Phoenix National Laboratories

Today we’re going underground! That’s right—we’re diving deep into the world of underground mining. Now, mining is like a giant treasure hunt, but instead of finding coins or jewelry, we’re looking for valuable rocks and minerals—things like copper, gold, coal, or even diamonds! We create tunnels and shafts to get to those precious resources. The miners drill, blast, or use giant digging machines. Once they reach the mineral-rich zones, they start extracting it. How do they keep the tunnels from collapsing? They build supports with timber, steel, or even concrete to make sure the mine stays safe. It’s like building a secret underground city, with all the walls and ceilings reinforced so nothing comes tumbling down. Read the article Trials and Tribulations in underground mining at: https://lnkd.in/en_Ta-eQ

The October 2024 Quality Examiner outlines PNL’s support of the Arizona copper mining industry, presents a Tech Talk conversation about the underground mine experience, depicts the details of UTPA testing on mining equipment, takes another look at our MSHA training offering, and analyzes mine equipment asset code applications. Extra extra read all about it! The newest Quality Examiner edition: https://lnkd.in/g2PZNYYd

There’s more to it than meets the eye — quality testing! And yeah, I know, nondestructive testing, or NDT, is the cool kid on the block. It’s like using X-ray vision on your materials without destroying them! But hold on- there’s a whole lot more to quality testing than just NDT! First up, there’s tensile testing — this is where we grab a material by both ends and pull it apart until it snaps! Why? Because we need to know its breaking point — the exact moment it says, 'No more!' Then there’s pressure testing — hydrostatic and pneumatic- leak, proof and burst. But wait, there’s even more! We’ve got load testing — we put materials through cycles of stress, bending and flexing them over and over. It’s like running a marathon versus sprinting. Can it handle repeated use, or is it gonna give up after 10 laps? Read the Quality Examiner Newsletter article at: https://lnkd.in/gVW-ayZs

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Concrete anchors are these handy-dandy fasteners that hold things like handrails, shelves, or even entire buildings in place. But how do we know if they're working correctly? That’s where the special inspection comes in! It’s a bit like being a detective, and it’s your job to spot any clues that might tell us something’s gone wrong. Our detective work is visual inspection looking for cracks, alignment, corrosion, and tightness. And if anything looks off, it must be fixed. Read the article on Special Inspections: https://lnkd.in/g4cffq3P  #concreteanchors

Now, there are all kinds of microscopes, and they’ve got some crazy abilities! Optical microscopes use visible light to magnify stuff up to about 2,000 times. That’s like zooming in on a grain of salt and seeing the crystals that make it sparkle! But wait! If we want to get even closer—enter the electron microscope! This bad boy uses beams of electrons instead of light. The result? We can magnify things up to millions of times. You can even see individual atoms in some cases. So, why do we need to do this? Well, to understand the material properties—basically, what materials are made of and how they behave—microscopy gives us super-detailed images. Read the article on Scanning Electron Microscopy at: https://lnkd.in/gUc-dmQJ #microscopy

Time to learn the science! Firestop blocks fire from spreading through gaps, and fireproofing helps structures stand strong! Firestop- It's kind of like putting a cork in a bottle—except this cork is designed to stop fire and smoke in its tracks. We test materials like sealants, mortar, and foam to fill those gaps and prevent the fire from spreading from one room to another. So, firestop is all about slowing down the fire, giving people more time to get out safely. Fireproofing is when we test coated steel beams, columns, and other structures with a special layer of protection. The idea here is to keep the steel or concrete cool enough during a fire, so it doesn't weaken or collapse. Fireproofing buys time in a fire, keeping the structure standing strong while firefighters do their work. It's like adding armor to the building, making it fire-resistant! Science rules! Read the article on Special Inspections Firestop and Fireproofing at: https://lnkd.in/ggYveE2v   #firestop #fireproofing

Welding might seem like just a way to stick metal together, but it's so much more! It's the backbone of everything from towering skyscrapers to the cars we drive, to the very rockets that take us to space! You see, welding technology is all about precision, strength, and reliability. When two pieces of metal are welded together, they form a bond that's often stronger than the original metal itself. This process isn't just about heat and sparks; it's a blend of chemistry, physics, and engineering all working together to create structures that can withstand the test of time. Without welding, modern infrastructure as we know it wouldn't exist. No bridges, no buildings, no pipelines—nothing! It's what holds the world together, literally. You can read the article on Welding Technology at: https://lnkd.in/gwH7ruRa

Rebar—short for reinforcing bar—is the unsung hero in our buildings, bridges, and tunnels. It's what gives concrete structures that extra strength to withstand enormous forces like earthquakes, loads, and time itself! But hey! Not all rebar is created equal! That’s why we need to test it before we use it in our buildings or roadways. Rebar testing is like giving your steel a check-up! We do things like tensile tests, bend tests, and corrosion tests to make sure it's tough enough for the job. It’s like pulling on a rope to see if it’ll snap—or bending a twig to see how flexible it is. We wanna make sure this stuff is strong, flexible, and won’t corrode over time. You can read about our ADOT approved capabilities at: https://lnkd.in/gjnPCadX #rebartesting