Ultrasonic testing of steel and aluminum U.S. DOT cylinders is required to recertify the cylinders every 5 or 10 years depending on the cylinder type. Ultrasonic testing of DOT cylinders is currently performed with automated ultrasonic testing systems that uses wheel probes, squirter systems, or water jet systems. The ultrasonic immersion systems are configured with two circumferential shear wave channel, two axial shear wave channels, and one longitudinal straight beam prob

Liquid Penetrant Testing (LPT) is a non-destructive testing (NDT) technique used to detect surface flaws that may not be detectable to the naked eye under standard lighting conditions. Liquid penetrant testing is typically used for non-magnetic metals to reveal surface flaws and in some cases plastics. Penetrant testing is one of the simplest and most economical non-destructive testing techniques. Additionally, it requires the least investment in personnel in terms of formal

Aluminum Sensitization and Non-destructive Testing Aluminum alloy ship hulls are utilized on many commercial and military ship platforms. Over their lifetime, they often require non-destructive and destructive testing. Among the common hulls that require such examination include CG 47 Class Cruisers, Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) – both Freedom and Independence variants – as well as Amphibious Assault Ships, Expeditionary Fast Transport, Landing Craft Air Cushions, Ship-to

Cement plants are large scale operations that require large scale machines to produce the materials required to build a wide variety of structures. The non-destructive testing requirements of a cement plant are very unique and required a broad range of NDT testing methods to assess reliably the critical plant infrastructure. Important cement plant machines and components that require non-destructive testing include cement ball mills, pinion gears, kilns and bull gears. NDT

Ultrasonic testing (UT) performed in immersion tanks or using squirters or bubblers is an established non-destructive testing technology for automated inspection of wide variety of steel, aluminum, and composite assets. Ultrasonic immersion testing lends itself to high volume and/or surface area inspection applications that required high degrees of location accuracy, precision and repeatability of ultrasonic testing results. Immersion testing using automation robotics may

Flow iron recertification is a multi-step process that involves asset tracking, equipment teardown and rebuild, sand blasting and repainting, visual inspection, ultrasonic thickness testing, magnetic particle testing, and hydrotesting. This article focuses on some of the inspection aspects of the recertification process. TKS’ Flow Iron AnalyticsTM is proven process that implements industry best practices across asset management/tracking and high-pressure component asset in

Introduction Flow accelerated corrosion (FAC), also termed flow assisted corrosion, is a phenomenon wherein carbon steel components with a protective film oxide degrade over time. FAC occurs only when the fluid is moving (not static), when it contains water, and is unsaturated in iron. It is imperative to understand FAC since it is different from simple erosion — the mechanisms of these two processes are different. In short, FAC does not require particle impingement, cavitati

Thomas R. Hay (PhD, PE) and Suhaib Zafar Introduction Eddy Current Testing (ECT) utilizes the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction — a magnet inducing electric currents in a conducting material (typically metals) that is moving relative to the magnet, or an alternating current (AC) causing a time-varying magnetic field [1]. The induced current is known as eddy current , and this in turn affects the current in the magnet. Typically, the magnet used is a coil, with alternat

There are a wide variety of testing methods that are commonly used within the field of non-destructive testing (NDT) including but not limited to ultrasonic testing, eddy-current testing, dye penetrant testing, and magnetic particle testing. There are many logistical and staging requirements for non-destructive testing projects that are related to physical access to the structure and safety concerns during the inspection. NDT project safety concerns include working at height

Non-destructive testing training courses are often rigorous and time intensive commitments. These courses often follow NDT topical, duration, and examination guidelines published by a multitude of acclaimed organizations within the industry. Among them include the American Society for Non-destructive Testing (ASNT), American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and International Standard Organization (ISO). A substantial market shift occurred in the late 1990s as personal

Welded steel bridges consist of many fracture critical members (FCMs) that are require periodic non-destructive testing (NDT) for fatigue crack detection. Fatigue cracks develop for several reasons including [1]: - Welded details that are susceptible to fatigue cracks - distortion-induced fatigue cracking - Many bridges are over 90 years old - Corrosion fatigue cracks, and - Increases in the number of heavy vehicles leading and d allowable leading to significant accumulation

Introduction Non-destructive testing (NDT) of welds with phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) and more recently the total focusing method / full matrix capture (TFM/FMC) are two excellent techniques to detect, locate and size weld defects. Compared to ultrasonic weld testing, PAUT provides more efficient volumetric testing, increases weld defect probability of detection (POD), and should improve flaw sizing given the same NDT inspector skill level. The Total Focusing Method

TechKnowServ Corporation (TKS) is strategically located to serve New York, New Jersey, Ohio Pennsylvania, and West Virginia owners and operators of aboveground storage tanks (AST) used to store chemical bulk and petroleum bulk products. In addition to our strategic location, we are proficient in the different jurisdictional requirements for each state. This article outlines some of the aboveground storage tank testing guidelines for each state and provides links to the import

Introduction to Phased Array Testing of Composites Phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) of aerospace composites during the fabrication stage is an important quality control step to assure that composite structures do not contain delamination, fiber Phased Array Inspection of Aerospace Composite defects, interlayer bonding issues, voids and ply cracking. Phased array testing of composites is comparably more challenging that testing metals due to the material anisotropy, high

Introduction Acoustic emission testing (AET) is a well-established non-destructive testing (NDT) technology commonly used to detect fatigue cracks in steel and composite pressure vessels, above ground atmospheric storage tanks, and steel and concrete bridges. Acoustic emission testing is characterized as a passive NDT technique since it does not insert some type of energy into the structure to interrogate for material anomalies. The structure must be stressed to a level tha

Streetlights, traffic signal lighting, traffic signage, and support beams are often installed and secured using steel anchor bolts embedded in steel rebar reinforced concrete. Depending on the age of the system, the condition of construction grade bolts and the footer may affect the load bearing capacity of the system. In some cases, damage may be incurred, and a fitness-for-service assessment is required. In many instances the design and fabrication specifications are unavai

Non-Destructive Testing: Magnetic Particle Testing (MT, MPI) Magnetic particle testing (MT) is a fast, simple, and cost effect non-destructive testing technique that is capable of finding discontinuities in ferromagnetic metals. Compared to other non-destructive testing techniques, magnetic particle testing is the most reliable at finding surface and near surface discontinuities. Magnetic particle testing can detect inherent discontinuities such as ingot pipe, cold shuts, and

Guided wave ultrasonic testing (GWUT) or long-range ultrasonic testing (LRUT) is a non-destructive testing (NDT) method that uses torsional, longitudinal, or flexural ultrasonic waves to detect percent cross-sectional area (%CSA) loss in process, petrochemical, transmission, and other industry piping systems. Depending on the pipe condition the sensitivity can be as low as 1% CSA loss but a more reasonable number is 5% given the wide range of inspection variables which includ

Acoustic Emission (AE) testing is an advanced non-destructive testing (NDT) technique that measures stress wave, or ultrasonic waves, that are generated by active flaws. AE testing is a passive technique that analyzes the stress waves emitted by structural defects activated during loading. Some common examples of AE in materials include fatigue crack growth in steel pressure vessels and fiber breaks in composite materials. The sudden release of energy caused by these phenomen

Introduction Total Focusing Method (TFM) / Full Matrix Capture (FMC) technology show potential to improve weld flaw sizing performance compared to phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT). TFM is an imaging algorithm that operates on data acquired using FMC data acquisition. TFM/FMC refers to both the data acquisition and processing method used for advanced ultrasonic testing applications. TFM/FMC is a variation of Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT and may improve flaw sizi