Alan
Milner & Associates
professional
engineer, metallurgist & product failure analyst
2509
North Campbell, #31, Tucson, Arizona 85719
phone:(520)
623‑5538 fax:(520) 623‑2006
Resume
of Dr. Milner
Alan
Milner, B.Met, M.Sc(Eng), Ph.D., P.E.
Professional
Engineer, Metallurgist and Failure Analyst
BACKGROUND:
Dr.
Alan Milner is a Professional Engineer registered with the Arizona
State Board of Technical Registration since 1973. Since 1974 he has
practiced full time as an Engineering Consultant specializing
primarily in failure analysis and accident investigation involving
metallurgical, mechanical, automotive and combustion engineering. He
has been qualified as an expert witness in these fields in numerous
State and Federal jurisdictions over the past twenty years. He also
has practical shop experience as an automotive mechanic, having
owned and operated an automotive mechanical repair shop for many
years.
Dr.
Milner received his scientific and engineering education in the
United Kingdom at the Universities of Sheffield, London and
Manchester. He received practical training in manufacturing at the
Vickers Aircraft Company (now British Aircraft Company), and
industrial experience at the General Electric Company (U.K.) and the
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M USA.)
In
1970, Dr. Milner was appointed Associate Professor of Metallurgical
Engineering at the University of Arizona where he taught graduate
and undergraduate courses involving mechanical testing, failure
analysis, metal products fabrication, thermodynamics and combustion
to metallurgical engineering, mechanical engineering and other
students for a period of three years.
Metallurgical
Engineering
The applied science of Metallurgical Engineering is concerned with
the application of the principles of physics, mathematics,
mechanical engineering, thermodynamics and chemistry to the
manufacture of metals with useful engineering properties, their
fabrication into useful forms and products and the evaluation and
testing of such products and structures. Traditionally,
Metallurgical Engineering was confined to metallic materials and
products, but technological developments of nonmetallic and hybrid
structural materials in the last 50 years have broadened its scope
so that in recent years it has increasingly been referred to as
Materials Science and Engineering.
The
products fabrication methods employed in Metallurgical Engineering
include the following:
1.
Wrought methods:
Metal
rolling, forging, stamping, spinning, extrusion and drawing.
2.
Casting methods:
Molten
casting methods are used employing various mold systems to form the
shape
of products including sandcasting, die casting and investment
casting processes.
3.
Joining methods:
Welding
(electric, gas, resistance), brazing, bending and riveting.
4.
Machining methods:
Metal
machining processes using machine tools for tuning (lathes),
drilling,
milling
and electrical discharge (EDM) are used and may be operated
manually,
automatically
or by numerical control.
Products generally are designed to make the best and most economical
use of the above fabricating processes.
Failure
Analysis
Failure analysis is an established, systematic engineering
methodology for the determination of the causes of product failure
and the means of its prevention. It may be .performed after an
incident in which the product fails to perform as expected,
particularly if the failure creates a hazardous situation. When
failure analysis is conducted in relation to the development of a
new product prototype, it is called predictive failure analysis and
is sometimes referred to as Hazard Analysis or Failure Mode and
Effect Analysis.
The National Safety Council has summarized the established
procedure for maximizing the safety level of products with
six basic guidelines as follows, arranged in descending order of
priority:
1.
Eliminate the hazard from the product or process by altering
its design,
material, usage, or maintenance method
2.
Control the hazard by capturing, enclosing or guarding it at
its source.
3.
Train personnel to be aware of the hazard and to follow safe
procedures to avoid it.
4.
Provide adequate warnings and instructions in appropriate
forms and locations.
5.
Anticipate common areas and methods of abuse and take steps to
eliminate or minimize the consequences associated with such actions.
6.
Provide personal protective equipment to shield personnel
against the hazard.
This
procedure has also been specifically endorsed by the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers, under sponsorship of the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. These guidelines apply
equally to predictive failure analysis at the product design stage
as well as to failure analysis of products already in the field.
EDUCATION:
1957
University of Sheffield (United Kingdom)
B .Met Bachelor Degree, Metallurgical Engineering
Study Courses: Extractive and Mechanical Metallurgy, Steel
making,
Fabrication of Metal Products, Mechanical Testing of Metals,
Failure
Analysis of Metal Products and Structures,
Non‑destructive Testing,
Metallographic Microscopy and Fractography, Mechanics,
Statics and
Stress Analysis of Machine Elements, Corrosion and Protection
of Metals,
Thermodynamics, Fuel Technology, Physics, Physical Chemistry
and
Experimental Laboratory Methods.
