Introduction to Nondestructive

Testing
 Outline
• Introduction to NDT
• Overview of Six Most
Common NDT Methods
• Selected Applications
 Definition of NDT
The use of noninvasive
techniques to determine
the integrity of a material,
component or structure
or
quantitatively measure
some characteristic of
an object.
i.e. Inspect or measure without doing harm.
 What are Some Uses
of NDE Methods?
• Flaw Detection and Evaluation
• Leak Detection
• Location Determination
• Dimensional Measurements Fluorescent penetrant indication
• Structure and Microstructure Characterization
• Estimation of Mechanical and Physical Properties
• Stress (Strain) and Dynamic Response Measurements
• Material Sorting and Chemical Composition Determination
When are NDE Methods Used?
There are NDE application at almost any stage
in the production or life cycle of a component.
– To assist in product development
– To screen or sort incoming materials
– To monitor, improve or control
manufacturing processes
– To verify proper processing such as heat
treating
– To verify proper assembly
– To inspect for in-service damage
 Six Most Common NDT
Methods
• Visual
• Liquid Penetrant
• Magnetic
• Ultrasonic
• Eddy Current
• X-ray
Visual Inspection
Most basic and common
inspection method.

Tools include
fiberscopes,
borescopes, magnifying
glasses and mirrors.
Portable video inspection
unit with zoom allows
inspection of large tanks
and vessels, railroad tank
cars, sewer lines.
Robotic crawlers permit
observation in hazardous or
tight areas, such as air
ducts, reactors, pipelines.
 Liquid Penetrant Inspection
• A liquid with high surface wetting characteristics
is applied to the surface of the part and allowed
time to seep into surface breaking defects.
• The excess liquid is removed from the surface
of the part.
• A developer (powder) is applied to pull the
trapped penetrant out the defect and spread it
on the surface where it can be seen.
• Visual inspection is the final step in the
process. The penetrant used is often loaded
with a fluorescent dye and the inspection is
done under UV light to increase test
sensitivity.
 Magnetic Particle Inspection
The part is magnetized. Finely milled iron particles coated with a
dye pigment are then applied to the specimen. These particles
are attracted to magnetic flux leakage fields and will cluster to
form an indication directly over the discontinuity. This indication
can be visually detected under proper lighting conditions.
Magnetic Particle Crack Indications
 Radiography
The radiation used in radiography
testing is a higher energy (shorter High Electrical Potential
wavelength) version of the
electromagnetic waves that we Electrons
see as visible light. The radiation can + -
come from an X-ray generator or a
radioactive source. X-ray Generator
or Radioactive
Source Creates
Radiation

Radiation
Penetrate
the Sample
Exposure Recording Device
 Film Radiography
The part is placed between the
radiation source and a piece of film.
The part will stop some of the
radiation. Thicker and more dense
area will stop more of the radiation.
The film darkness
(density) will vary with
X-ray film the amount of radiation
reaching the film
through= the
lesstest object.
exposure
= more exposure
Top view of developed film
Radiographic Images
 Eddy Current Testing

Coil's
Coil magnetic field

Eddy current's
magnetic field
Eddy
currents
Conductive
material
 Eddy Current Testing
Eddy current testing is particularly well suited for detecting surface
cracks but can also be used to make electrical conductivity and
coating thickness measurements. Here a small surface probe is
scanned over the part surface in an attempt to detect a crack.
 Ultrasonic Inspection (Pulse-Echo)
High frequency sound waves are introduced into a material
and they are reflected back from surfaces or flaws.
Reflected sound energy is displayed versus time, and
inspector can visualize a cross section of the specimen f
showing the depth of features that reflect sound.

initial
pulse
back surface
echo
crack
echo

crack
0 2 4 6 8 10 plate

Oscilloscope, or flaw
detector screen
 Common Application of NDT
• Inspection of Raw Products
• Inspection Following Secondary
Processing
• In-Services Damage Inspection
 Inspection of Raw Products
• Forgings,
• Castings,
• Extrusions,
• etc.
 Inspection Following
Secondary Processing
• Machining
• Welding
• Grinding
• Heat treating
• Plating
• etc.
 Inspection For
In-Service Damage
• Cracking
• Corrosion
• Erosion/Wear
• Heat Damage
• etc.
Power Plant Inspection
Periodically, power plants are
shutdown for inspection.
Inspectors feed eddy current
probes into heat exchanger
tubes to check for corrosion
damage.

Pipe with damage Probe

Signals produced
by various
amounts of
corrosion
thinning.
 Wire Rope Inspection
Electromagnetic devices and
visual inspections are used to
find broken wires and other
damage to the wire rope that
is used in chairlifts, cranes
and other lifting devices.
 Storage Tank Inspection
Robotic crawlers
use ultrasound to
inspect the walls of
large above ground
tanks for signs of
thinning due to
corrosion.
Cameras on
long
articulating
arms are used
to inspect
underground
storage tanks
for damage.
 Aircraft Inspection
• Nondestructive testing is used
extensively during the
manufacturing of aircraft.
• NDT is also used to find cracks
and corrosion damage during
operation of the aircraft.
• A fatigue crack that started at
the site of a lightning strike is
shown below.
 Jet Engine Inspection
• Aircraft engines are overhauled
after being in service for a period
of time.
• They are completely disassembled,
cleaned, inspected and then
reassembled.
• Fluorescent penetrant inspection
is used to check many of the parts
for cracking.
 Crash of United Flight 232
Sioux City, Iowa, July 19, 1989
A defect that went
undetected in an
engine disk was
responsible for
the crash of
United Flight 232.
 Pressure Vessel Inspection
The failure of a pressure vessel
can result in the rapid release of
a large amount of energy. To
protect against this dangerous
event, the tanks are inspected
using radiography and
ultrasonic testing.
 Rail Inspection
Special cars are used to
inspect thousands of miles
of rail to find cracks that
could lead to a derailment.
 Bridge Inspection
• The US has 578,000
highway bridges.
• Corrosion, cracking and
other damage can all
affect a bridge’s
performance.
• The collapse of the Silver
Bridge in 1967 resulted in
loss of 47 lives.
• Bridges get a visual
inspection about every 2
years.
• Some bridges are fitted
with acoustic emission
sensors that “listen” for
 Pipeline Inspection
NDT is used to inspect pipelines
to prevent leaks that could
damage the environment. Visual
inspection, radiography and
electromagnetic testing are some
of the NDT methods used.

Remote visual inspection using

a robotic crawler.

Magnetic flux leakage inspection.

This device, known as a pig, is
placed in the pipeline and collects
data on the condition of the pipe as it
is pushed along by whatever is being
transported. Radiography of weld joints.
 Special Measurements
Boeing employees in Philadelphia were given the privilege of
evaluating the Liberty Bell for damage using NDT techniques.
Eddy current methods were used to measure the electrical
conductivity of the Bell's bronze casing at various points to
evaluate its uniformity.