Objective 07: Liquid Penetrant Testing Flashcards
Liquid Penetrant Testing
NDE technique that enhances the visibility of material surface cracks that are open to the surface of the specimen under inspection
What kind of flaws does Liquid Penetrant Testing expose?
Those open to the inspected part’s surface
What is the process of Liquid Penetrant Testing?
- A liquid with a low surface tension that is spread on the surface of the material
- The liquid penetrant is allowed to soak into any cracks that are open at the surface
- After a period of time, the excess liquid penetrant fluid is removed and a developer is applied to the test surface to draw the liquid penetrant remaining in the cracks back to the surface and make it visible
- The surface flaws become increasingly more visible to the human eye because the liquid penetrant contains a dye indication that broadens the trace of the surface crack
- The dye indicator is coloured wither red or blue on a white background or appears greenish yellow on a dark violet background when the surface is illuminated by a UV lamp
What 2 factors does the detection of flaws by the Liquid Penetrant Test depend on?
The general condition and finish of the surface of the material
What 6 things limit the effectiveness of the Liquid Penetrant Test?
- Materials which are porous
- Subsurface defects
- Very wide and shallow defects
- Contaminated surfaces that have not been thoroughly cleaned
- Insufficient penetrant dwell time
- Surface temperature too high or too low
What does the procedure for Liquid Penetrant entail?
- The inspection conditions (ambient light and UV illumination conditions)
- The penetrant, penetrant remover, emulsifier and developer to be used
- The pre-cleaning and post-cleaning required
- The penetrant dwell time, removal of excess and the drying of the surface before the application of the developer
- The developer dwell time before interpretation
Why is Pre-Cleaning an important part of the Liquid Penetrant Test?
The care taken in this determines the level of inspection success
What kinds of surface residues does Pre-Cleaning for Liquid Penetrant Test attempt to remove from the surface of the specimen?
- Dirt
- Scales
- Oil
- Finger prints
- Layers of paint
- Galvanic Corrosion
What is the purpose of Pre-Cleaning for Liquid Penetrant Testing?
To clean the surface so that the penetrant medium can penetrate into surface defects
Why must care be taken while grinding the specimen surfaces while Pre-Cleaning for Liquid Penetrant Testing?
Grinding can roll material over an exposed surface crack and prevent the crack from opening up to the surface
How is Liquid Penetrant Testing process initiated after preparation?
The entire surface of the specimen is covered with the dye penetrant liquid medium
What are different ways the dye penetrant is applied to the specimen surface in Liquid Penetrant Testing?
- Dipping
- Coating
- Spraying
- Immersing
- Electrostatic
What does the appropriate method of applying dye penetrant depend on for Liquid Penetrant Testing?
The dimensions and location of the part being inspected
What is the temperature range in which the test liquid medium is applied to the specimen in Liquid Penetrant Testing?
Between 15ºC and 50ºC
What does the penetrant dwell time depend on for Liquid Penetrant Testing?
- Specific Test Medium
- Specimen Material
- Ambient Temperature
- Material Temperature