A break can result from overload, fatigue, corrosion, embrittlement, material defect, tool damage or assembly interference. Evidence prevents guesswork and unnecessary material changes.
Isolate and identify immediately
Record orientation, fracture location, machine position, service time and lot. Keep both pieces paired and separate from other samples.
Do not grind the fracture
Fracture morphology and deposits help locate initiation and growth. Cleaning, filing or repeatedly matching faces destroys information.
Collect service history
Confirm maximum travel, abnormal impact, temperature, media, rework and maintenance, then compare with the intended operating window.
Compare good samples
Measure unused same-lot, normally used and failed parts for geometry, load, material and surface to separate lot effects from isolated assembly issues.
References
This article is informed by public standards catalogues and industry engineering resources. Project values should be confirmed by drawings, material certificates and sample validation.