Glass Expert performs a Failure Analysis of a Wine Glass

 California glass expert performed a failure analysis on a failed wine glass. Glass failure analysis requires locating the fracture origin. The origin is then analyzed microscopically to determine the cause of failure. In this case the failure origin was on the rim of the glass. At the failure origin is a very small mirror fracture surrounded by mist hackle. This demonstrates that the glass was impacted on the inner rim and propagated from that point to failure. The failure analysis labs at Read Consulting have the capability to analyze all sorts of glass failures.

Glass Failure Analysis Expert Examines Failed Champagne Bottle

Glass failure analysis expert performed a root cause failure analysis on a exploding champagne bottle. The user claimed that the bottle exploded when she was using her thumbs to remove the cork. Examination of the bottle revealed a horizontal crush point. This damage was severe and would not have survived the corking operation at the winery. Thus this damage was caused by a tool when it was used by the injured party to remove the cork. There was an indication that this bottle had been in the freezer prior to the accident. Thus, there was little or no internal pressure to aid in the removal of the cork. Thus a tool was used, and this caused the failure. The photograph on the upper left is of the salvaged pieces of the exploding champagne bottle. The photograph on the upper right is of the fracture initiation point and the failure origin.

Tempered Glass Expert Describes Failure Origin for Tempered Glass

Glass failure analysis expert demonstrates how to locate the origin of a tempered glass failure. Glass failure analysis of a tempered glass piece is difficult (if not impossible) because tempered glass fracture results in many small pieces. In many cases the glass failure falls apart and there is no pattern left to trace to the origin. Thephotograph above provides a pattern that can be a useful tool for locating the general location of the failure origion of a partial crack pattern. In the above example a glass expert taped a tempered glass pickup truck rear window with transparent tape and impacted it with a simulated human head. The resulting crack pattern is preserved. The impact point is the center of a "web" of cracks. The predominant pattern is a series of "spokes" eminating from the impact point which is also the failure origin.