MAGNETIC PARTICLE TESTING

One of the most effective surface NDT

methods for examination of material
forms in ferro-magnetics
To detect surface & sub-surface flaws
Sensitivity is greatest for surface
discontinuities that are linear and
oriented normal to induced flux-lines
Sensitivity decreases for sub-surface
discontinuities located beneath with
increasing depth
Typical flaws detected:
Cracks, Lack of fusion, Incomplete
penetration, Lamination on weld
groove faces

PRINCIPLE IN BRIEF

Weld area to be examined is magnetized,

establishing magnetic flux lines on surface
& near surface
During magnetization ferromagnetic
particles (wet or dry) are applied on the
weld and adjacent base metal surface
Discontinuities oriented normal to
magnetic flux lines distort the fields
induced, cause flux-leakages on material
surfaces to attract magnetic particles and
form patterns (indications)
These patterns are characteristic of type of
flaw revealed
Each weld area is examined twice so that
Lines of flux during one examination is
approximately perpendicular to the flux
lines of other examination

CHOOSING MAGNETIC
PARTICLE TEST
First choice When welds are
Ferro-magnetic
When groove faces need be
examined for laminations
To assess Root conditions in
multi-pass groove welds
When the intention is to find out
spherical flaws such as porosity

SELECTION OF EQUIPMENT

Magnetization method
Magnetisation current
(AC,HWDC or both)
Amperage requirement
Wet or Dry Method
Flaws that are soughtSurface or
subsurface
Part requirements
Accessibility &

PORTABLE KITS-YOKES

For site locations & parts located

at heights
When very fine surface flaws are
sought to be detected
When No arcing is required on
weld/base metal
When Wet medium is required to
be used
When Smooth & fine surface
conditions exist

MOBILE EQUIPMENT

PRODS INSPECTION UNITS

For Shop-floor fabrication
When Sub-surface flaws are
required to be detected
When Dry powder use is required
When surfaces are Rough (Weld
surfaces)

EXAMINATION MEDIUM

Both dry & wet Particles used

Particles imparted color to provide
sufficient contrast for increased visibility
against background examination surface
DRY PARTICLES
Have high permeability & low retentivity
Mixture of spherical & elongated shapes
Particle sizes range 0.060 mm to 0.150
mm; 75% of which in the range of 0.080
mm 0.100 mm
Used under extreme environmental
conditions;
Heat Resistant & can be used upto 315 C
Some particles lose color at high
temperatures & lose contrast
Not affected by cold

WET PARTICLES

Fluorescent &Non-fluorescent
Oxides of iron & have relatively lower
permeability than Dry particles
Particle sizes range 0.005 mm to 0.030
mm
Suspended in Conditioned water/light
petroleum distillate
When suspended in petroleum bases
used upto 50 C
Affected by freezing cold conditions
CONCENTATION
Verified with ASTM centrifuge tube
Non-fluorescent suspension: 1.2 to 2.4
mL/100 mL
Fluorescent suspension: 0.2 to 0.4
mL/100 mL

APPLICATION AREAS

Welds in Boiler, Piping & Pressure vessels

Finished Butt & Corner welds & intermediate
stage examination for thick welds to avoid
major repairs at later time
Branch welds in piping
SURFACE CONDITION
General Surface Condition: As welded is
sufficient
Excessive ripples & undercut mask indications
from discontinuities lying beneath
Shall be clean, dry & free from organic and
inorganic contaminants that interfere with
test
Examination area:
25 mm on each side of weld, HAZ & base
metall

SURFACE CONDITIONING

Grinding, Machining, grit blasting or abrasive

methods for organic contaminants
Organic solvents for organic contaminants
CONDUCTIVE
&
NON-CONDUCTIVE
COATINGS:
SURFACE
CONTRAST
ENHANCEMENT
coatings- may be applied tentatively on
surfaces to improve contrast
For
non-conductive
paintingcoating
thickness not to exceed 50 m
Coating removed at points where contact is
to be made by prods
For coating thickness that exceeds 50 m or
material forms that have CONDUCTIVE
coatings
Procedure verified with cracks introduced in
blocks with such coating & coating thickness
for detection

