Over the past year, we have explored the four different service groups that make up Encorus Group: Civil Materials Testing, Mechanical Integrity, Non-Destructive Testing, and Engineering Design. As 2020 comes to a close, now is a time to reflect on what defines each of the four pillars of Encorus.
Civil Materials Testing involves testing materials used in construction projects, such as concrete and steel, to ensure the safety and integrity of the materials. New construction developments are often considered to be high-stakes projects that require adherence to strict budgets and timelines over the course of the construction period. This necessitates producing high quality work while maintaining budget and scheduling requirements.
Having the materials tested by a qualified technician before and during construction is a preventative process which is timelier and more financially efficient than if any flaws were to go undetected, and then found at a later time. This would lead to unnecessary delays and unwarranted expenditure of time, money, and materials, as well as potential safety hazards.
Civil Materials Testing services offered by Encorus in the field include concrete inspections, floor flatness testing, in-place density testing, fireproofing / firestopping inspections, certified welding inspections, ICC special inspections, asphalt testing, wood framing inspection, EIFS inspections, masonry inspection, structural steel inspection, and anchor bolt pull testing. Encorus also offers a variety of laboratory testing, including compressive strength testing, concrete mix design verifications, grain size analysis, Atterberg Limits Testing, hydrometer analysis, asphalt testing, USCS soils classification, specific gravity testing, and standard / modified proctors.
To learn more about how Civil Materials Testing maximizes construction budgets, read the full article here: https://encorus.com/2020/01/03/how-civil-materials-testing-maximizes-construction-schedules-and-budgets/
Mechanical Integrity Services include activities necessary to ensure that equipment and assets are designed, fabricated, installed, operated, and maintained in a way that ensures that they are safe, reliable, and environmentally responsible. Equipment and assets include things such as tanks and vessels, piping, boilers, and other equipment. Some companies have a complex, established mechanical integrity (MI) program; some simply get the minimum inspections when required by a particular jurisdiction. Many companies are in between those two levels, but having an established MI program allows for a proactive approach to essential (and often dangerous and / or expensive) equipment. Periodic inspection, testing, and maintenance can assist in documentation requirements, safety and health program approvals, identification of issues before they become problems, and most importantly, protect the health and safety of employees.
More information about Mechanical Integrity Services can be found in this article: https://encorus.com/2020/06/05/fun-fact-friday-mi-inspections/
Non-Destructive Testing encompasses many specialized testing areas, including liquid penetrant, electromagnetic, thermal or infrared, ultrasonic, electromagnetic, and radiographic testing. Trained inspectors performing these tests are able to identify flaws in materials that may be invisible to the naked eye, but could become catastrophic if not caught early. The type of material determines which test will be the most useful.
NDE inspectors are held to high standards when it comes to the qualifications and expertise they must demonstrate in order to become certified. There are three different levels of certification that an inspector can achieve: Level I, Level II, and Level III in each specialty testing area. Each level mandates an increased standard for education and experience. Encorus has two Level II Liquid Penetrant Testing certified inspectors, three Level II Magnetic Particle Testing certified inspectors, two Level II Ultrasonic Thickness Testing certified inspectors, and two Level II Radiographic Testing certified inspectors. Visual Testing services are also offered by our NDE Group. Encorus has a variety of experience with performing nondestructive testing for a number of clients in the chemical, industrial, and commercial industries.
Certifications for NDE inspectors are outlined in detail in this article: https://encorus.com/2020/07/10/fun-fact-friday-nde-certifications/
The Engineering Design group consists of several separate disciplines that work together to form a cohesive design team. Encorus offers electrical, mechanical, fire protection, structural, environmental, and civil engineering, as well as architecture. Here we will focus on three of the major disciplines: electrical, mechanical, and fire protection.
Electrical engineering is one of the several engineering disciplines that Encorus Group offers. We have licensed Professional Engineers and junior staff members with a diverse range of experience in the electrical engineering field. Electrical engineering is necessary in nearly all project types. It is heavily involved in both the design of new buildings and the renovation of existing spaces. The electrical engineering discipline is broad and can range anywhere from the design of commercial lighting to the complete rebuilding of building electrical systems. It also influences almost every other element of a design – HVAC systems, building automation systems, boilers, and other mechanical systems all require electricity to function.
More information about electrical engineering can be found here: https://encorus.com/2018/11/30/electrical-engineering/
Encorus has six licensed mechanical engineers (Professional Engineers, or PEs), and three mechanical staff engineers. Our engineers specialize in a variety of mechanical engineering services, including HVAC and plumbing design, pressure vessel design and analysis, containment structure design, machine and equipment design and analysis, and remote handling device design. Encorus can also offer computer-aided engineering, 3D modeling, failure analysis, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), and several other types of mechanical analyses.
Mechanical engineering is described in further detail here: https://encorus.com/2019/02/15/mechanical-engineering/
Fire protection engineering includes the analysis of fire hazards, mitigation of fire damage through proper design, construction, arrangement, and use of buildings, materials, structures, industrial processes, and transportation systems. Fire protection engineering also includes the design, installation and maintenance of fire detection and suppression systems and communication systems, as well as post-fire investigation and analysis.
More information about the necessity of fire protection engineering can be found in this article: https://encorus.com/2019/03/22/fire-protection-engineering/
Structural engineering is fundamental to the integrity of the building or structure being established. One thing that you might not think of in terms of structural design is the amount of seismic activity in the area, which is detailed in this article: https://encorus.com/2019/11/29/fun-fact-friday-seismic-design/
The environmental and civil engineering disciplines often work closely together. To see how they interact in the field, read this article: https://encorus.com/2019/05/03/civil-and-environmental/
Each of Encorus’s four groups work together to provide better solutions to the toughest problems.
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