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    The TOFD Method - Between Radiography and Ultrasonic in Weld Testing

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    16 views8 pages

    The TOFD Method - Between Radiography and Ultrasonic in Weld Testing

    Uploaded by

    Alexa Shinoda
    The TOFD Method - Between Radiography and Ultrasonic in Weld Testing

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    of 8
    ‘The TOFD Method - Between Radiography and Ultrasonic in Weld Testxg Paye 1of MWe - oper 1968, Va. Na 9 The TOFD Method - Between Radiography and Ultrasonic in Weld Testing Semen A. Erhard, U. Bwert ‘Translated by Rolf Diederichs Corresponding Author Contact: ‘Email: Anton Erhard@ibam.de Das Itsgang, (Cele 1-1, 1989 Berhad pushed by DOP Summary ‘The lnits of flaw detection by use of NDT methods ae based on the interaction ofthe specimen with the method applied. Cracklike defects ae especialy critical since they are quasi two dimensional, that means the interaction is Fimited. In addition, rack-ike defects on the surface show interaction with the surfce, which can limit the capability of detection. Various methods have been utilized in the ‘past odetect such defects. Investigation usin radiography, ultrasonic plse-2co method and ‘the TOFD (Time Of Fight Diffraction) technique were done in the laboratory using thin pate and tubes (wall thickness approx. 10 mmm. The results showed that the TOFD technique isnot suitable for detecting such defects. Introduction ‘The barmorization of standard in Burope ‘confronts the EU countries with ‘potentially sgnificant changes inthe "stacked" national thinking and philosophies that have prevailed for ‘decades, Justa the standards of individual nations have been negotiated in working, _groups and committees, the adoption of. ‘multinational standard, (ike EU), follows ‘the same procedure, For standards of| nondestructive testing and other similar Int: /vww.nt.neartice/v04n09/erhardethard htm 1018/2002, “The TOFD Method - Between Radiography and Urasonic in Weld Testing Page? of 8 references in ultrasonic testing. in QF News Aris) ‘ {Germany lat botiom holes are the ground for planar reflectors) Based on diferent ways of thinking and sims and historical background in the various Buropean countries, inspection methods have developed a ite diferent “Today, if CEN standards for NDT are released, the method chosen wil depend on which EU country was most closely involved inthe desion making process -a point tha’ for Germans sometimes very dificult to understand. One method used in new dfs and standards (1,2) ‘equally with other ultrasonic and radiography methods isthe TOFD technique (Time Of Flight Diffraction. Fig 1 also shows the relationship between probsbiityof detection and defet {netion - one eason forte very lively discussions regarding this echniqu! ‘TOFD was originally intended for sizing of laws which have been detected with other ‘ultrasonic methods (3,4). This technique was used in Germany, when it was applicable and ‘useful, Only later was it published thatthe TOFD technique had lap been used for flaw ‘detection [5]. No doubt this technique has some capability for law detection, however its limits must be clearly specified. The limits must recognize the typeof defect and essentially its positon within the component, not only its physical limits, This paper focuses on crack Hike surface braking defects. Tis kindof defect is seen more as produc age, since with load and environment the risk of failure on the surface increases. For that reason standards require NDT. methods, eg, inthe KTA guidlines for pressurized vessels. "Thickness of the Base Material (dim Millimete) a0 0] 405< > contguaion|4<8] 85415 |'5<4540"/40S4° 90] go ac. 109% | #73 Fert Butt Ror Vigor | ly and Tandem recut, | Ula wea | ®T] OT) Bl an ut, | > Feit T- RTO | ror Ulg oF waa [ED | ony | SESS ||| igen Ul ur Austesitie | pp | yr |RTor(UT,)|UTporRT] UTpor(RT) | UT, [Remark 2: Fr laneone tstg the tet ie enone, whereas UT eat the clase B of EN 1714 Wer Sef and Sar both UT ead RT or UTD voqued for wall chess 15 60<40 wa 0 5860 Po Ur rege spec ingecton proce. For mechani! fre sel lrasicc etn eeconmened. cia bea mectanizd Ingle Esko -Techigy orth tne of ght action metho (TOFD) Fer "Table 1: Extract from the draft: unfired pressure vestls prEN 3445-5 If now, asin (2), a standard for unfied pressure vessels is introduced forthe wal thickness radiography method (able 1) The time i coming to investigate TOFD with respect to its capability for defect detection, especially since national standards must be withdrawn, sccording tothe resolution