The cost of corrosion in UK is estimated to be equal to 3.5% of the annual GNP. However, with adequate corrosion control measures most industries could reduce the cost of corrosion by approximately 20% resulting in total saving of £5 billion in UK (estimate based on data for 1998).

ERA Technology offers corrosion services and consultancy to help clients manage and mitigate the effects and costs of corrosion. We assist companies from a broad range of industry sectors such as chemical and oil and gas, power, automotive and rail, aerospace, defence, and construction while we provide expert advice on litigation.

Benefits		Materials for space applications being tested at ERA for susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking, SCC
Through its corrosion consultancy and testing services ERA helps clients to achieve:
	Reduced outages and unplanned maintenance of structures and installations
	Decreased technical and business risks
	Optimised asset performance
	Increase the life of existing assets
	Reduced costs

Range of services
ERA provides advice on materials selection and corrosion allowances whether in static or dynamic service conditions. For equipment already in service probabilistic life assessments and predictions can be performed, thereby assessing the risks of failure. In cases of failure ERA’s consultants provide forensic service to determine the root cause of the failure and produce reports and documentation ready for use in arbitration or litigation.

Corrosion testing services
ERA has comprehensive corrosion testing facilities as well as access to specialised labs to back up its consultancy services. Projects, tailored to individual client’s requirements, range from evaluation of stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of corrosion resistant alloys (CRA) to life assessment of copper earth grids buried in contaminated soil. Corrosion rates can be determined using electrochemical techniques, such as linear polarisation resistance (LPR), or more traditional measurements. Materials can be tested in benign atmospheric or in more severe aqueous environments while specimens can be polarised individually to represent actual service conditions.

Examples of project work per industry sector

Aerospace, automotive, rail and marine
Electrochemical corrosion investigation of tanks of very large crude carriers, material selection for satellite launch systems, determination of SCC of aluminium alloys.

Refinery and petrochemical plant
Napthenic acid corrosion, inhibitor evaluation, assessment of erosion corrosion and of stress corrosion cracking.

Power generation and utilities
Life assessment of storage facilities and earth grids, failure of potable water systems, assessment of materials of cables and electrical connections.

Municipal authorities and councils
Expert witness advice and service during safety investigations, advice on buildings maintenance and infrastructure.