Dennis R Turriff
Senior Engineer
Product and Property Groups
Email
905-595-8564
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Dr. Turriff combines his background in metallurgical engineering, materials science, and mechanical engineering to conduct failure analyses of metallic and non-metallic components and machines. His expertise includes numerous analytical techniques: metallography, fractography, thermal analysis, and stress/load analysis among others.
Example projects consist of determining root and contributing causes of automotive component and joint failures, water escape from metallic and plastic plumbing and fire protection system components, material degradation via corrosion and other environmentally assisted mechanisms, and testing/modeling of products in service to isolate failure conditions.
Dr. Turriff is fluent in both English and French.
Credentials
PhD, Mechanical Engineering, Specializing in Materials Science, 2007
BASc, Mechanical Engineering, 2002
Areas of Specialization
- Metallurgical/microstructural analysis
- Material/mechanical failure
- Automotive component manufacturing & failure
- Materials processing (soldering/brazing/welding, heat treating, powder metallurgy)
Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering, Specializing in Materials Science, University of Waterloo, 2007.
Bachelor of Applied Science, Mechanical Engineering, Co-op, with distinction, University of Waterloo, 2002.
Diplôme d’Études Collégiales, Pure and Applied Sciences, subsidized via Royal Military College of Canada, 1997.
Professional Status
Registered Professional Engineer, Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO), License No. 100139442.
Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI), National Association of Fire Investigators, 2010.
Professional Associations
American Welding Society (AWS)
Canadian Institute for Neutron Scattering (CINS)
National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI)
Synthetic Turf Council (STC)
Scholarly Activities
Chair, International Conference on Neutron Scattering (ICNS 2009), Knoxville, TN, USA, May 3-7, 2009.
Reviewer, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A journal.
Invited conference speaker:
- American Crystallographic Association conference (ACA 2009), Toronto, ON, Canada, July 25-29, 2009.
- International Conference on Neutron Scattering (ICNS 2009), Knoxville, TN, USA, May 3-7, 2009.
- Conference of Metallurgists (COM2008), Winnipeg, AB, Canada, Aug. 23-27, 2008.
Professional Experience
MEA Forensic Engineers & Scientists
Senior Engineer, 2009 to present
Responsible for determining root and contributing causes of failures related to product, property, and transportation losses. Projects involve a broad variety of material failures and degradation, mechanical failures, as well as water escapes and fires. Scientific analysis tools and methods are employed to identify potential causes of failure related to defective use, maintenance/inspections, manufacture, or design. Engineering work includes evidence and site examinations, metallurgical analysis, materials characterization and identification for various metallic and plastic components. Conducts materials processing/manufacturing analysis, metallography and fractography (SEM/EDS), thermal analysis and spectroscopy (DSC, TGA, dilatometry, FTIR), dynamics and stress analysis, sequence of events, experimental testing of in-service conditions, and verification of codes/standards compliance.
University of Waterloo
Instructor and Research Engineer, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering Department, 2007 to 2009
Instructor for a core undergraduate engineering course - ME230: Control of properties of materials. Prepared research funding proposals, reports and presentations, defined project goals, and executed various research projects (Al automotive brazing; CVD catheter tube development, Ni, Ti, Cu sintering studies; Cu-steel brazing, heat treating and mechanical testing, Cu/Ni plating). Designed and implemented new lab instruments: gas delivery, temperature measurement, and IT systems. Supervised/trained graduate students and managed lab expenditures, instrument maintenance, and usage.
Variable Melting Point Technologies Inc.
Contract Materials Researcher/Consultant, 2006 to 2009
Consulting on the start-up business strategies and product developed of new powder-based lead-free solders aimed at micro-electronic SMT soldering applications.
University of Waterloo
Research Assistant: Mechanical Engineering Department, 2002 to 2007
Research and development of novel variable melting point (VMP) Ni-Cu braze alloys by incorporating commercial powder metallurgy techniques and transient liquid phase sintering (TLPS) technology into modern furnace brazing processes.