of May 7, 1985 appendix Il, harmonization of standards (85/C np: wont. netarticle/v04n09/echar/ethard. htm rore2002, ‘The TOFD Method - Between Radiography and Ultrasonic in Weld Testing Page 3 of 8 136/01). For pressurized vessels in Germany public safety plays an important role. Therefore the interest in TOFD technique is not only from an academic point of view. Besides this standard draft for pressure vessels, it also raises high intrest in discussion since publications ‘and notes on the subject of TOFD suggest replacing radiography with this technique [6] technique based on a very different interaction. This comes ata time of increased discussion regarding how best to use certain NDT methods in combination with each other, as opposed to replacing one with another. Another reason for BAM's activity was the fac that very aggresive ‘marketing by commercial interests has taken place with regard to this technique. General introduction to the TOFD technique {In very early publications the TOFD technique [ 7,8] was applied as a flaw sizing method {7] ‘demonstrates how the time of fight measurement at crack edges (notches) generates diffracted signals which can be used to determine the depth ofthe notch. The previously used probe setup is il the same today and is depicted in Fig 2. ‘Based onthe illustration of "Basic Principles" the four shown A-scan signals andB-scans are typical TOFD indications. The lateral wave ‘generates the impulse with the shortest time of flight. The time of ‘ight ofthis impulse can be used asa reference forthe coupling condition, and as desribed in the standard its used to determine the distance ofthe two probes. Ata later event and therfore witha higher time of Bight a the lateral wave, crack edge indications are _Fix.2Exsmpl of TOFD visible, These crack edge diffracted echoes are of double significance Linsbeeon Since they indicate fist, defect in the material exists, and second, ifthe signals are clearly ‘isle a a the extmple shown, the length of the indication ean be determined by the time difference ‘The example shows tat with the TOFD Technique the presence ofa defect as well as its size can be determined, The question is now, what are the limits ofthis technique, compared to radiography? ‘A-comprebensive work about acceptance ofthe TOFD technique was done inthe Netherlands ‘which was published as a KIND study (The Dutch Society on Quality Surveillance and NDT) [9-12], The aim ofthis very exhaustive work was the recording of TOFD results [9], to present ‘an overview of the inspection work with TOFD [10}, to build a correlation ofthe TOFD results and thse ells found by fracture mechani tess [11], and to present recommendations forthe ‘practical evaluation of TOFD resuls. One result ofthis work is that in some case radiography ‘an be replced by the TOFD technique, However it must be mentioned that radiography inspection Class A was used, Unfortunately the general discussion - known or unknown «did ‘not mention clearly that by using radiography as well asthe TOFD technique a surface crack inspections necessary. That means: the volme inspection is replaced but not the surface crack ingpetion. I is questionable how the result ofthe work would be viewed if instead of inspection Class A the Class B had be used, or mechanized radiography, since the angle of incidence essential forthe detection of two dimensional defects by use of radiography. The ‘comparison i allowed, since the TOFD technique is generally casied out mechanized. Mechantzed Radiography: tp: )www nd. nearticle/voan0"erharderhard hm wvgr2002 ‘The TOFD Method - Detwoon Radiography and Utresonic in Weld Teating Page 40f8 Further developments of digital radiography and robotic and ‘manipulation techniques fr the inspection of large scale components, ‘make the use of digital radiography possible [13,14]. With this high degree of automation the inspection time is significantly reduced ‘fom that required by manual radiography, and with increased inspection reliability. Therefore radiography wins some new spplications, eg, inservice inspection of tubing withthe aim of Feel ceounkrene rly So Fey svecels moved ed the tube (Fg3) ‘The recording camera is located at the other side ofthe tube, 180° {rom the postion ofthe x-ray source, comnected with a common PC to record te dats Each turn delivers sean of 100 mm width. Re- positioning the x-ray source of one scan width in axial direction of ‘the tube and scanning again delivers another scan ofthe tube at this postion, Since the eamera ‘ays in the same postion tis kind of installation obtains a projection from the weld zone, shot ‘under different angles. I