MAGNETISING CURRENT

Rectified current HWDC used for deep

penetration of parts
Current selection primarily depends on prod
spacing
For Material thick < 20 mm 90 to 110 amps/25
mm prod spacing
For Material thick > 20 mm 110 to 125
amps/25 mm prod spacing
Prod spacing: Min.75 mm; Max: 200 mm
MAGNETISING STRENGTH:
The prods technique introduce circular
magnetic field on the surface around the prods
The field strength developed on part is
influenced by
Material permeability, Weld size & shape,
Magnetization technique.
Field adequacy is verified utilizing Gauss/Tesla
meters or ASTM pie-gauge field indicator

TECHNIQUES FOR WELD

EXAMINATION
PROD TECHNIQUE:
Prod Technique-Dry
Yoke Technique-wet non fluorescent
Prod tips to be kept clean & dressed free
from oxides
Al or Pb or Fe tipped prods used to avoid
cu deposits on material
If Cu prods used open-circuit voltage
need be < 24V
Prods pressed against test surface
normal to it
Angulation of prods results distorted
fields
Prods provided with remote contact
switch to make electrical contact after
firmly positioned

FIELD STRENGTH & DIRECTION

VERIFICATION of field:
ASTM Pie gauge is positioned on the
examination surface with brazed piesections toward the examination surface.
A clearly defined line or lines when
particles are applied simultaneously with
magnetizing force indicates adequate
strength.
MEASURING FIELD STRENGTH:
Hall-effect tangential probe positioned on
the surface
The peak-value of tangential field is
measured when magnetizing force is
applied
Value of 30 to 60 Gauss (2.4 k to 4.8 k
Amps /meter) indicates adequacy of field

MAGNETISING DIRECTION

The direction of magnetization is

verified using ASTM pie-gauge
Pie gauge is positioned so that
brazed pie-sections toward the
examination surface
Cu plate away form surface.
A clearly defined line or lines in the
desired direction when particles
reapplied
simultaneously
with
magnetizing force
fulfills the requirement of field
direction

DRY CONTINUOUS

:
current

APPLICATION OF DRY PARTICLES

Flow of magnetizing
initiated
Cloud of Dry particles floated with
low velocity upto the surface
Application of current terminated
after the application of powder
has been completed and any
excess has been blown-off.
Build-up of indication observed as
the particles are being applied
used for examination.

YOKE TECHNIQUE

To detect discontinuities open to surface

Yokes have TWO adjustable legs
Adjustable legs permit changing the
contact space in between the legs and
improved contact area with surface
Legs of yoke are positioned similar to
prods & pressed against surface
The discontinuities anticipated should be
centrally located in the area between pole
pieces
The effective inspection area
space in between the legs is the area of
examination
Lateral area of 38 mm on each side of
the center-line of yoke legs
Depends on part geometry and
qualified using Hall-effect gauss meter

ELECTRO-MAGNETIC YOKES

A single leg used in areas of tight access

Flux lines for single leg yoke flow

radially producing radial magnetization
ELECTRO-MAGNETIC YOKES:
DC yoke has greater penetration while
AC yoke concentrates the field on the
surface of weld providing greater
sensitivity
At maximum pole spacing used for
examination the minimum Lifting power
of AC yokes shall be:4.5 kg; DC
yokes:18.1 kg.
The
yoke
techniques
produce
LONGITUDINAL magnetic field on the
surface in between the pole-pieces

PERMANENT YOKES

Permanent yokes used where no

electric power is available or
where arcing is not permitted
The strength of any yokes is
determined by its lifting power
At maximum pole spacing used
for examination he minimum
Lifting power of Permanent yoke
shall be:18.1 kg

MAGNETISING STRENGTH

Field adequacy is verified utilizing

Gauss/Tesla meter or artificial
flaw shims
Yoke can be switched ON or OFF
at will which helps to remove the
yoke-leg from part
The flux density introduced into
part can be varied by varying the
amount of current in the coil

