8/22/23, 3:34 PM Non Destructive Testing - Ultrasonic Testing

 
       

Ultrasonic Testing
safety documents mater

Ultrasonic nondestructive testing, also known as ultrasonic NDT or simply

societies pipes flanges
UT, is a method of characterizing the thickness or internal structure of a test
piece through the use of high frequency sound waves. The frequencies, or
valves bolts gaskets
pitch, used for ultrasonic testing are many times higher than the limit of
human hearing, most commonly in the range from 500 KHz to 20 MHz. equipment specials ste

steam civil others

What sort of materials can be tested..

In industrial applications, ultrasonic testing is widely used on metals, plastics,
composites, and ceramics. The only common engineering materials that are
not suitable for ultrasonic testing with conventional equipment are wood and
paper products. Ultrasonic technology is also widely used in the biomedical
field for diagnostic imaging and medical research.

Question and Answer

Piping related Abbreviations

Making the environment bette

MENU OTHERS
https://www.wermac.org/others/ndt_ut.html 1/9
8/22/23, 3:34 PM Non Destructive Testing - Ultrasonic Testing

       

Principle of ultrasonic testing.

LEFT..A probe sends a sound wave into a test material. There are two
indications, one from the initial pulse of the probe, and the second due to
the back wall echo.
RIGHT..A defect creates a third indication and simultaneously reduces the
amplitude of the back wall indication.

How does it work..

High frequency sound waves are very directional, and they will travel through
a medium (like a piece of steel or plastic) until they encounter a boundary
with another medium (like air), at which point they reflect back to their
source. By analyzing these reflections it is possible to measure the thickness
of a test piece, or find evidence of cracks or other hidden internal flaws.

In ultrasonic testing, an ultrasound transducer connected to a diagnostic

machine is passed over the object being inspected. The transducer is
 

MENU OTHERS
https://www.wermac.org/others/ndt_ut.html 2/9
8/22/23, 3:34 PM Non Destructive Testing - Ultrasonic Testing

  typically separated from the test object by a couplant (such as oil) or by      

water, as in immersion testing.

There are two methods of receiving the ultrasound waveform, reflection and
attenuation.

In reflection (or pulse-echo) mode, the transducer performs both the sending
and the receiving of the pulsed waves as the "sound" is reflected back to the
device. Reflected ultrasound comes from an interface, such as the back wall
of the object or from an imperfection within the object. The diagnostic
machine displays these results in the form of a signal with an amplitude
representing the intensity of the reflection and the distance, representing the
arrival time of the reflection.

In attenuation (or through-transmission) mode, a transmitter sends

ultrasound through one surface, and a separate receiver detects the amount
that has reached it on another surface after traveling through the medium.
Imperfections or other conditions in the space between the transmitter and
receiver reduce the amount of sound transmitted, thus revealing their
presence. Using the couplant increases the efficiency of the process by
reducing the losses in the ultrasonic wave energy due to separation between
the surfaces.

MENU OTHERS
https://www.wermac.org/others/ndt_ut.html 3/9
8/22/23, 3:34 PM Non Destructive Testing - Ultrasonic Testing

       

Inspection of pipe with Ultrasonic Flaw Detector

What are the advantages of ultrasonic testing..

Ultrasonic testing is completely nondestructive. The test piece does not have
to be cut, sectioned, or exposed to damaging chemicals. Access to only one
side is required, unlike measurement with mechanical thickness tools like
calipers and micrometers. There are no potential health hazards associated
with ultrasonic testing, unlike radiography. When a test has been properly set
up, results are highly repeatable and reliable.

What are the potential limitations of ultrasonic

testing..
Ultrasonic flaw detection requires a trained operator who can set up a test
with the aid of appropriate reference standards and properly interpret the
results. Inspection of some complex geometries may be challenging.
Ultrasonic thickness gages must be calibrated with respect to the material  

being measured, and applications requiring a wide

MENUrange of thickness
OTHERS
https://www.wermac.org/others/ndt_ut.html 4/9
8/22/23, 3:34 PM Non Destructive Testing - Ultrasonic Testing

  measurement or measurement of acoustically diverse materials may require  

   
multiple setups. Ultrasonic thickness gages are more expensive than
mechanical measurement devices.

At a construction site, a technician tests a pipeline weld for defects using an ultrasonic phased array
instrument. The scanner, which consists of a frame with magnetic wheels, holds the probe in contact
with the pipe by a spring. The wet area is the ultrasonic couplant that allows the sound to pass into the
pipe wall.

Ultrasonic Testing of Welds

One of the most useful characteristics of ultrasonic testing is its ability to
determine the exact position of a discontinuity in a weld. This testing method
requires a high level of operator training and competence and is dependant
on the establishment and application of suitable testing procedures. This
testing method can be used on ferrous and nonferrous materials, is often
suited for testing thicker sections accessible from one side only, and can
often detect finer lines or plainer defects which may not be as readily
detected by radiographic testing.

