Back to Basics: A Guide to AWS

Ultrasonic Weld Inspection

How to do weld UT according to the AWS D1.1 Code

BY GORDON E. SMITH AND UWE ASCHEMEIER

The following is the first of a four-part series that will take us back to the basics of weld
inspection. In this first article, Gordon Smith and Uwe Aschemeier offer a technician's guide
to ultrasonic weld inspection according to the requirements of AWS D1.1:2004, Structural
Welding Code Steel. The code is industry's "how to do it" guide for the ultrasonic
inspection of prequalified carbon steel welds. Smith and Aschemeier are both working AWS
CWIs. Smith is an ACCP NDT Level II and III UT, who was first certified more than 30
years ago. He is also an ASNT NDT Level III in MT, PT, and RT. Aschemeier has been
certified in Europe and Canada, and is a CSA Weld Level III inspector. He is also a member
of the AWS D1D Subcommittee 4 on Inspection.

The 1994 North Ridge, Calif., earthquake awakened many of us to the need for more
effective ultrasonic inspection of welds. California, which had some of the most stringent
requirements for welding and weld inspection, was found to be lacking in the face of an
earthquake. Test evaluations showed that professed ultrasonic testing experts could not
effectively and repeatedly perform UT to the levels required. The concept of GRR, gauge
repeatability and reliability, had not been applied to our system of structural ultrasonic weld
evaluation. The obvious result was that 30 inspectors produced 30 sets of results.

The recently released FEMA 355 Final Report makes recommendations for UT weld
inspectors that require special performance testing and qualification in UT, after being
certified as an ASNT NDT Level II UT. Performance testing is now a requirement in the
laws and regulations of many states.

Did you know that a practical examination is also an AWS requirement? Section 6.21 of AWS
D1.1, Structural Welding Code Steel, states: "The qualification of the UT operator shall
include a specific and practical examination which shall be based on the requirements of the
code. This examination shall require the UT operator to demonstrate the ability to apply the
rules of this code in the accurate detection and disposition of discontinuities." Many of you
reading this article have not taken a formal test in this area, but you must do so as a starting
point for successful inspections to comply with the requirements of AWS D1.1.

While overall our national ability to perform this type of ultrasonic inspection is poor, here
and there we find refreshing individuals who have come close to mastering the methodology
of AWS ultrasonic testing of welds. However, many do not have the formal tests on file to
support their UT activities.

So, what can you do? As it turns out, a lot, but keep in mind you are limited with regard to
UT techniques to those in the D1.1 code. Using techniques beyond the practices written in the
code requires a procedure from a certified NDT Level III UT who is familiar with the code
and its application of ultrasonic technology. The engineer of record may also elect in general
or for specific cases to use alternate acceptance criteria. If so, for code compliance, these
criteria must be in writing and should be part of the contract documents. (See D1.1 Section
6.8 on alternate acceptance criteria.)

The Technician's Guide

What follows is an operator's guide to ultrasonic weld inspection according to the
requirements of the D1.1 code. All references to sections, tables, and forms are to items
located in AWS D1.1. The authors' comments are in italics.

The audit-acceptable ultrasonic weld inspector should do the following:

Obtain training, testing, and certification as a NDT Level II UT with VT of welds

or an AWS CWI certification highly recommended.

Pass a UT test specific to AWS D1.1 that meets Section 6.21 requirements.

Check out and test your equipment. You will find the setup, field, and interval tests
listed in Sections 6.22 through 6.26 and beyond. Test and document your instrument,
cables, and transducers to ensure you have the required ranges and sensitivities.

Find the weld on the part or structure. Identify face "A" and using Table 6.3 find and
mark (paint) the weld identity, the X and Y location lines adjacent to the welds Fig.
1. Note that, according to the
code, these are "shall dos." They
were required 30 years ago and
are still required today.

