How Low Temperatures Impact Dye Penetrant

Testing
In this article, we look at how lower inspection temperatures
affect the performance of dye penetrant testing cleaners,
penetrant and developers 
November 28, 2017  |  by Cheri Stockhausen, Product Applications Manager

The operating temperature range for penetrant inspection as specified in ASTM E1417 Standard Practice
for Liquid Penetrant Testing is 40°F to 125°F (4°C to 52°C), but how is the penetrant inspection affected at
temperatures below 40°F (4°C) and can the inspection process be adjusted to achieve acceptable results?

To answer these questions, we evaluated SKC-S cleaner/remover, SKL-SP2 solvent removable dye
penetrant and SKD-S2 non-aqueous developer at a range of temperatures in order to figure out what NDT
inspectors can expect when using these, or similar quality dye penetrant products when inspecting at lower
temperatures

 
Cleaning at lower temperatures
At lower temperatures in the range of 32°F – 50°F (0°C – 10°C), the solvent cleaner will take longer to dry.

We used 75°F (24°C) as our ambient, standard operating temperature, and observed how decreasing
temperatures impacted how quickly the solvent cleaner dried. Below are our suggested drying time for
solvent-based cleaner/removers at lower temperatures.
 

Temperature Cleaner Drying Time

75°F / 24°C Standard

50°F / 10°C 2 x Standard

40°F / 4°C 3 x Standard

32°F / 0°C 4 x Standard

It is critical to make sure the solvent has evaporated during the precleaning step either by wiping with a
clean, lint free cloth or using air dryers to ensure a clean and dry part prior to penetrant application.
Unevaporated cleaner remaining in indications can impede penetrant entry into the surface breaking
indications.

Dwelling at lower temperatures

Penetration time should also be extended since the viscosity of penetrant increases with decreasing
temperatures, which slows down penetration and can significantly impact the test results.
 

Temperature Dwell Time

75°F / 24°C Standard

45°F / 7°C 2 x Standard

32°F / 0°C 2.5 x Standard

Developer at lower temperatures

Developer drying time is more of a challenge and our tests showed the developing action is impeded
because of the slower solvent evaporation. When the developer dries, the indications become fuzzy or
show excessive bleed out.
We were not able to get good results at 32°F (0°C) because the developer remained wet and did not dry
within a reasonable amount of time. At 38 – 40°F (3 – 4°C), and with some air movement, developer film
will dry at 5 times the standard time at 75°F (24°C).
 

Temperature Developer Drying Time

75°F / 24°C Standard

40°F / 4°C 5 x Standard

A positive note is at low temperatures, we found good indications with extremely small and tight defects.
The slow drying rate of the developer film allows greater bleed out of the penetrant from the defect. For
large defects, longer development time caused excessive bleed out making indication interpretation more
difficult.

Contact us if you need more help assessing your low temperature dye
penetrant application, or have any questions on additional products for dye
or liquid penetrant testing
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