is clear that this multi-angletechnique can detect better crac-like ‘defects, Al scans canbe evalustod separately or sandwiched, as shown in Fig. 3. The result of ‘his reconstruction ie a 3D visualization or the visualization of single layers. ‘With such an installation itis not only possible to detect erack-like defects, but also to ‘determine the depth propagation in the direction ofthe tube wall. This method and a slightly ‘modified ndiography method - the planar tomography - willbe examined more closely later, in the investigation used for comparison of radiography and the TOFD technique. ‘An austentic tube of 13 mm wall thickness and 140 mm diameter was used asa specimen (Fig 4). Near the weld a crack was generated, starting atthe surface and propagated in te direction ‘ofthe tube wall! The surface braking crack was made visible by liquid penetration and is clearly vse in the photo, 1 te: Rea of teen depth ropagnton twas nt patible sei for evaluation of eins of his roid, Porth pupone enorme atbes ia peeen have era wad Comparison of the results of TOFD vs. Radiography ‘By use ofthe installation desribed in Fig, 3 and the manipulator as shown in ig. 5 the investigation of the austenitic tube was carried ‘OutThe fist question was what angle of incidence to use, that means ‘what angle delivers maximum contrast - the result is shown in Fig. 6. ‘We can sex that fortis erace geometry an angle of O° delivers ‘maximum contrast. Also visible isthe toleanceof the angle of| incidence, ince the crack is ill quite visible at approx. = 9° angle, albeit with less contrast. With angles of 16° or approx. 24° the cracks ne longer visible. Other cracks which are generated inthe fee ofthe clamping device during tooling now become visible, but ‘play no role i thie investigation (Fig 7). Acconding tothe previous itp: nt netartcle!v04n00/erharderhard him ove2002 ‘The TOFD Method - Between Radiography and Ultrasonic in Weld Testing Page 5 of 8 description a reconstructed 3D image is generated with the data of the ‘projection (Scan) and the crack can be evaluated by length and depth. fF ‘The remult ofthe reconstruction is shown in Fig 8. The cack depth evaluated with the 3D image to 12 mm; the length to 52 mm. That corresponds nicely with te result obtained with the liguid ‘penetration method. Such exact geometric matching in this ease how ‘corresponds tothe caterpillar contour, is posible By comparing the photo to the reconstruction. The caterpillar contour is clearly visible In both images. The result shows also that bythe use of zovel radiography, cracks can not only be indicated, which was always described asa dsndvantage of radiography, but the depth propagation ‘ean be determined as well. With an x-ray opening angle of 40°, that ‘can be applied with this kind of instalation, itis possible o indicate ‘racks with 20" oblique position with good contrast. Ofcourse, the inspection time needed forS scans isnot negligible and therefore costs must be considered. For that reason itis recommended that & “normal!” Radiography image a the tubing be performed and evaluated, Once the results are in hand it can be decided if further inspections are necessary In that case planar tomography would be recommended. ‘With this method, as shown in Fig, 9, the xray source is moved in a longitudinal direction along the tube and a camera records the data. Later on the data canbe drawn along this line scan, which was performed with this crack in Fig. 10. The resulting image cen be used to evaluate the erack depth. The data processing and reconstruction along such a line scan is much faster and thus more inexoensive. I the depth geometry ofthe crack is of interes, it is possible to perform ‘uh line scans at two or three positions. The limits of this method ‘were determined in the laboratory oa wall thickness thinning of < 294 In practice this value must be slightly corected. With confidence | itis posible to indicate wall thickness changes of 6% tat means in the present case a crack depth of 0.8 mm is detectable To compare the results of this novel radiography technique withthe TOFD technique the eracle was measured with a TOFD image. The result is shown in Fig. 11, The image indicates the lateral wave at 40 mm, the back wall echo coursed by the longitudinal wave is visible at 47 mm and the back wall echo generated by a combination of transversal- and longitudinal wave at 52 mm. Inthe center ofthe image the interruption ofthe lateral wave and the typical diffaction image re clear visible as shown in Fig. 2 Fig 11 also shows an A-soan image based on the area ofthe

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