysis: Hotel Window Defect Failure Analysis

Glass Failure Expert performs a root cause failure analysis on some defective hotel windows.

Specializing in: product liability, failure analysis, patent disputes and intellectual property. We have 25 years experience with glass, ceramics, plastics, wood and metals; 100 depositions & many court appearances.

Failure Analysis Blog

Failure Analysis Articles & White Papers

Read Consulting Failure Analysis

Thomas L. Read, PhD., CEO

Read Consulting
Failure Analysis