Identify and
confirm the AWS prequalified
weld type and record this
information on a UT report form
such as Form D-11, which is
found on page 330 of D1.1.
Nonprequalified welds and
certain combinations of
prequalified welds cannot be
inspected with UT without specific NDT Level III written instructions.

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 Fig. 1 A Close-up of a weld X-Y line; B weld labeled and lined for inspection.

Perform visual testing to Section 6 criteria followed by ultrasonic testing of the base
metal. (See Sections 6.20.4, 6.25.4, 6.26.5, and 6.31.1.) Mark any visual defects and lamellar
areas on the weld area and record on Form D-11. The UT area should be clean of any surface
matter, slag, splatter, etc., that could hinder inspection. It is a code requirement (Section 3,
Workmanship) that the welder clean the welds for inspection.

While you, the inspector, can fail the welds for this, it is also your responsibility to ensure
that the UT area is acceptable for testing (see Section 6.26.3). The authors feel that the
contour of the transducer scanning area and the back side are important. Rolling random
contours exceeding 1 deg are not acceptable for ultrasonic weld testing as the sound path
will be refracted unpredictably.

Identify and select the proper transducer angle(s) using Table 6.3.

Use a code-approved couplant. The couplant should be either glycerin or a cellulose

gum and water mixture of a suitable consistency. Thicker is better. A wetting agent
may be added if needed. Light machine oil may be used for couplant on calibration
blocks. Inspection is limited to the range of 27125F without an NDT Level III-
approved procedure.

Now we are ready to begin UT of the identified prequalified weld with ID numbers
and X and Y markings.

Check and set your calibration for sensitivity and range. Your field calibration block
shall be traceable to your company's or outside service master's IIW block (Section

6.23.1).

Your range display should show two or three UT legs on the CRT. Figure 2 shows
acceptable AWS screen displays for ultrasonic weld testing.
Fig. 2 Acceptable screen displays for ultrasonic weld testing. A Soundthickness display
for two legs. Weld grooves are drawn on the screen for reference. path display for three legs;
B weld

Apply couplant along the weld to be inspected using a brush to prewet large areas.
This will increase your ability to remain in good sound contact.

If part of a weld is found to be inaccessible to testing in accordance with the

requirements of Table 6.6, due to laminar content or adjacent welds, the UT is to be
conducted using an approved alternative procedure as necessary to attain full weld
coverage.

Welds are to be tested using an angle beam search unit conforming to the
requirements of 6.22.7 with the instrument calibrated in accordance with 6.25.5 using
the angle as shown in Table 6.6 and the scanning motions in Section 6.24. Following
calibration and during testing, the only instrument adjustment permitted is the
sensitivity level adjustment with the calibrated gain control (attenuator). Note that use
of the display zoom function is not considered an instrument adjustment.

The reject (clipping or suppression) control is to be turned off for UT inspection.

Sensitivity must be increased from the reference level for weld scanning in
accordance with Tables 6.2 or 6.3, as applicable.

All butt joint welds "shall be tested from each side of the weld axis."

Corner and T-joint welds are primarily tested from only one side of the weld axis.

All welds are to be tested using the applicable scanning pattern or patterns shown in
Fig. 6.24 as necessary to detect both longitudinal and transverse flaws.

It is intended that, as a minimum, all welds be tested by passing sound through the
"entire volume of the weld and the heat-affected zone in two crossing directions,"
wherever practical.

Discontinuity indications shall be evaluated as specified in Sections 6.26.6.3 through

6.26.6.6. Indication level "a" is the decibel (dB) difference between the reference
level "b" and the indication. Reference level "b" can be found in Section 6.25, and the
attenuation factor "c" is obtained by subtracting 1 in. (25 mm) from the total sound
path. The indication rating "d," from Annex D, Form D-11, represents the algebraic
difference in decibels between the indication level and the reference level with
correction for attenuation as indicated in the following expressions:
Instruments with gain in dB: a- b- c = d.

Instruments with attenuation in dB: b- a- c = d.