Standards

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

ISO 7963, Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic testing - Specification for

calibration block No. 2
ISO/DIS 11666, Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing of
welded joints - Acceptance levels
ISO/DIS 17640, Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing of  
welded joints
MENU OTHERS
https://www.wermac.org/others/ndt_ut.html 5/9
8/22/23, 3:34 PM Non Destructive Testing - Ultrasonic Testing

  ISO 22825, Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing -

     
Testing of welds in austenitic steels and nickel-based alloys

European Committee for Standardization (CEN)

EN 583, Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic examination

EN 1330-4, Non destructive testing - Terminology - Part 4.. Terms used
in ultrasonic testing
EN 1712, Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing of
welded joints - Acceptance levels
EN 1713, Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing -
Characterization of indications in welds
EN 1714, Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing of
welded joints
EN 12223, Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic examination -
Specification for calibration block No. 1
EN 12668-1, Non-destructive testing - Characterization and verification
of ultrasonic examination equipment - Part 1.. Instruments
EN 12668-2, Non-destructive testing - Characterization and verification
of ultrasonic examination equipment - Part 2.. Probes
EN 12668-3, Non-destructive testing - Characterization and verification
of ultrasonic examination equipment - Part 3.. Combined equipment
EN 12680, Founding - Ultrasonic examination
EN 14127, Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic thickness measurement

Ultrasonic Testing FAQ

1. What is an ultrasonic transducer..

A transducer is any device that converts one form of energy into
another. An ultrasonic transducer converts electrical energy into
mechanical vibrations (sound waves), and sound waves into electrical
energy. Typically, they are small, hand-held assemblies that come in a
wide variety of frequencies and style to accommodate specific test
needs.

2. What is an ultrasonic thickness gage..

An ultrasonic thickness gage is an instrument that generates sound
pulses in a test piece and very precisely measures the time interval  
until echoes are received. Having been programmed with the speed of
MENU OTHERS
https://www.wermac.org/others/ndt_ut.html 6/9
8/22/23, 3:34 PM Non Destructive Testing - Ultrasonic Testing

  sound in the test material, the gage utilizes that sound velocity
     
information and the measured time interval to calculate thickness via
the simple relationship [distance] equals [velocity] multiplied by [time].

3. How accurate is ultrasonic thickness gaging..

Under optimum conditions, commercial ultrasonic gages can achieve
accuracies as high as +/- 0.001 mm, with accuracies of +/- 0.025 mm
or better possible in most common engineering materials. Factors
affecting accuracy include the uniformity of sound velocity the test
material, the degree of sound scattering or absorption, the surface
condition, and the accuracy and care with which the instrument has
been calibrated for the application at hand.

4. Who uses ultrasonic gages..

A major use for ultrasonic gages is the measurement of remaining wall
thickness in corroded pipes and tanks. The measurement can be made
quickly and easily without needing access to the inside or requiring the
pipe or tank to be emptied. Other important applications include
measuring the thickness of molded plastic bottles and similar
containers, turbine blades and other precision machined or cast parts,
small diameter medical tubing, rubber tires and conveyor belts,
fiberglass boat hulls, and even contact lenses.

5. What is an ultrasonic flaw detector..

Sound waves traveling through a material will reflect in predictable
ways off of flaws such as cracks and voids. An ultrasonic flaw detector
is an instrument that generates and processes ultrasonic signals to
create a waveform display that can be used by a trained operator to
identify hidden flaws in a test piece. The operator identifies the
characteristic reflection pattern from a good part, and then looks for
changes in that reflection pattern that may indicate flaws.

6. What kind of flaws can you find with one..

A wide variety of cracks, voids, disbonds, inclusions, and similar
problems that affect structural integrity can all be located and
measured with ultrasonic flaw detectors. The minimum detectable flaw
size in a given application will depend on the type of material being
tested and the type of flaw under consideration.

7. Who uses ultrasonic flaw detectors..

Ultrasonic flaw detectors are widely used in critical safety-related and  
quality-related applications involving structural welds, steel beams,
MENU OTHERS
https://www.wermac.org/others/ndt_ut.html 7/9
8/22/23, 3:34 PM Non Destructive Testing - Ultrasonic Testing

  forgings, pipelines and tanks, aircraft engines and frames, automobile

     
frames, railroad rails, power turbines and other heavy machinery, ship
hulls, castings, and many other important applications.

8. What other types of instruments are available..

Ultrasonic imaging systems are used to generate highly detailed
pictures similar to x-rays, mapping the internal structure of a part with
sound waves. Phased array technology originally developed for
medical diagnostic imaging is used in industrial situations to create
cross-sectional pictures. Large scanning systems are used by the
aerospace industry and metalworking suppliers to check for hidden
flaws in both raw materials and finished parts. Ultrasonic
pulser/receivers and signal analyzers are used in a variety of materials
research applications.

References..www.olympus-ims.com and Welding and Cutting United States

Related Post(s)

Internal Rotary Inspection System (IRIS)

IRIS is a technique that can be applied on both ferrous
and non- ferrous materials and even on non-conductive
materials...

go to article

Positive Material Identification (PMI)

Positive Material Identification is one of the more
specialised non destructive testing methods by which
the alloy composition of materials...

go to article

MENU OTHERS
https://www.wermac.org/others/ndt_ut.html 8/9
8/22/23, 3:34 PM Non Destructive Testing - Ultrasonic Testing

       
Explore the World of Piping

© Werner Sölken 2008 - 2023

All rights reserved.
www.wermac.org uses Google Analytics

I must be old. I still believe in respect.

MENU OTHERS
https://www.wermac.org/others/ndt_ut.html 9/9