Teaching Assistant: Mechanical Engineering Department, 2004 to 2006
Designed, implemented, and directed new lab experiments/projects in graduate and undergraduate level courses (Control of Properties of Materials, Experimental Methods in Materials Engineering). Lectured and set/marked assignments and exams for a graduate level course. Developed new report writing standards and guidelines now applied for co-op program. Supervised, trained and coordinated up to 3 teaching assistants per term.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Cambridge, ON
Engineering Specialist, 2000
Applied concepts of the lean Toyota Production System (i.e., JIT, Kaizen, Kanban, etc.) to improve automotive production processes via a broad variety of engineering projects. Managed numerous concurrent projects (design, budgets, tendering process, and implementation) aimed at cost reductions, safety, quality, process workflow, and ergonomic improvements for welding and plastics plants. Performed root-cause failure investigations, on-line life-cycle experiments, and cost reduction analysis of new Ti-coated spot welding tips. Performed destructive and non-destructive quality testing of welds and process parts. Designed and tested a successful robotic back-up process for a critical, automated body welding/framing station.
Aluminerie Alouette , Sept-Îles, QC
Project Engineer, May to September 1999
Designed a coke-unloading system for docked ships (concept design, cost analysis, bid specifications).
Secondary projects included: noise/vibration analysis of large hydraulic pump systems, CAD design, and reverse engineering of aluminum melt extraction crane arms for significant cost savings.
Husky Injection Molding Systems, Bolton, ON
Mechanical Designer, January to December 1998
2D/3D CAD design and drafting (via Unigraphics®) of new injection and clamp machine components. In-field testing of new clamping system tie-bar lubricants for improved cycle time and durability.
Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC)
Track Maintenance Student, Summer 1996 and 1997
Iron ore railcar maintenance as well as railway repair and preventative maintenance.
Canadian Armed Forces
Royal Military College (RMC) Officer Cadet, May 1995 to May 1996
Successfully completed one year of service in Regular Officer Training Program (ROTP).
Acquired extremely valuable leadership skills, collaborative decision making, and process prioritization.
Research Activities
MEA Forensic Engineers & Scientists (2011)
Automotive light bulb filaments: metallographic characterization of deformation and inertial load effects.
University of Waterloo (2007-2009)
Executed various research projects (Al automotive brazing; CVD catheter tube development, Ni, Ti, Cu powder metallurgy sintering studies; Cu-steel brazing, heat treating, and mechanical testing, Cu/Ni plating) and hands-on use of numerous analytical tools:
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metallographic analysis (SEM/EDS, optical, XRF)
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x-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction at a nuclear reactor facility
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mechanical testing (tensile, impact, hardness)
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laser flash thermal diffusivity analysis (LFA)
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quantitative thermal analysis (DSC, TGA, dilatometry)
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diffusion-based modelling
Heat treatment, joining, and mechanical testing of steel substrates brazed via novel laminated braze filler materials and brazing method (Cu and Ni alloys, vacuum & inert atmospheres used at 1200°C +).
Coordinated and executed a research project to optimize aluminum-clad brazing sheet materials for automotive heat exchangers via quantitative metallographic and thermal analysis. This work lead to the development of a rapid differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique to quantify transient liquid solidification kinetics in Al brazing sheet.
Investigated thermal diffusivity evolution in automotive steels, Al alloys, ceramics and various PM materials during phase transitions/sintering at elevated temperatures via laser flash thermal diffusivity analysis (LFA).
Variable Melting Point Technologies Inc. (Now Dynajoin Inc.) (2006-2009):
Metallurgical analysis (SEM/EDS, DSC), modeling (Thermocalc®) and development of new brazing filler alloys and lead-free solder products. This work lead to the development of alloys that exhibit variable melting point properties while also satisfying lead-free RoHS directive, SMT process requirements, AWS brazing/soldering standards, and mechanical property specifications.
University of Waterloo (2002-2007)
Research and development of new variable melting point (VMP) Ni-Cu braze alloys by incorporating commercial powder metallurgy techniques and transient liquid phase sintering (TLPS) technology into modern furnace brazing processes. This work lead to a fundamental understanding of Cu liquid solidification kinetics is Cu-Ni powder metallurgy parts/mixtures.
Conducted novel in situ neutron diffraction experiments at the Canadian Neutron Beam Centre NRU-CANDU reactor (Chalk River Labs, ON).
