The Savannah River Technical Center visually examined several axial piston pump wear plates from Delta-Q Corporation in an effort to determine the cause of the scratches. The investigation found the material and hardness to be approximately consistent with vendor specifications. The visual examination revealed gouges and tears on plates 1 - 4, silicon and aluminum contamination on plates 2 & 3 and a heavy inclusion content in the base metal. The scratches were most likely attributable to either metal debris created by the protruding metal around the gouges and tears or the silicon and aluminum contamination. The heavy inclusion content may have contributed by providing sites for the gouges and tears to develop during fabrication. It is recommended that tighter controls be introduced during procurement to ensure cleaner, inclusion controlled, steel and controlling the silicon and aluminum contamination during process assembly of the pumps. Specific surface texture requirements may also be considered for final machining.