AFM is a global leader in the fields of fracture mechanics and accelerated corrosion testing. Our founders conceived and developed the Rising Step Load method which is now widely used for measuring hydrogen embrittlement, especially in the aerospace industry. The same methodology is now being applied to evaluate stress corrosion, sour stress corrosion, corrosion fatigue, and other environmental cracking mechanisms. Historically, these environmental cracking tests have been performed by applying a specific load (for example 75% of maximum load) and holding for an extended period of time to see if cracking occurs. The end result is a pass/fail data point that may take weeks or months. In comparison, rapid testing with the step loading method can be completed in a matter of hours and provides a highly reproducible quantitative measurement. This data can then be used for R&D, batch-by-batch testing, engineering calculations and design, and failure analysis.