John B Quam

720-490-8726
John@SoniTechNDT.com
www.SoniTechNDT.com

Localized Guided Wave Scanning for Fire Sprinkler Piping Systems – A Better Approach
Localized Guided Wave (LGW) is a relatively new system employed in the pipe inspection industry, used to quickly,
accurately, and cost-effectively detect and map internal pipe wall integrity issues, based off of a non-destructive
ultrasonic hybrid technology. It is important to note that LGW will detect and locate localized internal pipe wall integrity
issues, not simply represent water quality or provide generalized corrosion assumptions.
 SoniTech uses both LGW and UT to develop its reports, offering more comprehensive information than available
from UT alone, giving you the best of both technologies
 LGW scans the entire circumference of the pipe not just a pin point area as with UT (where it is easy to miss localized
areas of pitting and wall loss)
 LGW detects corrosion build-up in addition to wall loss/pitting, which is not possible with UT
 Unlike UT, LGW can detect air or water pockets that should not be present, and can accelerate the corrosion process
on a localized level
 SoniTech can inspect a larger area with greater detail than can be achieved with UT in the same timeframe
 SoniTech’s report provides both qualitative and quantitative data, using a color coded mapping system for quick and
easy reference to the location(s) of pipe with integrity issues

Problem: MISSION CRITICAL FACILITY

Even though your piping may appear fine on the
outside, the inside may tell a very different story,
like in the pictures above.
 Corrosion Build-up: MIC or rust
 Wall thinning
 Trapped air or water pockets
The SoniTech NDT Benefit
Step into the 21st Century with NDT Ultrasonic Localized
Guided Wave testing, and get a full graphic report on the
actual condition of your pipe.
 Offers significantly more useful and comprehensive
data than attainable from traditional ultrasound
 Fast, quiet, and cost effective
 No need to shut down your system
 Little to no disruption to your daily routine
 NFPA 25 approved for Fire Sprinkler Pipe
 Highly detailed report that is easy to read with color
coded data from every scan point
 Know exactly what areas are good and where there
are problems
 Help your company Go Green
 Save your company time and money
SUGGESTED PIPE INSPECTION PROTOCOLS
1. Process should be cost effective
2. Testing should be nondestructive
3. All systems should be tested without interruption
to service or daily operations
4. Process should be as Green as possible
5. Process may not in any way be harmful to people,
electronics, or data within the testing facility
6. Method should be able to detect and locate
localized internal pipe wall integrity issues, not
simply represent water quality or provide
generalized corrosion assumptions
7. Data should be both quantitative and qualitative
8. Method results should adequately represent the
entire region of the inspection point,
encompassing the full circumference of the pipe
9. Method results should reasonably depict the pipe
wall integrity longitudinally within the span of the
inspection density
10. Method should be capable of testing all diameters
and schedules of pipe used within the system
11. Method should be capable of providing inspection
data throughout the vast majority of the system.