Features[edit]

Advantages[edit]
1. High penetrating power, which allows the detection of flaws deep in the part.
2. High sensitivity, permitting the detection of extremely small flaws.
3. In many cases only one surface needs to be accessible.
4. Greater accuracy than other nondestructive methods in determining the depth of internal
flaws and the thickness of parts with parallel surfaces.
5. Some capability of estimating the size, orientation, shape and nature of defects.
6. Some capability of estimating the structure of alloys of components with different acoustic
properties
7. Non-hazardous to operations or to nearby personnel and has no effect on equipment and
materials in the vicinity.
8. Capable of portable or highly automated operation.
9. Results are immediate. Hence on the spot decisions can be made.
Disadvantages[edit]
1. Manual operation requires careful attention by experienced technicians. The transducers
alert to both normal structure of some materials, tolerable anomalies of other specimens
(both termed “noise”) and to faults therein severe enough to compromise specimen
integrity. These signals must be distinguished by a skilled technician, possibly requiring
follow up with other nondestructive testing methods.[3]
2. Extensive technical knowledge is required for the development of inspection procedures.
3. Parts that are rough, irregular in shape, very small or thin, or not homogeneous are
difficult to inspect.
4. Surface must be prepared by cleaning and removing loose scale, paint, etc., although
paint that is properly bonded to a surface need not be removed.
5. Couplants are needed to provide effective transfer of ultrasonic wave energy between
transducers and parts being inspected unless a non-contact technique is used. Non-
contact techniques include Laser and Electro Magnetic Acoustic Transducers (EMAT).

Standards[edit]
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

 ISO 2400: Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic testing - Specification for calibration block No.
1 (2012)
 ISO 7963: Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Specification for calibration block
No. 2 (2006)
 ISO 10863: Non-destructive testing of welds -- Ultrasonic testing -- Use of time-of-flight
diffraction technique (TOFD) (2011)
 ISO 11666: Non-destructive testing of welds — Ultrasonic testing — Acceptance
levels (2010)
 ISO 16809: Non-destructive testing -- Ultrasonic thickness measurement (2012)
 ISO 16831: Non-destructive testing -- Ultrasonic testing -- Characterization and verification of
ultrasonic thickness measuring equipment (2012)
 ISO 17640: Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing - Techniques, testing levels,
and assessment (2010)
 ISO 22825, Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing - Testing of welds in
austenitic steels and nickel-based alloys (2012)
 ISO 5577: Non-destructive testing -- Ultrasonic inspection -- Vocabulary (2000)
European Committee for Standardization (CEN)

 EN 583, Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic examination

 EN 1330-4, Non destructive testing - Terminology - Part 4: Terms used in ultrasonic testing
 EN 12668-1, Non-destructive testing - Characterization and verification of ultrasonic
examination equipment - Part 1: Instruments
 EN 12668-2, Non-destructive testing - Characterization and verification of ultrasonic
examination equipment - Part 2: Probes
 EN 12668-3, Non-destructive testing - Characterization and verification of ultrasonic
examination equipment - Part 3: Combined equipment
 EN 12680, Founding - Ultrasonic examination
 EN 14127, Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic thickness measurement
(Note: Part of CEN standards in Germany accepted as DIN EN, in Czech Republic as CSN EN.)