1962
University of London (United Kingdom)
M Sc(Eng) Master's Degree in Engineering
A research study of the mechanical, design, fabrication,
materials and
environmental factors responsible for the catastrophic
brittle failure of
large steel structures such as welded ships, bridges, storage
tanks and
pressure vessels.
1964
University of Manchester (United Kingdom)
Ph.D., Metallurgy and Materials
Experimental basic research study, in conjunction with the
United
Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, of the interfacial energy
considerations governing the bonding of metals to oxides at
elevated
temperatures. Determination of the conditions for liquid
phase bonding of
metals to uranium dioxide nuclear fuels.
INDUSTRIAL
EXPERIENCE
1957-1958
Vickers Armstrong Aircraft Company
Post-graduate Industrial Engineering Training:
*
Machine shop and welding course.
*
Vickers Viscount airliner airframe systems course. Mechanical
and
hydraulic systems inspection testing and failure analysis.
*
Shop floor participation in airliner manufacturing and
assembly line
operations.
*
Predictive Failure Analysis evaluation of new product
structures and
systems for Vickers Vanguard.
*
Fatigue testing and mechanical evaluation of airframe
components.
1958-1961
General Electric Company (United Kingdom)
Senior
Metallurgist, research and development of steel structures and
pressure vessels used in a nuclear power plant. Predictive failure
analysis for Lloyds of London certification of large scale welded
structures at risk for catastrophic brittle failure during
construction. Failure analysis of components from a crane which
collapsed during construction of a power station. Evaluation of the
design of thermally cycled mechanical bellows structures involving
stainless steel to mild steel welding joints.
1964-1970
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
Senior
Metallurgist and Research Specialist, Physical Sciences Labs. New
products development research and consultant to 3M operating
divisions. Research and development of new methods of metal products
fabrication for high performance aerospace materials. Winner of
American Society for Metals Materials Fabrication Award Competition
in 1967.
ACADEMIC
EXPERIENCE
1961-1964 University of Manchester (United Kingdom)
Research
Associate (United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority sponsorship.)
Basic experimental research program at Ph.D level on the bonding of
metallic and non-metallic materials used in nuclear engineering.
1970-1973 University of Arizona
Associate
Professor of Metallurgical Engineering Graduate and undergraduate
teaching in metal products fabrication, mechanical testing, failure
analysis and thermodynamics of processes and combustion.
1973 University of Tennessee Space Institute
Associate
Professor, Graduate School, teaching and research supervision
in materials research on mechanical properties of composite
aerospace materials.
PROFESSIONAL
AFFILIATIONS:
Professional Engineer, Arizona State Board of Technical
Registration since 1973
American Society for Metals
Society of Automotive Engineers
Systems Safety Society
FAILURE
ANALYSIS AND ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION:
Metallurgical
and Mechanical Failure
Design
related failure of steel and non‑ferrous materials components
and systems.
Mechanical
testing and failure simulation.
X-Radiography
and non-destructive testing.
Fracture
of metal products
* Fractographic
examination by light and scanning electron microscopy (S.E.M.)
*
Fatigue failure
*
Embrittlment of metals
*
Welding related failure
*
Corrosion related failure
Failure
of threaded fasteners
*
Fracture of fasteners
*
Analysis of fastener loosening mechanisms
*
Automotive wheel fastening systems
Analysis
of Machine Safeguarding
Principles
of machine safeguarding and its application to injury prevention
from power transmission and point of operation hazards of dangerous
machinery.
Historical
perspective of the development of safeguarding methods and standards
for mechanical equipment and its relationship to Federal and State
Occupational Safety and Health Standards.
Guarding
of machines by physical barrier, location, interlocking safety
devices and presence sensing systems.
Compilation
of American and Foreign machine safeguarding literature, recommended
practices and standards.
Tire/Wheel
Servicing Systems Failure
Failure
analysis and accident investigation of tire/wheel assembly
explosions
related
to tire servicing procedures, equipment and tools involving tire
bead
failure
and multi-piece wheel separations.
Analysis of bead grommet failure mechanisms
causes and effects
X-radiographic examination of tire bead
grommets.
Causes of tire bead seating problems and their
relationship to tire bead failure explosions.
