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HOME > PROCESSES > FINDING WELD CRACKS WITH INSPECTION PENETRANTS

FindingWeldCracksWithInspectionPenetrants
WilliamE.Mooz|WeldingDesign
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May1,2004
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Penetrantinspectionisatimeproven,simple,andeffectivemethodidealfor
locatingsurfacecracksandflawsoutinthefield.

WilliamE.Mooz,MetLChekCo.

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Penetrantinspectionwasfirstdevelopedbymaintenance
crewsinspectingrailroadrailswhofoundthatdirty
engineoilplacedonarailreadilyenteredsurfacecracks.
Theylearnediftheywaitedabit,andthenwipedthe
surfaceclean,oilremainedinanycracksthatmightbe
present.Then,iftheysprinkledwhitingorchalkpowder
ontherail,theoilleftinthecrackswouldbesoakedinto
thechalk,andadirtystainappearedonthechalk.

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Astechnologydeveloped,improvementsincluded
modificationstotheoilcarrier,andtheadditionofdyes
totheoilsoflawswereeasiertosee.
DuringWorldWarIILoyW.Sockman,workingat
NorthrupAviation,developedandpatentedformulations
thatlocatedsmallerflaws,andeventuallyfoundedMetL
ChekCompany.
Today,penetrantinspectionmaterialsareavailablefor
almostanyapplication,rangingfromtheproductionline
inspectionofjetenginecomponentstothoseusedforfield
testingwelds.Howeverthebasicprinciplesremainthe
same.
EntertheCrack,RevealtheFlaw
Thepenetrantisaliquidthathastwocharacteristics
theabilitytoenterfinecracksandsometypeofdyeto
makethecracksvisible.Thisdyecanbeeitheranintense
redorreddishpurpledye,oradyethatfluoresceswhen
exposedtoultravioletlight.Thetypeofdyedependson
thetypeofinspection.

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Figure1.During
inspection,penetrantis
appliedtothesurfaceof
themetalandallowedto
enterflaws.

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Figure2.Removeexcess
penetrantfromthemetal
surface.Somepenetrant
remainsinanyflaws.

providesinformationabouthealthandsafetyhazards
affectingthosethatworkwithmetal....More

Duringaninspection,thepenetrantisappliedtothe
surfaceoftheparttobeinspected.Ifthereareany
surfaceflaws,thepenetrantentersthem,asillustratedin
Figure1.
Thesecondstepinvolvesremovingtheexcesssurface
penetrantfromthepart,leavingpenetrantinanysurface

Figure3.Applyawhite
developertothesurface.

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flawillustratedinFigure2.
Thethirdstepistocausethepenetrantinanyflawsto
risetothesurface,whereitcanbeseen.Toaccomplish
this,adeveloperisappliedtothesurfacethatblotsthe
penetrantoutoftheflaw.Thedeveloperiswhite.Ifared
penetrantisused,theflawshowsupasaredindication
onawhitebackground,asshowninFigure3.
WeldInspection
Aerosolcansofthepenetrantmaterialsaretypicallyused
forweldinspectionsinthefield.Kitscontainpenetrants,
instructionmanual,toweling,andawirebrushtoclean
theweld.
Thefirststepistocleantheweldwithawirebrushand
penetrantremover.Penetrantscannotenterflawsfilled
withdirtorcoveredbypaintorspecialcoatings.

Theflawshowsupasa
redindicationonawhite
background

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Todetectleaksinvessel
wallspenetrantisapplied
totheinsidewalland
developertotheoutside.
Intheeventofaleak,
penetrantbleedsthrough
thewall,blotsintothe
developer,andis
revealedtotheinspector.

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Oncetheweldiscleananddry,redpenetrantissprayed
ontothesurfaceandallowedtoremainforapproximately
tenminutestoallowittopenetratepotentialflaws.
Excesssurfacepenetrantisthenremovedfirstbywiping
thepartwithacleandrytowelclotheliminatingasmuch
aspossible,andthenwithacleanclothortowel
moistenedwithpenetrantremover.
Next,thedeveloperisappliedbysprayingafinecoating Theweldsurfaceisgiven
afinalcleaningby
onthepart,almostthinenoughtobetranslucent.The
moisteningacleancloth
developerwilldrytoafinewhitecoating,andanyflaws ortowelwiththeremover,
willshowupasaredindicationonthewhitebackground. andgivingthesurface
ZeroinginonFineDefects
Penetrantinspectionisusedinfactoriestolocate
extremelyfinedefectsinhightechwelds.Afactory
makingvesselsusedinwaterpurificationneededtobe
certainthatnoneofitsvesselshadleaks.

areaafinalwipe.

Itneededtolocateanyflawsintheirweldsopentoboth
sides.Itchoseaninspectiontechniquethatalloweditto
locatefinedefects.
Inpractice,thepenetrantisappliedtoonesideofthe
weld,suchastheinsidewallofthevessel.Thenthe
developerisappliedtotheoutsidewallofthevessel.If
thereisaleak,thepenetrantcomesthroughthewalland
isblottedintothedeveloper,whereitisseenbythe
inspector.
FluorescentLighting
Almostanypenetrantwillworkforthisapplication.
However,whensearchingforextremelysmallleaks,itis
easiertoseepenetrantindicationsthatfluoresceunder
ultravioletlight.

Thedevelopersprayedon
theweldasafine,thin
coating.

Thedeveloperwilldryto
afinewhitecoating,and
anyflawswillshowupas
aredindicationonthe
whitebackground.

Inthisapplication,thecompanyswitchedfromred
penetranttoMetLChek'sFP923,ahighsensitivitywaterwashablefluorescent
penetrantallowingittolocatesmallerleaksandcleanupmorequicklyafterinspection.
Thismethodofinspectionwaseasierontheinspector'seyes,becausetheindications
reallystandsoutinadarkenedarea.
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Switchingfromtheredpenetrantmethodprovedsimple,butdidinvolveperformingthe
inspectioninadarkenedareawithultravioletlightsspecificallysizedforproducingbright
indications.However,qualityimproved,customercomplaintsdeclined,andprofits
increased.
WilliamE.MoozispresidentofMetLChekCo.AFellowoftheAmericanSocietyof
NondestructiveTesting,andauthorofhandbooksontheuseofpenetrantinspection
materials.Formoreinformation:1639EuclidSt.,SantaMonica,CA90404Phone:(310)
450111Fax:(310)4524046.EditedbyRonLucas,managingeditor.

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