PENETRANT TESTING

Introduction
• Penetrant Testing, or PT, is a nondestructive
testing method that builds on the principle
of Visual Inspection.
• PT increases the
“seeability” of small
discontinuities that
the human eye might
not be able to detect
alone. - -
 How Does PT Work?
• In penetrant testing, a liquid with high surface
wetting characteristics- - is applied to the surface
of a component under test.
• The penetrant “penetrates” into surface breaking
discontinuities via capillary action.
• Excess penetrant is removed from the surface and
a developer is applied to
pull trapped penetrant back
the surface.
• With good inspection
technique, visual
indications of
discontinuities present
become apparent.
 What Makes PT Work?
• Every step of the penetrant
process is done to promote
capillary action. -
• This is the phenomenon of a
liquid rising, when confined to
small openings, due to surface
wetting properties, of the liquid.
• Some examples:
 Plants and trees draw water - up
from the ground to their branches
and leaves to supply their
nourishment.
 The human body has miles of
capillaries that carry life sustaining
blood to our entire body.
 Basic Processing Steps of PT
1) Surface Preparation 5) Developer Application -
Clean- & Dry Component

2) Penetrant Application …

6) Indication Development

3) Penetrant Dwell- 7) Visual Inspection-

4) Excess Penetrant Removal -

8) Post Cleaning of Component

 What Can Be Inspected Via PT?
Almost any material- that has a relatively -smooth, non-
porous surface on which discontinuities or defects are
suspected.
 Metals (aluminum, copper, steel, etc.)
 Glass
 Many ceramic materials
 Rubber
 Plastics
Types of Discontinuities - -
Fatigue cracks, Quench cracks
Grinding cracks , Porosity
Laps, Seams , Pin holes in welds
Lack of fusion
What Can Be Inspected Via PT?

– Rolled products; cracks,

seams, laminations.

– Castings; cold shuts,

porosity, blow holes,

– Forgings; cracks, laps

– Welds; cracks, porosity

 What Can NOT be Inspected Via PT?
• Components with rough Defect indications
surfaces, such as sand become less
castings, that trap and hold distinguishable as the
penetrant. - background “noise” level
increases.
• Porous ceramics
• Wood and other fibrous
materials.
• Plastic parts that react with
the penetrant materials.
• Components with coatings
that prevent penetrants from
entering defects.
Choices of Penetrant Materials
Penetrant- Type
I Fluorescent
II Visible
Classification of penetrants based on their removal
A Water Washable
Method - B Post-emulsifiable - Lipophilic
C Solvent Removable
D Post-emulsifiable - Hydrophilic

Developer - Form
Dry Powder
Wet, Water Soluble
Wet, Water Suspendable
Wet, Non-Aqueous
Properties of Penetrant Materials-
Penetrants are formulated to possess a
number of important characteristics. To
perform well, a penetrant must:
 Spread easily- - over the surface being inspected.
 Be drawn into surface breaking defects by capillary
action.
 Remain in the defect but remove easily from the
surface of the part.
 Remain fluid through the drying and developing
steps so it can be drawn back to the surface.
 Be highly visible or fluoresce brightly to produce
easy to see indications.
 Not harmful to the inspector or to the material being
tested.
 Visible & Fluorescent PT
• Visible PT is performed under
white light while fluorescent PT
must be performed using an
ultraviolet light in a darkened
area.
• Fluorescent PT is more sensitive
than visible PT because the eye
is more sensitive to a bright
indication on a dark background.

 However, visible penetrants do

not require a darkened area and
an ultraviolet light in order to
make an inspection.
 Visible penetrant type ?
 Fluorescent penetrant type ?
Mechanism of Visible & Fluorescent PT
Visible dye; dye/defct visible due to contrast
background.
Fluorescent materials; fluoresce because they
contain one or more dyes that absorb electromagnetic
radiation over a particular wavelength (Ultraviolet
range wavelenth 365nm wavelength). The molecules
are not stable at this higher energy state, they
immediately re-emit the energy in visible range (520
and 580nm wavelength). There is some energy loss in
the process and this causes photons to be re-emitted at
a slightly longer wavelength that is in the visible
range.
 Penetrant Removal Method-
Penetrants are also classified by the method
of removing the excess penetrant.
Solvent Removable penetrants are removed by
wiping with a cloth dampened with solvent. This is
most popular type of penetrant.
(Name the method ?)
Mostly Acetone is used as solvent.
• Water Washable penetrants are removed with a
course spray of water. They are the easiest to employ
and most cost effective - - (Name the method ?)
• Post-Emulsifiable- - -penetrants are water-
washable only after they have reacted with an emulsifier
solution. A post-emulsifiable system is used when
washing the penetrant out of the defect is a concern.
The emulsifier is given time to reacts with the penetrant
on the surface but not the penetrant trapped in the flaw.
(Name the method ?)
 Developers
• The role of the developer is to pull trapped
penetrant out of defects- and to spread it
out on the surface so that it can be seen.
Also provides a light background to
increase contrast when visible penetrant is used.
• Developer materials are available in several different forms
 Dry : Powder - applied by dusting
 Wet: Water Suspendable
Water Soluble
Non-Aqueous
Applied by dipping, spraying
Penetrant Inspection Systems
Penetrant systems can be highly portable or
stationary.