Role
of the design of 16.5 and 14.5 single piece drop center wheels
as a causal predicate to tire bead failure in mismatched
tire/wheel assembly explosions.
Tire/wheel
mismatch identification, wheel dimensional gauging to Rubber
Manufacturer's Association standards, bead seating equipment role
analysis.
Demonstration
of the introduction of mismatched tires onto wheels manually and by
tire changing machines.
Mechanism,
physics and experimental demonstration of projection of exploding
tires in various circumstances.
Role
of tire changing machine design in restraining exploding tire/wheel
assemblies following bead failure and in limiting bead seating
pressures.
Role
of tire bead grommet design in cause and prevention of bead failure.
Tire
servicing procedures; compilation of published practices and
recommendations.
Compilation
of extensive body of published and unpublished documents concerning
the history and engineering Knowledge of the tire bead failure
explosion hazard.
Analysis
of Explosive Multi-Piece Wheel Separations
Failure
analysis of explosive separation of multi-piece rim assemblies
comprised of a base unit with detachable side components which serve
to maintain the tire in place against the forces of tire inflation
pressure.
Analysis
of the mechanisms and causes of unwanted separation of side
components from multi-piece rims.
Role
of design related mismatch potential for inappropriate combination
of base and side components in causation of explosive disassembly of
multi‑piece wheels.
Single
piece 15° wheels as alternative design solutions to eliminate the
need for multipiece rim side components and thereby prevent
explosive separation.
Alternative
multi-piece wheel designs for prevention or reduction of the
potential for multipiece wheel explosive separation.
Analysis
of causes of metallurgical corrosion of multi-piece wheel components
and its role in wheel failure.
Role
of servicing procedures in the causation of multi-piece wheel
explosions and injuries.
OSHA
regulation of multi-piece wheel servicing procedures, their origins,
usefulness and limitations with regard to the multi-piece wheel
explosion hazard.
Compilation
of extensive body of published and unpublished literature on the
history and engineering knowledge concerning the multi-piece wheel
explosion hazard.
Highway
Tread Separation Failure of
Steel Belted Radial 'fires
In
vehicle accident investigation, it is often found that upon
examination of the vehicle or vehicles involved, one or more of the
vehicle's tires are disabled and the question arises of whether the
damage observed on the tires inspected was the result of the
accident or the cause of it. In most cases it will devolve that
damage was the result of the accident, the tire and often the wheel
having been damaged or the tire unseated or deflated solely as a
result of the collision, and other causes of the loss of vehicle
control, roll-over or collision can be established.
However,
there is significant enough incidence of tire failure initiating the
loss of vehicle control, sometimes in conjunction with other vehicle
instability factors that detailed tire failure analysis should be
considered by the accident investigator.
The
principal mode of failure in steel belted radial tires is generally
found to be separation of part or all of the tread and steel belt
structure from the carcass of the tire. In most, but not all,
instances the separation starts and progresses from a lateral edge
of the steel belt structure as a result of the tire's inherent
structural configuration.
Several
intrinsic, extrinsic and use factors may be involved in the
separation causation. These include inadequate bonding of the steel
cord composite structure, deterioration of the steel cord structure
by chemical reaction with corrosive agents from within and without
the tire, invasion and pressurization of the carcass by the
inflation air .within the tire from inner liner inadequacy, liner
splice failure and puncture penetration. Design and use factors
which increase the temperature of the tire during highway use
particularly at freeway speeds also influence tread belt separation
failure.
The
development of some degree of separations at the steel belt edges
seems to be almost inevitable at some stage in the use of S.B.R.
tires. Consequently, several design safety measures have been
developed by tire manufacturers to limit the growth of such
separations so that they do not reach dangerous proportions within
the tread wear life of the tire. Where such design measures are
neglected, premature catastrophic tread separation may be expected
to result in such tire populations from commonplace manufacturing
anomalies.
Since
the commercial advent of S.B.R tires in the U.S. in the mid 1970s,
Dr. Milner has been involved in the study and analysis of
catastrophic steel belt separation failure and currently works
primarily in conjunction with tire engineers applying his
training,
research experience, and the techniques of metallurgy and materials
science to this multidisciplinary problem. This includes the use
of the technologies of fractography, corrosion, electrometallurgy,
microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SENT), Energy Dispersion
Spectroscopy (EDS.), and x-radiography as well as visu