General Fastener’s A2LA accredited laboratory is fully staffed to ensure complete compliance to industry and customer specifications and to provide full lot-traceability on all products supplied. Our on-site metallurgy lab is equipped and staffed to validate, analyze, and complete forensic testing of metal components.

Our experienced and highly trained Quality Control Technicians provide a broad range of testing including: dimensional, tensile/proof load, hardness, metallographic evaluation and chemical analysis.

This level of support has won GFC numerous accolades from our customers for the high level of quality represented in the products we supply. Our customers with critical applications know that GFC can assure the level of quality and consistency that their applications demand.

Meeting our customers’ quality expectations also calls for selecting the right manufacturers with the appropriate oversight from our QC to assure the highest levels of quality.

Our Quality Tests include:

Chemical Analysis – Optical Emission Spectrometer: Verifies that the correct steel is used and that the finished product conforms to customer material specification.

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with EDAX (EDS): Used in fracture analysis to determine root cause.

Tension Testing – Proof and Tensile: Verifies that the proper strength levels are present with parts.

Hardness Testing (Rockwell and Superficial): Penetration of a diamond indenter or tungsten carbide ball into the part determines the hardness of the part. The amount of resistance to penetration determines the hardness.

Microhardness Testing (Knoop and Vickers): Ensures that the proper hardness levels are obtained on case hardened parts, and for parts that are too small for standard Rockwell hardness testing.

Metallographic Evaluation: Ensure that the proper heat treat has been performed on parts by verifying the microstructure.

Dimensional Testing – Linear, Angle, and Radius: Various gaging to ensure dimensional conformity of product.

Thread Gaging – Internal and External: System 21 and 22 gaging capabilities to ensure proper thread assembly (functional) size and thread pitch diameter size for both inch and metric.

X-Ray Fluorescence (Plating Thickness): The energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) is a method for measuring the thickness of coatings. Fast, accurate, nondestructive test method.

Salt Spray Testing: Used to check corrosion resistance of materials and surface coatings in a control environment consisting of salt fog at an elevated temperature. Testing is performed per ASTM B117.

Torsional Testing: To ensure proper heat treat, case hardened screws are clamped and torqued/twisted using a calibrated torque wrench until a failure occurs. Minimum values for torsion strength are established by industry standards.

Stress Durability – Hydrogen Embrittlement Testing: Electroplated case hardened screws are seating into steel test plates at defined loads and held for industry defined time frames. This test assists in identification of hydrogen embrittled fasteners.