NF 0125/3 Issue 1 November 1995 Ultrasonic testing Specification for testing austenitic stainless steel plate 35 mm and aboveApproved by: Materlals & Fabrication Technical Section, Risley Published by: Technical Standare's Group, Fisley ‘Any comments relating to this Standard should be addressed lo Technical Standards Group, Risley ‘This documant is copyright © British Nucleer Fuels plc 1996 ands seued in conticence for information only I shall notin wincle or part be: copied, repreduced or transmitted in any form, disclosed to any other party, ‘stored on any retrieval sysiem, or used for any other purpose without the prior written permission of the Director, Engineering Group, BNFL.Contents ‘Section one: General 1 Scope 2 Denton 3 Plated documents 4 Operator Section two: Equipment and surface condition 5 Equioment 81 Goneral .... 52 Coupling ..... : 5.3 Reference biooks (To allow construction ofa Distance Amplitude Curve) 54 DAC Construction. 6 Surface condition... sees 7 Testprocedure 71 Scanning . 7.2 Apparatus 8 Acceptance levels 9 Reports 40 Marking AppendixA Distance Ampltuce Curve Construction Figure t Distance Amplitude Curve (OAO) .. NF 0125/3 Isste 1 PageNF 0125/3 Issuet Foreword ‘This specification fs one of three concerned with the ultrasonic testing of stainless steel alate. The other specifications are: NEO125/1 For plates uplo and including 10 mn tick NE 0125/2 For plates over 10 mm up to and including 35 mm thick. }NF 0125/3 Issue 1 Section one: General 1 Scope This specification covers the procedure end acceptance levels related tothe uvasonic examination of austenitic steel plate 35 mr thick and above. Tho object ofthis specication is to assure dolvary of matoral which is free of laminar defects. Any deviation from this specification in ine with developing non-destructive testing (NDT) practices, shall bbe subject to BNFL approval 2 Definitions BNFL: riish Nuclear Fuels pic BNFL Approval: Relates to a procedure or techrique that has been approved! by the relevant ENFL technical authori, Inspector: ‘The person appointed by BNFL tobe responsible for inspection under the terms of the contract and for obtaining BNL approval whore requited inthis spocification. Note:The use of BS -3683: Pat 4 ls recommenced to determine the definition of terms used in ultra- ‘sonic flaw detection (308 below) 3 Related documents ‘The following documents ate referred to in this specification. Unless stated otherwise, the edition of reference documents and amendments current atthe date of en order or contract shall apply. NF aose! Materlals evaluated for contact with stainless stea! British Standards es s683 Glossary of terms used in non-destrucive testing Part 4 Ultrasonic flaw detection, 5 5996 ‘Acceptance tevels for internal imperfections in steel plate, strip and wi ‘based on ultrasonic testing, 4 Operator The ultrasonic operator shall hold a current national approval relevantto the test being caried outand acceptable to BNFL.NF 0125/8 Issuet Section two: Equipment and surface condition aa BAA SA2 544 5A8 516 SAT 548 52 53 534 532 534 Equipment General The test equipment to be used shall conform to BS 5006 with refinements and acdiional requitomants as descrised in this specification rales shall be examined using the pulse echo technique with an A-scan presentation andl withthe ‘compressional wave narmal tothe surface ofthe pale, “Tho flaw detoctor shall be oporated with the euppression contol eet at ZERO for all oxaminations ‘caied out “The probes toe used for scanning and evaluation, shall be in accordance win tha detail givan in BS 15908 Annex A Tabla A Unless the metsral exhibits high ultrasonic attenuation characteristics due tothe material structure (found in some grades and sections of austenllic slainless steels), the minimum ulrasonic test frequency shall be 2.0 Mhz, The use of lower test frequency on material thal exhibits high ultrasonic attenuation is subject to approval ftom the BNFL Inspector. For manuel and assisted manuel testing the maximum ultrasonic test frequoncy shall be .0 Mh. For automatic o sern automatic testing the maximum ultrasonic test frequency shall be 10 Mhz. Unless the material exhibit high ultrasonic attenuation characteristics dus fo the material etr.cture (Cound in some graces and sections of austen stainless steels), the maximum dimension of the Urasonic wansduoer shall be 25 rm, “The use of larger utrasonie transcicers on material that exhibits high utrascnic attenuation is subject to approval from the BNFL Inspectot Coupling ‘The coupling shall be obtained by elther contact, gap or immersion scanning in accordance with BS ‘59096. For sutable coupling medium soa NF 0039/1. Adequate precautions shall be taken to ensure that any coupling medium is romaved attr completion of the tet Reference blocks (To allow construction of a Distance Amplitude Curve} ‘mere practical, the reterence blacks should have acoustic properties essentially similar to the material being tested. ‘The entry surface shall be flat end ihe interior free from any naturally occurring imperfections which \woukd give recognisable ultrasonic responses. If he attenuation coefficient ofthe reference block is, ‘signflearrly ciferert from the material being tested, then senstivly adjustments shall be applies, ‘Tho external dimensions of the referonce block shall be celacted so thatthe reference targats are sufciontly seperated from each other and irom the extremities ofthe reference block to avoid mutual interference such thet a clearly distinguishable