A wide group of analysis techniques used in science and industry to evaluate the properties of a material, component or system without

causing damage.

Nondestructive examination (NDE)

Nondestructive inspection (NDI) Nondestructive evaluation (NDE)

 Does not permanently alter the article being inspected

Save both money and time in product evaluation,

troubleshooting and research

Can be used to detect flaws in an in-process machine

part

NDT methods rely upon use of electromagnetic radiation, sound, and inherent properties of materials

(such as thermal, chemical, magnetic etc.) to examine

samples.

 Ultrasonic Testing Magnetic particle inspection Dye penetrant inspection/Liquid penetrant inspection Radiographic testing Eddy-current testing

 Aerospace engineering Mechanical engineering Electrical engineering Civil engineering Systems engineering Medicines

 Very short ultrasonic pulse-waves are launched into

materials to detect internal flaws.

Used for steel and other metals and alloys, can also be

used on concrete, wood and composites (with less

resolution).
Used

in

many

industries

including

aerospace,

automotive and other transportation sectors.

Two methods of receiving the ultrasound waveform:

Reflection Through Transmission

Principle: LEFT: A probe sends a sound wave into a test material. There are two indications, one from

the initial pulse of the probe, and the second due to the back wall echo.
RIGHT: A defect creates a third indication and simultaneously reduces the amplitude of the back wall indication. The depth of the defect is determined by the ratio D/Ep.

 Part is magnetized.

Presence of a surface or subsurface discontinuity in the

material allows the magnetic flux to leak, since air cannot support as much magnetic field per unit volume as metals.
Ferrous iron particles are then applied to the part. Particles will build up at the area of leakage and form what

is known as an indication.

 Penetrant may be applied to the test component by

dipping, spraying, or brushing

After adequate penetration time, the excess penetrant

is removed, a developer is applied.

Developer helps to draw penetrant out of the flaw

where an invisible indication becomes visible to the inspector

1.

Section of material with

a surface-breaking crack that is not visible to the naked eye.

2.

Penetrant is applied to the surface.

3.

Excess penetrant is
removed. Developer is applied,

4.

rendering the crack

visible.

 Short wavelength electromagnetic radiation (high

energy photons) to penetrate various materials.

The amount of radiation emerging from the opposite

side of the material can be detected and measured

Tube exhibiting no cracking

Tube exhibiting light cracking

Tube exhibiting moderate cracking

Tube exhibiting severe cracking

Uses electromagnetic induction to detect flaws in conductive materials.

 Variations in the phase and magnitude of these eddy

currents can be monitored using a second 'receiver' coil, or by measuring changes to the current flowing in the primary 'excitation' coil.

Variations in the electrical conductivity or magnetic

permeability of the test object, or the presence of any flaws, will cause a change in eddy current and a corresponding change in the phase and amplitude of the measured current.

NDT Technique

Nature of defect

Ultrasonic Testing
Magnetic Particle Inspection

Sub-surface, interstitial
Surface and slightly subsurface discontinuities in ferroelectric materials

Dye Penetrant Inspection

Surface-breaking defects in all non-porous

materials Radiographic Testing

Eddy-Current Testing

Surface, Sub-surface defects

Surface, Sub-surface defects (depending on conductivity)

 A process plant contained two stainless steel vessels

which had been operating for 21 years. The contents of the vessels were flammable, mildly toxic and contained 500 ppm of chlorides. The vessels were operated from full vacuum up to 15 psi for 20 cycles per day. They contained an agitator which was used in part of the process. Both vessels had been hydraulically tested to 70 psi when new but had not been subjected to a test since

 Company thought that stainless steel would not break.

Hence, no leak detection equipment had been installed and reliance was placed on plant operators noticing the smell or observing drips.
A competent Person from a large insurance company

prescribed external visual examination supplemented by a hammer test every 2 years.

Was this suitable?

 The combination of stainless steel and chlorides

immediately raises concerns regarding the possibility of stress corrosion cracking. While the cracks were likely to initiate on the inner surface, an external examination could detect the presence of through wall cracks only. However, stress corrosion cracks can be very tight and difficult to see with the naked eye. The hammer test offers no benefit - who knows what a good vessel should sound like!

 During a thorough examination, it was found that

vessel developed leaks at 40 psi. Further investigation of the vessel found thousands of through wall cracks. The vessel had not leaked in service because the contents were too viscous to pass through the tight stress corrosion cracks.
Finally it was decided to go for NDT with Dye

Penetrant Inspection using fluorescent dyes, which give a higher sensitivity and much better results in the confined, dark space of the vessel.

 NDT techniques provide cost-effective and reliable analysis

under realistic conditions.

Each

NDT technique has certain

capabilities and

limitations and often more than one technique is used to cover various parts.
Increasing availability of robotic scanners improve the

speed of testing large surfaces, hence minimizing the

testing time.

 THE IMPORTANCE OF WELDING QUALITY CONTROL,K.M. WONG

& Scarlett YEUNG,A.E.S. Destructive & Non-Destructive Testing Ltd

http://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/techmeasndt.htm#CaseStudie

s
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nondestructive_testing#Methods_and_te

chniques
http://testex-ndt.com/from-the-field/corrosion-detected-in-pipelines-

using-lfet/