YOKE-FIELD STRENGTH

VERIFYING USING SHIMS

The shims are foils of low carbon steel 50

m thick that contains a notch or notches
chemically etched or machined to 30% of
foil thickness.
Shims are attached to part such that the
artificial flaw is toward the examination
surface.
A clearly defined line or lines when wet
particles are flowed over
the shim
simultaneously with magnetizing force
indicates adequate field strength
MEASURING USING GAUSS METER
Hall-effect tangential probe positioned on the
surface
The peak-value of tangential field is measured
when magnetizing force is applied
Value of 30 to 60 Gauss (2.4 k to 4.8 k
Amps /meter) indicates adequacy of field

MAGNETISING DIRECTION

FIELD DIRECTION

The direction of magnetization is

verified using ASTM pie-gauge
Pie gauge is positioned
brazed pie-sections are toward
the examination surface
Cu plate away form surface.
A clearly defined line or lines in the
desired direction when particles are
applied
simultaneously
with
magnetizing
force
fulfills
the
requirement of field direction

WET PARTICLE APPLICATION

Wet continuous

Flow of magnetizing current

initiated
After thorough agitation wet
particles are applied by spraying
or flowing over the entire weld
area to be examined
Multiple current shots (2 or 3)
applied. The last shot applied
while particle bath is still on part.
Wet particles accumulate at the
site of discontinuities & produce
indication characteristic of its
nature

DETECTABLE DISCONTINUITY

LIGHTING CONDITIONS
Day light or artificial lights used for dry
powder and non-fluorescent applications
Min 500 Lux /1000 lux needed for critical
applications
Black Lightfor fluorescent wet particles
DETECTABLE DISCONTINUITIES:
Discontinuity at right angles to the
surface and its Depth five times its
opening width ;Length > width & >1 mm
flaw width creating small air gap
Incipient cracks less than 0.025 mm deep
and have surface openings of one-tenth
of its width are detectable by
wet
particle inspection
Correct interpretation of indications
caused by subsurface discontinuities
requires skill.

CONDITIONS FOR DIFFICULTY IN

DETECTION
If the faces of a crack tightly
forced together by compressive
stresses
the absence of air gap produces
little leakage field that no particle
indication is formed.
If the crack is not close-lipped but
wide open at the surface Shallow
Cracks
Magnetic Reluctance of air gap
reduces strength of the leakage
field, combined with inability of
the particles to bridge the gap,
results in a weaker indication.

INTERPRETATION

INTERPRETATION OF INDICATIONS:

The
accumulation
pattern
of
dry/wet particles that forms on
material
surface
during
examination is INDICATION
Any
indication
has
to
be
ascertained whether RELEVANT,
false or non-relevant
Discontinuities located on surface
appear sharp & distinct
Discontinuities located below the
surface appear broad & fuzzy
NDICATION is characterized

FALSE & NON-RELEVANT

INDICATIONS
False Indications
Do not arise from flaws as there is no
magnetic attraction
Particle patterns are held by gravity or
surface roughness.
Non-relevant indications
Caused by flux leakage, not due to
breaks in metal
Excessive magnetization force, part
configuration, mill scales are possible
causes
Abrupt changes in magnetic properties
between base metal & weld metal
Toe of the welds, Edges of fillet welds, in
Heat Affected Zone
Indications appear wide, loose & lightly
adhering particle pattern

RELEVANT INDICATIONS

Relevant indications
Relevant indications arise from
discontinuity sizes as defined in
standards
APPEARANCE
OF
FLAW
INDICATIONS
Porosity
Appear more or less round
indications, as spherical in shape
Cracks in weld/Base Metal
Longitudinal, Transverse & crater
Fairly straight & twisty as
continuous linear indication

EVALUATION

Evaluation
Determine severity of discontinuity,
whether detrimental for intended
use
Pass judgment based on well
defined acceptance standards
Provide Disposition of examined
weld-Accept/Repair/Reject
Post-cleaning
Sometimes demagnetized, Blown
off using compressed air for Dry
powder
Sometimes demagnetized, hand
wipe with solvents and cleaned for
wet particles

THANK YOU !