Business Details
24 Years
experience
Trusted Metallurgical Engineering Consulting in El Paso
HSA Engineers was founded in 2002 by Juan Herrera and Stephen Stafford to provide specialized metallurgical and forensic engineering consulting services. Our team combines 55 years of expertise in failure analysis, materials testing, and corrosion evaluation, serving industries such as oil & gas, energy, medical devices, and aerospace. Our El Paso, Texas facility is equipped with advanced tools including scanning electron microscopes, hardness testing systems, and non-destructive evaluation equipment. We deliver technical solutions for critical failures, routine quality checks, and litigation support while maintaining rigorous adherence to industry standards. Our corrosion coupon manufacturing and analysis capabilities, developed since 2010, ensure precise material performance assessments.We prioritize client collaboration, offering customized reporting formats and on-site evaluations through field chemical analysis and metallography. Our engineers hold extensive experience in root-cause analysis, fitness-for-service assessments, and metallurgical seminars. With a focus on minimizing client risk, we maintain transparent communication and technical excellence across all projects. Our facility supports comprehensive testing workflows, from sample preparation to final data delivery in client-preferred formats. HSA Engineers remains committed to advancing materials science through continuous process refinement and innovation in analytical methodologies.
Services
Failure Analysis
Corrosion Coupons
Metallography
Materials Testing
Forensic Engineering
Details
- Year established: 2002
Highlights and features
- We combine 55 years of metallurgical engineering expertise across multiple industries
- Our El Paso lab features advanced scanning electron microscopy and hardness testing
- We offer customized corrosion coupon manufacturing and analysis since 2010
- Our team provides litigation support with rigorous failure mode and defect analysis
- We deliver field chemical analysis and on-site metallography services
Services
Failure Analysis
Our failure analysis service identifies root causes of material failures through fractography, metallography, and mechanical testing. We examine components from oil & gas, aerospace, and medical device industries using scanning electron microscopy and optical emission spectroscopy. Clients receive detailed reports with actionable recommendations for preventing future failures.
Corrosion Coupons
We manufacture and analyze corrosion coupons following NACE standards, providing weight loss measurements and microbial corrosion detection. Our services include EM coupon production, inhibited acid cleaning, and database integration for client-specific reporting. This helps energy sector clients monitor pipeline integrity and optimize maintenance schedules.
Metallography
Our metallography services include cross-sectional analysis, plating thickness measurement, and photomicrograph generation. Using optical and scanning electron microscopes, we assess material microstructures to determine compliance with industry specifications. This supports quality control for manufacturers and failure investigation for litigation cases.
Materials Testing
We conduct tensile testing, hardness evaluation, and Charpy impact tests to characterize material properties. Our lab performs both macro and micro-hardness assessments alongside non-destructive evaluations. Results help clients verify material specifications and improve product reliability across industrial applications.
Forensic Engineering
Our forensic engineering team provides expert witness testimony and technical documentation for legal cases. We analyze failures in mechanical systems, construction materials, and medical devices using standardized methodologies. Clients receive clear visual evidence through SEM/EDS analysis and photomicrographs to support their legal positions.
People
Stephen Stafford
President and Consulting Engineer
Co-founder with extensive experience in metallurgical failure analysis and forensic engineering for energy and aerospace industries.
Shalayna Smith
Principal Engineer Failure Analysis
Lead specialist in material performance evaluation and technical consultant for complex litigation cases involving industrial failures.
Christopher Bradley
Senior Engineer Failure Analysis
Specializes in field chemical analysis and mechanical testing to determine root causes of component failures in manufacturing settings.
Karen Stafford
Accounts Payable and Billing
Manages financial operations and client billing processes with over 15 years of experience in engineering firm administration.
Questions
What industries do HSA Engineers serve?
We work with oil & gas, energy, aerospace, medical devices, automotive, and manufacturing sectors for materials analysis and failure investigations.
Do you provide litigation support services?
Yes, our engineers offer expert witness testimony, technical documentation, and visual evidence for legal cases involving material failures.
Can you analyze corrosion in industrial pipelines?
We perform comprehensive corrosion coupon analysis using NACE standards, including microbial corrosion detection through scanning electron microscopy.
What testing equipment is available?
Our lab features scanning electron microscopes, hardness testers, Charpy impact machines, and non-destructive evaluation tools for complete material characterization.
How do you handle client data reporting?
We deliver customized reports in Excel format or integrate data directly into client databases, following specific documentation requirements for each project.
Is on-site analysis available?
Yes, our team conducts field metallography, hardness testing, and chemical analysis at client locations for time-sensitive investigations.