Coordinated a collaborative 1-yr project with the Weber Manufacturing Technologies Ltd.: factorial experiments used for process development, non-destructive testing, and failure analysis of flexible prototype catheter tubes formed via a Nickel Carbonyl CVD process.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Cambridge, ON (2000)
Performed root-cause failure investigations, on-line life-cycle experiments, and cost reduction analysis of new Ti-coated spot welding tips. Performed non-destructive testing of welds and GMAW process parts.
Awards
Natural Sciences & Eng. Research Council (NSERC) PhD Scholarship PGSD 3 (2004-07).
University of Waterloo President’s Graduate Scholarship (2004-07).
University of Waterloo Engineering Graduate Studies Scholarship (2002-06).
Materials and Manufacturing Ontario (MMO) MASc Scholarship (2002- 04).
Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) – offer/award declined (2004).
Teaching Assistant Award (Winter 2004, Fall 2006).
1st prize ASM International undergraduate research presentation (March 2001).
Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council (NSERC) undergraduate scholarship (May 2000).
Robert Hewitt bursary for high academic achievement from Hewitt Equipment Ltd. (1997, 2001).
Award for highest academic achievement and athletics in Cégep science program (1997).
Publications
Peer Reviewed Journals
Turriff DM, Corbin SF, and Kozdras M (2010). Diffusional Solidification Phenomena in Clad Aluminum Automotive Braze Sheet. Acta Materialia, Vol. 58(4), pp.1332-1341.
Turriff DM, Corbin SF, Cranswick LMD and Watson M (2008). In situ neutron diffraction analysis of TLP sintered Ni-Cu powder mixtures. Int J of Powder Metallurgy, 44(6), 49-59.
Turriff DM and Corbin SF (2008). Quantitative thermal analysis of transient liquid phase sintered Cu Ni powders. Metall Mater Trans A, 39A, 28-38.
Turriff DM and Corbin SF (2006). Modelling the influences of solid-state interdiffusion and dissolution on transient liquid phase sintering kinetics in a binary isomorphous systems. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions, Vol. 37A, pp. 1645-55.
Peer-Reviewed Conference Proceedings
Turriff DM, Corbin SF, Cranswick LMD, and Watson M (2008). Melting and Diffusional Solidification Behaviour of TLP Sintered Powders: An in situ Neutron Diffraction Study. Presented at the Argonne National Labs Postdoctoral Symposium, Chicago, IL, USA, Sept. 11-13, no. 51.
Turriff DM and Corbin SF (2006). Development of Transient Liquid Phase Sintered Copper-Nickel Brazes, Presentation and Proc. 3rd International Brazing & Soldering Conference (IBSC), ASM International, San Antonio, TX, USA, pp. 404-411.
Turriff DM and Corbin SF (2002). Liquid Phase Sintered Brazing Filler Materials. Presentation and Proc. 11th Int. Symp. of Processing and Fabrication of Advanced Materials, ASM International, Columbus, OH, USA.
Abstracts and Presentations
Turriff DM, Corbin SF, and Kozdras M (2010). Laser Flash Thermal Diffusivity Measurement of Automotive Aluminum Brazing Sheet Joints. 22nd Canadian Materials Science Conference, Waterloo, ON, Canada, June 9, 2010.
Turriff DM, Corbin SF, and Cranswick LMD (2009). Tracking Diffraction Profile Evolution During Liquid Phase Sintering of Interacting Isomorphous Powder Blends. Invited Oral presentation at the American Crystallographic Association 2009 conference (ACA 2009), Toronto, ON, Canada, July 25-29.
Turriff DM, Corbin SF, and Cranswick LMD (2009). Development of an in situ neutron diffraction technique for interacting high-solubility powder mixtures. Invited Oral presentation at the International Conference on Neutron Scattering (ICNS 2009), Knoxville, TN, USA, May 3-7.
Turriff DM and Corbin SF (2008). In situ Neutron Diffraction Analysis of TLP Sintered Ni-Cu Powder Mixtures, Proc. of International Conference on Sintering, La Jolla, CA, USA, Nov. 16-20.
Turriff DM, Corbin SF, and Kozdras M (2008). Development of a Laser Flash technique to measure thermal diffusivity of Al braze sheet. Proc. Conference of Metallurgists (COM2008), Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Turriff DM, Corbin SF, Cranswick LMD, and Watson M (2008). Measuring Interdiffusion during Transient Liquid Phase Sintering Using in situ Neutron Diffraction. Invited Oral presentation at the Conference of Metallurgists (COM2008), Winnipeg, AB, Canada, Aug. 23-27.
