James Derby
Ceramic Scientist & Failure Analysis Expert

James Derby is a ceramic materials scientist with extensive experience in tribology and failure analysis. James has extensive experience in processing controls and identifying processing defects that can lead to component failures in ceramic materials. James has performed fractographic analyses on a wide range of products, from common consumer goods to complex nuclear submarine components. As an expert at Robson Forensic, James applies his expertise to forensic investigations involving personal injury claims, product performance, and intellectual property disputes related to ceramic and metallic materials.

Mr. Derby has over 25 years of experience analyzing material and equipment failures in the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries, as well as military and aerospace applications. Mr. Derby is also proficient at analyzing failures in metals, such as stress corrosion cracking, fatigue, general corrosion, and weld cracking. He is experienced with metallographic preparation procedures and characterization technologies including hardness testing, optical and electron microscopy, and alloy analysis using x-ray fluorescence. He has established Positive Material Identification (PMI) procedures for ensuring compliance to material certification requirements, and has also developed compliance requirements by the National Association of Chemical Engineers (MR0175 & MR0103) for oil and gas upstream and downstream applications. James has worked on Health and Safety teams to establish safe practices in industrial settings, and has authored Occupational Health and Safety procedures including OHSAS 18001.

James holds an M.S. in Ceramic Science from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, and a B.A. in Physics from Thiel College. He has been published and has presented at numerous technical conferences as a keynote speaker and invited speaker. Mr. Derby is an active member in the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE), and the American Ceramic Society.