The Houston, Texas, laboratory operated by the global testing group, Exova, has been awarded the prestigious Nadcap accreditation for aerospace materials testing.
Nadcap (formerly NADCAP, the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) is a global cooperative accreditation program for aerospace engineering, defense and related industries administered by the Performance Review Institute (PRI).
Exova’s Houston laboratory has now passed a stringent audit of its testing methods for the aerospace and related industries.
To achieve accreditation, sites must undergo rigorous evaluation including interviews, inspections and reviews of all procedures. The accreditation includes testing of aircraft components supplied for structural frames and rotating engine parts.
This expansion of testing services has been in response to an increased demand from the regional aerospace market. Exova Houston can now provide Nadcap accredited services for mechanical testing including tensile, charpy and hardness; chemical analysis including hydrogen in metals; and metallography such as macro/micro examination.
Houston’s accreditation adds to Exova's eight other aerospace laboratories in the U.S., Canada and Mexico that hold Nadcap approval for metallic materials and / or composite testing.
Globally, Exova's facilities include a network of 17 aerospace testing facilities, all of which are Nadcap approved.
Bobby Archibald, vice president, U.S. Materials at Exova, says, “Exova is recognized for metallurgical testing in the Gulf of Mexico oil & gas and energy markets. However, we have experienced significant growth in the demand from aerospace customers in the Houston area, so local expansion was the answer.”
“Exova laboratories carry out work across the supply chain from early stages of research and development through production control verifications. By investing in our facility and equipment we can provide customers with an increased range of capabilities, as well as greater capacity and increased output.”