EXPERIMENT No.

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Liquid Penetrant Test
INTRODUCTION:

Non-destructive Testing is one part of the function of Quality Control and is

complementary to other long established methods. By definition non-destructive
testing is the testing of materials, for surface or internal flaws or metallurgical
condition, without interfering in any way with the integrity of the material or its
suitability for service. The technique can be applied on a sampling basis for individual
investigation or may be used for 100% checking of material in a production quality
control system.

• Radiography
• Magnetic Particle Crack Detection
• Dye Penetrant Testing
• Ultrasonic Flaw Detection
• Eddy Current and Electro-magnetic Testing

INTRODUCTION TO LIQUID PENETRANT TESTING

This method is also called Dye Penetrant Testing which is used to detect
surface connected cracks and other flaws, such as laps and pores in all metals, as
well as in most plastics and ceramics. It is widely used for determining the integrity of
a weld.
This method is frequently used for the detection of surface breaking flaws in
non-ferromagnetic materials. The subject to be examined is first of all chemically
cleaned, usually by vapour phase, to remove all traces of foreign material, grease, dirt,
etc. from the surface generally, and also from within the cracks. Next the penetrant
(which is a very fine thin oil usually dyed bright red or ultra-violet fluorescent) is
applied and allowed to remain in contact with the surface for approximately fifteen
minutes. Capillary action draws the penetrant into the crack during this period. The
surplus penetrant on the surface is then removed completely and thin coating of
powdered chalk is applied.
After a further period (development time) the chalk draws the dye out of the
crack, rather like blotting paper, to form a visual, magnified in width, indication in good
contrast to the background. The process is purely a mechanical/chemical one and the
various substances used may be applied in a large variety of ways, from aerosol spray
cans at the most simple end to dipping in large tanks on an automatic basis at the
other end. The latter system requires sophisticated tanks, spraying and drying
equipment but the principle remains the same.

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 Liquid penetrant testing is one of the most widely used NDT methods. Its
popularity can be attributed to two main factors:

 its relative ease of use and

 its flexibility.

It can be used to inspect almost any material provided that its surface is not
extremely rough or porous. Materials that are commonly inspected using this method
include; metals, glass, many ceramic materials, rubber and plastics. However, liquid
penetrant testing can only be used to inspect for flaws that break the surface of the
sample (such as surface cracks, porosity, laps, seams, lack of fusion, etc.)

STEPS OF LIQUID PENETRANT TESTING

The exact procedure for liquid penetrant testing can vary from case to case
depending on several factors such as the penetrant system being used, the size and
material of the component being inspected, the type of discontinuities being expected
in the component and the condition and environment under which the inspection is
performed. However, the general steps can be summarized as follows:

1. Surface Preparation:
One of the most critical steps of a liquid penetrant testing is the surface
preparation. The surface must be free of oil, grease, water, or other contaminants that
may prevent penetrant from entering flaws. The sample may also require etching if
mechanical operations such as machining, sanding, or grit blasting have been
performed. These and other mechanical operations can smear metal over the flaw
opening and prevent the penetrant from entering.

2. Penetrant Application:
Once the surface has been thoroughly cleaned and dried, the penetrant
material is applied by spraying, brushing, or immersing the part in a penetrant bath.

3. Penetrant Dwell:
The penetrant is left on the surface for a sufficient time to allow as much penetrant as
possible to be drawn from or to seep into a defect. Penetrant dwell time is the total
time that the penetrant is in contact with the part surface. Dwell times are usually
recommended by the penetrant producers or required by the specification being
followed. The time may vary depending on the application, penetrant materials used,
the material, the form of the material being inspected, and the type of discontinuity
being inspected for. Minimum dwell times typically range from five to 60 minutes.
Generally, there is no harm in using a longer penetrant dwell time as long as the

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penetrant is not allowed to dry. The ideal dwell time is often determined by
experimentation and may be very specific to a particular application.

4. Excess Penetrant Removal:

This is the most delicate part of the inspection procedure because the
excess penetrant must be removed from the surface of the sample while removing as
little penetrant as possible from defects. Depending on the penetrant system used,
this step may involve cleaning with a solvent, direct rinsing with water, or first treating
the part with an emulsifier and then rinsing with water.

5. Developer Application:
A thin layer of developer is then applied to the sample to draw penetrant
trapped in flaws back to the surface where it will be visible. Developers come in a
variety of forms that may be applied by dusting (dry powders), dipping, or spraying
(wet developers).

6. Indication Development:
The developer is allowed to stand on the part surface for a period of time
sufficient to permit the extraction of the trapped penetrant out of any surface flaws.
This development time is usually a minimum of 10 minutes. Significantly longer times
may be necessary for tight cracks.

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7. Inspection:
Inspection is then performed under appropriate lighting to detect indications
from any flaws which may be present.