Portable Penetrant System - Stationary Penetrant System -

 Advantages of Penetrant Testing
• Relative ease of use.
• Can be used on a wide range of material types.
• Large areas or large volumes of parts/materials can be
inspected rapidly and at low cost.
• Parts with complex geometries are routinely
inspected.
• Indications are produced directly on surface of the
part providing a visual image of the discontinuity.
• Initial equipment investment is low.
• Portable Kits of penetrant testing are available.
 Limitations of Penetrant Testing
• Only detects surface breaking defects.
• Requires relatively smooth nonporous material.
• Precleaning is critical. Contaminants can mask
defects.
• Requires multiple operations under controlled
conditions.
• Chemical handling precautions necessary (toxicity
& fire hazard).
• Metal smearing from machining, grinding and other
operations inhibits detection. Materials may need to
be etched prior to inspection.
• Post cleaning is necessary to remove chemicals.
 Some Photographs
Cleaning of job by water
jet (Pre-cleaning)-

Application of visible dye

penetrant- on small area
Forged spanners
in mass production
being Penetrant Tested

Application of water
washable penetrant for
mass production
Application of dry powder
developer for large job

Application of non aqueous

developer by spray can
Visible dye indication

Fluorescent Dye Indication

 Liquid Penetrant Practice Test
 1) What causes liquid to enter
discontinuities that are open to 3) What are the typical penetrant dwell
the surface and flow up and times?
down into the opening? a) 1-2 minutes
 a) Dwell Time b) 2-4 minutes
b) Capillary Action c) 5-45 minutes
c) Viscosity d) 1-2 hours
d) Blotting

c) 5-45 minutes
b) Capillary Action
 2) What penetrant removal 4) What is the adequate amount of light
method is not a water rinse for visible dye penetrant evaluation?
method? a) 500 1x(100 ftc) at test surface
 a) Method A b) 10000 1x(100 ftc) at test surface
b) Method B
c) 100 1x(100 ftc) at test surface
c) Method C
d) 1000 lx(100 ftc) at test surface
 c) Method C
 d) 1000 lx(100 ftc) at test surface
5) What is the highest
sensitivity level in liquid
penetrant testing?
a) 5
b) 3
c) 4
d) 1
c) 4
6) Which one is not a form of
developer?
a) water soluble
b) water resistant
c) water suspendible
d) non aqueous Type
b) water resistant
7) Which material prep and
cleaning method is not
approved for PT:
a) Wire Brushing
b) Acid Etching
c) Solvent
d) Steam Cleaning
a) Wire Brushing
8) True or False - Surface
roughness, cracks, cold shuts
and weld porosity are all
relevant indications.
a) True
b) False
b) False
9) Which type of penetrant is most sensitive?
a) Type I
b) Type II
c) Type III
d) Type IV

a) Type I
10) Which one is not an inherent discontinuities?
a) Porosity
b) Shrinkage
c) Entrapped Gases
d) Stress Corrosion

d) Stress Corrosion
11) The threshold of visual acuity for a person
with 20/20 vision is about:
0.003 inches
0.03 inches
0.03 mm
0.3cm 0.003 inches
12) Raising the temperature will:
Raise the speed of evaporation of penetrants
Reduce the emulsifier time
Increase the developer time
Require the need of a post emulsified penetrant

Raise the speed of evaporation of penetrants

13) Which type of penetrant is a visible penetrant?
Type I
Type II
Type III
Type IV Type II

14) Contamination of the penetrant:

• Will only take place if the part has not been cleaned
• Will occur because of the crossover between the
penetrant and developer
• Will occur if the tank is not covered during the
dwell time
• Will change the surface tension and contact angle

Will change the surface tension and contact angle

15) If the surface of the part has been machined, sanded or
grit blasted:
 The part may also require etching
 It can be immersed in penetrant for its entire dwell
time
 It will require a shorter dwell time
 It will need to be heated in order to open any cracks
that have been peened over
The part may also require etching

16) Which method is used to primarily to inspect small

localized areas?
Method A
Method B Method C
Method C
Method D ****