Solving Complex Material Challenges
We Follow The Evidence
When customers encounter an unexpected material issue, the Worthington Steel Advanced Materials Lab investigates why.
Our team examines material performance regardless of the original supplier, using objective analysis to identify root causes and next steps.
What the Advanced Materials Lab Does
Handling over 500 tests per month, the lab exists for situations where standard answers fall short. It’s an investigative, evidence-driven technical resource designed to solve complex material questions for customers, product development teams and manufacturing operations.
It works across three primary areas:
- Internal product and process development
- Materials testing for new applications
- Direct customer support and investigation
Our Team
The strength of the Advanced Materials Lab lies in its team’s experience.
The team has over 30 years of combined experience in materials science and specializes in the following areas:
- Mechanical and physical metallurgy
- Materials testing
- Coatings
- Corrosion fractography
- Failure analysis
- Electron and optical microscopy
- Welding
- Process selection
- Product design
- LIMS database
- Heat treatment simulation
- Tensile testing
- ASTM standards
The group is well-equipped to solve any material or metallurgy challenges through innovative troubleshooting, failure analysis and other scientific methods. Click the link to get in touch with them today.
Andy Frerichs, Senior Materials Scientist
The lab is a problem-solving resource. We exist to help solve problems, whether they involve our material or something happening in the customer’s process.”
Lab Testing & Analysis
The Advanced Materials Lab is available to support your product and process development. Testing helps predict the performance of a material before it runs in your facility, using chemistries, mechanical properties analysis, tensile tests, hardness tests and imaging. We also help uncover why a material already in production might not be working.
In calendar year 2025, the lab analyzed more than 1,300 individual samples, with 85% of that work supporting customers through product development, issue troubleshooting and failure analysis.
Our labs are certified to the IATF 16949 Standard.
Lab Equipment Available
- Macrophotography
- Stereo Reflected Light Microscopy
- Optical Microscopy
- Metallography
- Hardness Testing
- Programmable Low and High Temperature Ovens
- Specialized Tensile Testing
- Scanning Electron Microscope (EDS, EBSD)
- Microhardness Testing
- Argon Ion Mill
- Olsen Cup Testing
Plasma Cutting and Welding
Discover More about Materials Support
Get in touch with our team or find the answers to your questions with our expert FAQs.