Performed as an NDT service, In-Situ Metallography from TCR determines in-service degradation of critical components of process plants operating under high temperature, high pressure or corrosive atmosphere. Microstructure has a record of manufacture history & heat treatment, it has undergone. Microstructural features are decisive as it decides physical, mechanical and corrosion performance of materials. In situ metallography is a non-destructive test of metals performed on site, requires specialized equipment and careful use of metallography preparation procedures. The information derived from metallography results furnishes sound engineering decisions concerning the disposition of the component in question.

TCR’s Metallurgists have strong experience in the interpretation of microstructures. The Metallurgists have more then 10,000 replica microstructure interpretations that have been logged and captured to our database. This database contains extensive information from various plants that have been captured over the course of us performing this service. The database also includes rare collections of varying microstructure damage levels for various industries such as power, oil and gas, petrochemical, fertilizers, and other process industries. The In-Situ Metallography team is highly skilled in the art of replica preparation. TCR has custom developed special purpose in-situ polishing devices which assist to enable metallographic polishing in difficult locations and allows the field services team to carry out high quality replication even on warm components.

The application of in situ metallography area is not limited to critical components, but can be summarized as under:

1. INDIGENIZATION OF COMPONENTS / EQUIPMENT
   The imported equipment requires imported spares for maintenance indigenization can only same valuable foreign exchange and availability being NDT, In-situ metallography can unfold the microstructural history on imported components & thus provides valuable data.
    
2. ADVISE ON REPAIRING OF COMPONENT
   Often, old components of the plant does not have enough technical details to repair it the critical components may damage the equipment & plant performance, it repaired with proper metallurgical details.
    
3. CONDITION MONITORING OF CRITICAL COMPONENTS
   The high temperature & high pressure metallic components of the process plant has got the tendency to undergo structure changes, which disqualifies these components from its service results in to failures precipitation of Second Phases, Creep Damages & Grain size changes can be monitored by in situ metallography.
    
4. DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF THE COMPONENT / EQUIPMENT
   The process plant which handles inflammable liquidly are always on a damages of explosion or fire under such condition for a local damage or major / general damage, routine NDT Inspection methods are in-sufficient for engineering decisions by the proper use of in situ metallography such fire exposed metallic equipments can be effectively identified for lease or salvaging purpose.
    
5. IDENTIFICATION OF METALLURGICAL STATUS CRITICAL SERVICE APPLICATIONS
   For cryogenic conditions, carbon steel materials should posess fine grained microstructure for its required toughness on correct heat treatment or fouling process leads to unsafe condition of equipment.
    
6. BASE LINE DATA GENERATION FOR FUTURE RECORD
   Plants or equipment, which are at the eraction stage or under construction, in situ metallography can be of immense benefit if applied at initial stages. The virgin metal has microstructure which can act as yield lot of important, information, for repair/ replacement decisions.