Radiographic

Testing Film Interpretation

Helpful Hints
Presenter Steve Cave
Senior P & EW Instructor
Saudi Aramco Inspection Department

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Interpreter

It is a duty of a radiographic film
interpreter to ensure that all
interpretations are carried out in
accordance with the relevant codes
for the work being carried out..

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Interpreter

A radiographic film interpreter must
have access to the relevant codes
and must know where to find them
and interpret the relevant
information

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Interpreter

Specific duties when interpreting
radiographs of welds are as follows

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Interpreter

Mask off any unwanted light on the
viewer

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Make sure each radiograph is
correctly identified to the weld it
represents

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Ensure that the weld locations are
identified

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Assess the quality of the radiograph

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Measure the density of the
radiograph

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Calculate image quality indicator
sensitivity (ASTM)

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Ensure that image quality indicators
are of the correct type

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Ensure that image quality indicators
are correctly positioned on the film
IQI

Area of interest

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Assess the radiographic contrast...

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Assess the radiographic definition.
Ensure that the correct film has been
used

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Do artifacts interfere with
interpretation ???

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Do artifacts interfere with
interpretation ???

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Do artifacts interfere with
interpretation ???

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Do artifacts interfere with
interpretation ???

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Identify the type of welding process
used

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Identify the type of weld
configuration if possible

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Check the parent material on the
radiograph for arc strikes, gouges,
etc

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Imperfections associated with
particular welding processes (SMAW)
Typical defects associated
with process

ASNT Meeting April 2005

overlap
porosity
slag inclusions
excessive spatter
Arc Strikes
incomplete
penetration
excess penetration
undercut
crater cracks
lack of fusion

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Imperfections associated with
particular welding processes (GMAW)
Typical defects associated with
process
incomplete penetration
excessive penetration
undercut
excessive spatter
cracking
porosity
lack of fusion
ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Imperfections associated with
particular welding processes (GTAW)
Typical defects associated with process
tungsten inclusions
lack of fusion
incomplete penetration
root concavity
undercut
porosity
Burn through
excess penetration
ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Imperfections associated with
particular welding processes (SAW)
Typical defects associated with process
porosity
cracking
slag inclusions
incomplete penetration
excessive penetration
weld profile defects
undercut
lack of fusion
ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defects
Incomplete root penetration
Failure of weld metal to extend into the
root of a joint
Lack of root fusion
Lack of union at the root of a joint
Excess penetration bead
Excess weld metal protruding through
the root of a fusion weld made from
one side only

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Incomplete Root
Penetration

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Lack of Root Fusion

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Excessive Penetration

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defects
Root concavity
(suck-back; underwashing - non-standard terms)
A shallow groove which may occur in the root of a
butt weld, but full fusion is evident
Shrinkage groove
A shallow groove caused by contraction in the
metal along each side of a penetration bead or
along the weld centreline
Burnthrough
(melt through)
A localized collapse of the molten pool due to
excessive penetration, resulting in a hole in the
weld run

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Root Concavity

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Burn Through

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Slag Inclusion

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Slag Lines

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Lack of Sidewall
Fusion

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defects
Undercut
An irregular groove at a toe of a
run in the parent metal or in
previously deposited weld metal
The inspector must determine if the
undercut is continuous or
intermittent, or sharp or smooth

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Internal Undercut

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect External Undercut

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defects Gas pore /Porosity
Gas pore /Porosity
A cavity, generally
under 1.5mm in
diameter, formed by
trapped gas during the
solidification of molten
metal

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Porosity

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Surface Cracks
Crack
A linear discontinuity produced by fracture
Cracks may be ...
a) ... longitudinal, in the weld metal, i.e.
centreline
b) ... longitudinal, in the parent metal or
heat affected zone
c) ... transverse
d) Crater crack
(star cracking)
ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Cracks

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Toe Crack

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Insufficient Fill

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Excessive Cap

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Tungsten Inclusions

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
Welding Defect Spatter????

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
What else can we do as a
Radiographic Interpreter to confirm if
it is a discontinuity or not????

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter
We can use other methods of NDT if
possible to confirm a discontinuity

ASNT Meeting April 2005

Duties of a Radiographic Film

Interpreter

Thank you for

your time

ASNT Meeting April 2005