NONDESTRUCTIVE

TESTING OF WELDS
NON DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
A PROCESS THAT INVOLVES
• INSPECTION, TESTING OR
EVALUATION OF MATERIALS,
COMPONENTS AND ASSEMBLIES
• FOR MATERIALS’ DISCONTINUITIES,
PROPERTIES AND MACHINE
PROBLEMS
• WITHOUT FURTHER IMPAIRING OR
DESTROYING THE PARTS’
SERVICEABILITY
 Methods of NDT

Visual
VISUAL TESTING
 VISUAL TESTING
• A NONDESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION
METHOD
• TO EVALUATE AN ITEM
• FOR ITS FEATURES & CHARACTERISTICS
SUCH AS
• SIZE, SHAPE, ALIGNMENT / ASSEMBLY,
SURFACE CONDITIONS,
DISCONTINUITIES, CLEANLINESS ETC.
• BY OBSERVATION / MEASUREMENT
 VISUAL INSPECTION
• VERY COST EFFECTIVE
• LIMITED TO SURFACE ONLY
• REQUIRES
– TRAINING
– EXPERIENCE
– WELDING KNOWLEDGE
– PROPER TOOLS
• MUST BE CONTINUOUS, ONGOING
 WHO IS TO DO VT ?

• WELDER
• WELDING SUPERVISOR
• COMPANY INSPECTOR
• CONTRACTORS INSPECTOR
• REGULATORY INSPECTOR
FACTORS FOR VISUAL TESTING

• LIGHTING
• MATERIAL ATTRIBUTES
• ENVIRONMENTAL &
PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS
• VISUAL PERCEPTION
 LIGHTING
• FORM OF ENERGY
• ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
• VISIBLE LIGHT RANGE :
(WAVELENGTH 3800 – 7700 A)
(WAVELENGTH 375 – 750nm)
• MEASUREMENT OF LIGHT INTENSITY
• LIGHTING FOR VISUAL TESTING
- 500 LUX MIN. FOR CRITICAL VISUAL
TESTING
WAVELENGTH OF LIGHT COLORS
(in nanometers)
 INSPECTION ENVIRONMENT

VISIBLE LIGHT
• VIBGYOR
• WAVELENGTH : 375 nm TO 750 nm

ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT
• WAVELENGTH : 0.1 nm TO 400 nm,
TYPICALLY 365 nm
LIGHT METER
 INSPECTION ENVIRONMENT

VISIBLE LIGHT VOR VT

 500 LUX
 80W FLOURESCENT BULB, AT 1 m
 100W TUNGSTEN LIGHT, AT 200 mm
VISUAL INSPECTION
 ON AREAS 300 mm TO 400 mm, FROM THE
EYE

VISUAL ACUITY OF THE INSPECTOR

ENVIRONMENTAL & PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS
• ATMOSPHERE
• CLEANLINESS
• COMFORT
• DISTANCE
• ELEVATION
• FATIGUE
• HEALTH
• HUMIDITY
• MENTAL ATTITUDE
• POSITION
• SAFETY
• TEMPERATURE
 PERCEPTION
• WHAT YOUR EYES SEE
• WHAT YOUR MIND SEES
• WHAT OTHERS PERCEIVE
• WHAT THE DESIGNER,
ENGINEER ETC WANTS YOU
TO SEE
 APPLICATION OF VT
• BEFORE WELDING

• DURING WELDING

• AFTER WELDING
 INSPECTION CHECKLIST
VT BEFORE WELDING
• REVIEW APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS
• CHECK WELDING PROCEDURES
• CHECK WELDER QUALIFICATIONS
• ESTABLISH HOLD POINTS
• DEVELOP INSPECTION PLAN
• DEVELOP REPORT SYSTEM
• DEVELOP SYSTEM FOR REJECT
IDENTIFICATION
 INSPECTION CHECKLIST
V T JUST BEFORE WELDING
• CHECK BASE AND FILLER METALS
• CHECK WELDING EQUIPMENT
• CHECK WELD PREPARATIONS
• CHECK JOINT FITUP
• CHECK ADEQUACY OF ALIGNMENT
DEVICES
• CHECK WELD JOINT CLEANLINESS
• CHECK PREHEAT, IF REQUIRED
• CHECK WELDER QUALIFICATION
 INSPECTION CHECKLIST
VT DURING WELDING
• CHECK WELDING VARIABLES
CONFORMANCE WITH WPS
• CHECK INDIVIDUAL WELD PASSES
• CHECK INTERPASS CLEANING
• CHECK INTERPASS TEMPERATURES
• CHECK WELD SEQUENCE, PLACEMENT
• CHECK BACKGOUGED SURFACES
• MONITOR IN-PROCESS NDT, IF
REQUIRED
 INSPECTION CHECKLIST
VT AFTER WELDING
• EXAMINE WELD APPEARANCE
• CHECK WELD SIZE AND LENGTH
• CHECK PART DIMENSIONS
• MONITOR OTHER NDE METHODS
• MONITOR POSTWELD HEAT
TREATING
• PREPARE INSPECTION REPORTS
Visual Inspection Tools
 VISUAL INSPECTION TOOLS

• MAGNIFIERS

–USUALLY 6X - 10X

–HIGHER THE MAGNIFICATION,

LESS FIELD
 TEMPERATURE
MEASUREMENTS
• REQUIRED FOR :
– PREHEAT
– POST WELD HEAT TREATMENTS
• TYPICALLY ACHIEVED BY :
– TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE
CRAYONS
– DIGITAL PYROMETERS
 VISUAL INSPECTION TOOLS
• BOROSCOPES
-OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS
-RIGID BOROSCOPES
-FLEXIBLE FIBROSCOPES
• FIBROSCOPE CAN BE BENT TO SMALL RADII
• USES OPTIC FIBRE BUNDLES IN PAIRS
• ONE BUNDLE LIGHT TRANSMISSION SECOND
BUNDLE CARRIES REFLECTED IMAGE
• USUALLY 2mm TO 12mm OD
• VIDEO PROBE , LCD CAMERA
RIGID BORESCOPE
FIBEROSCOPE
 TEMPERATURE
MEASUREMENTS
• REQUIRED FOR :
– PREHEAT
– POST WELD HEAT TREATMENTS
• TYPICALLY ACHIEVED BY :
– TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE
CRAYONS
– DIGITAL PYROMETERS
 ETCHING

• MILD ACIDS

– TO REVEAL WELD ZONE

– TO REVEAL CRACKS
 REPLICATION

– REPRODUCES

– TOPOGRAPHY OF WELD
SURFACE

– CELLULOSE ACETATE FILM USED

REPLICATION
REPLICATION
REPLICATION
 INSPECTION OF
STAINLESS STEEL WELDS
DETRMINATION OF DELTA FERRITE
• FERRITE METER
MODIFIED EDDY CURRENT MACHINE
• FERRITESCOPE
BASED ON MAGNETIC RESPONSE
• PASSIVATION
PASSIVATION METER