8. Clean Surface:
The final step in the process is to thoroughly clean the part surface to remove
the developer from the parts that were found to be acceptable.

PENETRANTS :

Penetrants are carefully formulated to produce the level of sensitivity desired by

the inspector. The penetrant must possess a number of important characteristics:

 spread easily over the surface of the material being inspected to provide
complete and even coverage.
 be drawn into surface breaking defects by capillary action.
 remain in the defect but remove easily from the surface of the part.
 remain fluid so it can be drawn back to the surface of the part through the
drying and developing steps.
 be highly visible or fluoresce brightly to produce easy to see indications.
 not be harmful to the material being tested or the inspector.

Penetrant materials come in two basic types:

Type 1 - Fluorescent Penetrants: they contain a dye or several dyes that fluoresce
when exposed to ultraviolet radiation.
Type 2 - Visible Penetrants: they contain a red dye that provides high contrast
against the white developer background.

Fluorescent penetrant systems are more sensitive than visible penetrant

systems because the eye is drawn to the glow of the fluorescing indication. However,
visible penetrants do not require a darkened area and an ultraviolet light in order to
make an inspection.

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DEVELOPERS:
The role of the developer is to pull the trapped penetrant material out of defects
and spread it out on the surface of the part so it can be seen by an inspector.
Developers used with visible penetrants create a white background so there is a
greater degree of contrast between the indication and the surrounding background.
On the other hand, developers used with fluorescent penetrants both reflect and
refract the incident ultraviolet light, allowing more of it to interact with the penetrant,
causing more efficient fluorescence.
According to standards, developers are classified based on the method that the
developer is applied (as a dry powder, or dissolved or suspended in a liquid carrier).
The six standard forms of developers are:
Form a - Dry Powder
Form b - Water Soluble
Form c - Water Suspendable
Form d - Nonaqueous Type 1: Fluorescent (Solvent Based)
Form e - Nonaqueous Type 2: Visible Dye (Solvent Based)
Form f - Special Applications

ADVANTAGES OF LIQUID PENETRANT TESTING

 Simplicity of operation.
 Best method for surface breaking cracks in non-ferrous metals.
 Suitable for automatic testing
 It produces a flaw indication that is much larger and easier for the eye to detect
than the flaw itself. Many flaws are so small or narrow that they are
undetectable by the unaided eye (a person with a perfect vision cannot resolve
features smaller than 0.08 mm).
 It improves the detectability of a flaw due to the high level of contrast between
the indication and the background which helps to make the indication more
easily seen (such as a red indication on a white background for visable
penetrant or a penetrant that glows under ultraviolate light for flourecent
penetrant).
 High sensitivity (small discontinuities can be detected).
 Few material limitations (metallic and nonmetallic, magnetic and nonmagnetic,
and conductive and nonconductive materials may be inspected).
 Rapid inspection of large areas and volumes.
 Suitable for parts with complex shapes.
 Indications are produced directly on the surface of the part and constitute a
visual representation of the flaw.
 Portable (materials are available in aerosol spray cans)
 Low cost (materials and associated equipment)

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DISADVANTAGES OF LIQUID PENETRANT TESTING

 Restricted to surface breaking defects only

 Decreased sensitivity
 Uses a considerable amount of consumables
 Only surface breaking defects can be detected.
 Only materials with a relatively nonporous surface can be inspected.
 Pre-cleaning is critical since contaminants can mask defects.
 Metal smearing from machining, grinding, and grit or vapor blasting must be
removed.
 The inspector must have direct access to the surface being inspected.
 Surface finish and roughness can affect inspection sensitivity.
 Multiple process operations must be performed and controlled.
 Post cleaning of acceptable parts or materials is required.
 Chemical handling and proper disposal is required.

IMPORTANT POINTS:

Leak test (through-flaw) inspection

Flaws which extend completely through thin-wall metal containers - tanks,
tubing, and vessels - are readily detected by the dye penetrant process. The
procedure differs from the standard process: dye penetrant is applied to one side
while developer is applied to the opposite side; there is no dye penetrant removal
step.

Perform dye penetrant leak test first

Flaw passages must be free of contaminants - water, solvents, oils, etc.
Moisture from air pressure tests conceivably can interfere with through penetration.
Use the dye penetrant leak test prior to other tests, such as hydrostatic and ultrasonic,
to minimize the possibility of flaw passage contamination.

An extended dye penetrant dwell time is necessary

Dye penetrant leak testing has limitations and, typically, the process is
restricted to wall thicknesses of 1/4 inch or less. The rate of through penetration
depends in part, on the shape of the capillary passage. A narrow tube provides the
best passage.Porosity retards dye penetrant movement. If wall thickness is near
maximum and if poor capillary action is anticipated, the dwell time should be extended
to 30 minutes. A second application of dye penetrant during the 30 minute dwell may
prove advantageous.
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