signal indication te obtained from each reference target. The tower surface may be stopped to allow the introduction of shallower reference largets. ‘The BNFL qualty grade fo stainioss sicel plate metarial 35 mm and ebove is essentially not ess than 187 and E4 as given in BS 5996,535 5.3.6 84 Bad 542 TA qaa TAZ 76 72 724 722 NF 0125/8 Issue 1 For these quality grades the clameter of the fet bottomed hole raferance targat shall be 6.0 rm, The tolerance on the diameter afthe atbottomed hole or the with ofthe recass used shal be #/- 5%, The bottom of each reference target hole shall be flat and parallel o the ulasound entry surface {athin 236) and free from ps and score marks that may degrade the refleciviy. The sides of the reference target hole shal be perpendicular to he ultrasound entry surfaca DAC Construction A distance amplitude curve (OAC) shall be constructad similar to that shown in the Appendix and ‘gvon in Annex B paragraph BS in BS 5998. From the target hole in the appropriate reference block, ‘a reference line shall be drawn lo delermine recordable defects ‘The equipment senstivty shallbe adjusted (including any transfer losses) s thal the largest echo Is approximately 80% ofthe full screen height and the echo arrpltudas ofthe other fat boitarned holes shal bo dotorminod at this sonsivity. Surface condition ‘The surizce condition cf the plate io be tested, shall corform tothe requirements of BS 5986. Test procedure ‘Scanning {nial scanning wil bo undertaken with tha sensitivity level, as determined on the appropriate reference block enhanced by 638. Each plate shall be 100% tested from one surface unless othenvise stated in the coniract or shown fon the drawing (required where large mechanical tems are to be machined from the section). the materiel exhiots high utresonic attenuation characteristics due tothe material structure (eg in some. {grades of austeniic staivess steels or on thick sections), it may be necessary to test from both sides. Intris inetanco't shall be demonstrated that more then 0% ofthe matorialricknees is examined from ‘each side. ‘The direction of scanning shall be transverse to the direction of roling, the scanning probe being cfientated so that tho crystal separator is parallel to the roling cirection (when using twin crystal probes), Complete coverage eral bo obtained by scenning along parallal tines witn spacing to ‘ensure a 10% overlap cf the effective crystal diamster of the probe. Al defect evaluations chall be carried out minus the 6d used for scanning. ‘The testing of ralerial edges shall be as given in 8S 5396 Annex A paragreph A. for material thickness 33 mm and above, to meet with Ihe requirements of Clause 7.1.2 above. ‘The speed of the scan shal not exceed 160 mm/sec. Apparatus “The sensivty of the apparatus shallze checked, using the reference block, before testing each plate end alter any break in testing, (On completion of the test tho apparatus shall again be checked to ensure the calibration and sensitivity has remained conslant to within +208. If not, the plate shall be retestedNF 0128/3 Issuet 7.2.3. The operator shall demonstrate the accuracy o! the equipment when 60 required, to the satisfaction 8a 82 10 10.41 10.2 10.3 ‘of the BNFL Inspector, Acceptance levels From the sensivily established in Cause 6.3.1 the fllowing acceptance levels shall apply: Defect sizing shal be undertaken as described in BS 5996 Annex C. (2) Allincividua dofects nat give responses equalto.orgreater than that romaSmin at bottomed hole equivalent at that depth and having no measurable length shall be recorded and may provide a cause forrojoction. An oxample being defects which occur within 1.ST of the plate ‘2dge in material thickness 3§ fo 68 mm and 100 mm for material thickness 66 to 200 men. (©) Ary defects giving responses of 80% fll screen helcht or more having an area greater than '50 mm square in any atea of $90 500 mm square may be cause for rejection. The maximum mension of any defect shall ot exceed 50 mm, If surface defects can be removed without causing reduction of the thickness and is satisfactory on| retest, then subject to the approval arc! recommendations of the BNFL Inspecter being implemented at each stage, the plate Is acceptable. Reports LUtrasonio test reports shall be sunelied in a format egreed withthe BNFL Inepector. Theee shoule Contain the fllewing iormation: (8) Material identity and size (©) Material condition (9g a8 role, heat treated) (©) Transducer type, cimansion and frequency (4) Test equipment type and model (©) Couplant uses (Scanning cotaits {g) Statement of conformity {h) Operator entity, certification or approval grade () Date oftest Marking Inaction tothe plate idenification marking required by the plate specification or conract, each plate ‘nat has been tested shall be merked: Utrasonicaly ested trom this sie. This marking shall be on, the scanned surface, printed in characters 25 mm high, applied by roller across the wicth at intervals down the plat, Materials evaluated as ecceptabl for marking stainless steel are included in NF 00Sa/1 oth the method and the materials to bo used for marking shall be agreed with the BNFL Inspactor before any marking is applied.NF 0125/8 Issue 1 Appendix A Distance Amplitude Curve Construction Approx 0%, screen height Reference line oa Tuganoes 1 2 3 4 5 6 Backuallecho Figure 4 Distance Amplitude Curve (DAC)NFL Engineering Group Engineering Divsion Fisley ‘Werington Cheshire IAS BAS: Pubished by: Technical Standards Group Enquifes: 01925 894988 BNFL