Alternately, indications exceeding the reference levels from a distance amplitude
correction (DAC) curve within written instructions from an ASNT NDT Level III
 using AWS D1.1 Appendix K are considered rejectable if the flaw length exceeds
acceptance levels in accordance with 6.31.2 and 6.26.8.

The length of flaws is determined in accordance with procedure 6.31.2. This is often
called the 6-dB drop method. An alternative name is the K9.3 length.

The Importance of the 6-dB Drop in Flaw Evaluation

Fig. 3 The
6-dB drop. A
sound beam is
shown
traversing a
flaw.

As the UT transducer beam is passed over a flaw, a reflection or UT indication may be

produced. With the flaw indication maximized, the reflective area is centered in the
UT beam. By moving the UT transducer in either the X or Y direction, the beam will
decrease. When the decrease is equal to 6 dB, the beam has moved halfway off of the
defect's reflective area. By traversing the defect and measuring 6-dB drop dimensions,
the flaw reflector dimensions may be approximated for evaluation.

Note that the surface of most flaws with the possible exception of an unwetted
braze or weld surface is not a flat perfect sound reflector and that flaws only return
a frequency response in relation to their composition and structure. When the flaw is
very small in relation to the scanning sound beam wavelength, the reflector will have
no discernable shape in any dimension. When inspecting steel with a 2.25-mHz
transducer, it would be hard to give flaws below 0.025-in. diameter a specific
dimension. This should be far below the reference that is specified. Figure 3 illustrates
the 6-dB drop.
 Fig. 4 A comparison of flaw types and flaw reflectors.

Ultrasonic testing indications found to be within 1/16 in. (4 mm) of a weld fusion
plane are to be evaluated with 45 to 60 or 70-degree transducers to characterize the
type of flaw Fig. 4. Do not forget to do this from the opposing weld inspection
face. Your comments would then be recorded in the comments section of Form D-11.

Basis for Acceptance or Rejection

Each weld discontinuity is accepted or rejected on the basis of its indication rating and its
length, in accordance with Table 6.2 for statically loaded structures or Table 6.3 for cyclically
loaded structures, whichever is applicable.

Only those discontinuities that are rejectable need be recorded on the test report, except for
welds designated in the contract documents as being fracture critical. Acceptable ratings
within 6 dB, inclusive, of the minimum rejectable rating are recorded on the test report.

Identification of Rejected Area. You should indicate each rejectable discontinuity on

the weld by placing a mark directly over the entire length of the discontinuity. The
depth from the surface and indication rating are then noted on the nearby base metal.

Welds found unacceptable by ultrasonic testing are to be repaired by the methods permitted in
Section 5.26. Repaired areas are then retested ultrasonically with results tabulated on the
original form (if available) or additional report forms.

Preparation and Disposition of Reports

At the time of inspection, the ultrasonic inspector must complete a report form that clearly
identifies the work and the area of inspection. The report form for welds that are acceptable
need contain only sufficient information to identify the weld, the inspector (signature), and
the acceptability of the weld. As mentioned previously, Form D-11, which is found on page
330 of AWS D1.1, is an example of such a form.

Before a weld subjected to ultrasonic testing is accepted, all report forms pertaining to the
weld, including any that show unacceptable quality prior to repair, are to be submitted to the
owner's inspector.

A full set of completed report forms, including any that show unacceptable quality prior to
repair, are to be delivered to the owner upon completion of the work.
Basics of Indication Acceptability
For specifics, you should always refer to the AWS D1.1 code and project contract documents
and drawings; however, in general (static), acceptability is as follows:

"Class A (large discontinuity): Any indication in this category shall be rejected

regardless of length.

"Class B (medium discontinuity): Any indication in this category having a length

greater than 3/4 in. shall be rejected.

"Class C (small discontinuity): Any indication in this category having a length greater
than 2 in. shall be rejected.

"Class D (minor discontinuity): Any indication in this category shall be accepted

regardless of length or location in the weld."