Turriff DM, Corbin SF, and Kozdras M (2008), A DSC Investigation of the Transient Liquid Phase Phenomena in Clad Al Sheets Used in Controlled Atmosphere Brazing. Proc. Conference of Metallurgists (COM2008), Winnipeg, Canada, MB.
Turriff DM and Corbin SF (2007). In Situ Neutron Diffraction Analysis of TLP Sintered Ni-Cu Powder Mixtures. Proc. 19th Canadian Materials Science Conference (CMSC), Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Turriff DM and Corbin SF (2006). Thermal and Metallographic Analysis of Transient Liquid Phase Sintered Cu-Ni Powder Mixtures. Proc. 18th Canadian Materials Science Conference (CMSC), Montreal, QC, Canada.
Turriff DM and Corbin SF (2004). Novel Brazing Filler Metal Development – TLP Sintered Powder Mixtures. Poster at MMO Partnerships, Toronto, ON, Canada, June 22.
Turriff DM and Corbin SF (2003). Transient Liquid Phase Sintering of Ni-Cu Powder Mixtures. Proc. 15th Canadian Materials Science Conference (CMSC), Halifax, ON, Canada.
Other Publications
Turriff DR, Bailey MN (2010). Hot Water Heater Failures - An Oft Forgotten Risk, Claims Canada, June, pp. 30-33.
Turriff DM (2007). Process Kinetics of Transient Liquid Phase Sintering in Binary Isomorphous Alloy Systems, Doctoral dissertation, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Turriff DM, Corbin SF, Cranswick LMD, and Watson M (2006). In Situ Neutron Diffraction Study of Ni-Cu Transient Liquid Phase Sintered Powder Mixtures. National Research Council of Canada – Canadian Neutron Beam Centre Annual Report/Magazine. p. 65-68.
Turriff DM and Corbin SF (2004). Novel Brazing Filler Metal Development – TLP Sintered Powder Mixtures. MMO Partnerships, Toronto, ON, Canada, June 22.
Turriff DM and Corbin SF (2002), Development of a Transient Liquid Phase Sintered Copper-Nickel Braze. Poster presentation at ASM/TMS meeting (1st prize), McMaster University, Hamilton, ON.
Professional Development
October 2010 – Canadian National Advanced Fire, Arson and Explosion Investigation Training Program, NAFI, Markham, ON.
April 2010 – DRI Product Liability Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
July 2009 – Struers Metallographic Workshop, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. July, 2009.
July 25-29, 2009 - American Crystallographic Association conference (ACA 2009), Toronto, ON, Canada.
May 3-7, 2009 - International Conference on Neutron Scattering (ICNS 2009), Knoxville, TN, USA.
Nov. 16-20. 2008 - International Conference on Sintering, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Sept. 11-13, 2008 - Argonne National Labs Postdoctoral Symposium, Chicago, IL, USA.
Aug. 23-27, 2008 - Conference of Metallurgists (COM2008), Winnipeg, AB, Canada.
Nov. 11-14, 2007 – Brazing and Soldering symposium/program, FABTECH International & AWS, Chicago, IL, USA.
Aug. 2007, - Netzsch Laser Flash Thermal Diffusivity training workshop, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
June 2007 - 19th Canadian Materials Science Conference (CMSC), Hamilton, ON, Canada.
April 23-26, 2006 - International Brazing & Soldering Conference (IBSC), ASM International, San Antonio, TX, USA.
June 2006 -18th Canadian Materials Science Conference (CMSC), Montreal, QC, Canada.
June 2004 – Material & Manufacturing Ontario (MMO) Partnerships meeting, Toronto, ON, Canada.
June 2003 - 15th Canadian Materials Science Conference (CMSC), Halifax, ON, Canada.
June 2003 - Material & Manufacturing Ontario (MMO) Partnerships meeting, ON, Canada.
2002 11th Int. Symp. of Processing and Fabrication of Advanced Materials, ASM International, Columbus, OH, USA.
June 2002 - Material & Manufacturing Ontario (MMO) Partnerships meeting, ON, Canada.
*11/30/2011
Contact: dennis.turriff@meaforensic.com
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