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EBT 405
NON DESTRUCTIVE TESTING

CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION TO NON
DESTRUCTIVE TESTING (NDT)

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Khairel Rafezi Ahmad

Dr. Heah Cheng Yong
 Outline

• Definition of NDT.
• Comparison NDT vs DT.
• Needs/Uses of NDT.
• When are NDT Methods Used?
• Overview of Six Most Common NDT
Methods.
• Selected Applications.
• Benefits from NDT.
 INTRODUCTION
• Non-Destructive Testing (NDT).
• Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI).
• Non-Destructive Examination (NDE).

Person that involved with NDT pratice is

call NDT Inspector.
 Definition of Non-destructive
Testing
• Nondestructive testing (NDT) has been defined as comprising
test methods used to examine an object/material/system
without impairing its usefulness of such
materials/components/systems.

• The use of noninvasive techniques to determine the integrity

of a material/ component/structure or quantitatively measure
some characteristic of an object.

• Inspect, test or measure without doing harm to the test

sample.
Comparison between NDT & DT

Destructive testing (DT):

• Implies to the sample of a material and the
process will cause damage the tested part.

Non-Destructive testing (NDT) :

• Implies for finding defective parts inside or on
the surface of a material and does not
damage or ruined tested part/specimen.
Comparison between NDT & DT
(Destructive testing)
Destructive testing :
• Tensile test
• Bend test
• Charpy test
• Vickers test
• Fracture test
• Fatigue test
• Creep test
• Metallography etc.
Comparison between NDT & DT
(Non-Destructive testing)
• Visual

• Magnetic Particle
• X-ray/Radiography
• Liquid Penetrant

• Ultrasonic

• Eddy Current
 NDT Inspector/ NDT Engineers
• Person that involved with NDT practice
• Structure/assembly inspectability using NDT
method.
• Ensuring the damage tolerance concept of design
by integrating NDT into design & manufacturing
processes & risk assesment analysis.
• Incorporating statistical approach in developing
acceptance criteria for design stipulated
properties.
 Needs/uses of NDT

1. Design 2. Material & 3. Service &

• Strength,
Process Maintenance
stiffness, • Material: • Extent of deterioration
dimensions & Material homogeneity, effects; i.e Changes of
characterization presence of defects, material homogeneity &
of micro and location, size & volume dimension, corrosion,
macro features dispersion of defects erosion, damage due to
fatigue, creep & impact
of materials, damage
isotropy & • Process
• Adequacy of repair &
residual stresses repeatability &
replacement of materials
confidence level
& structures
 Needs of NDT
• To determine
Examples
Discontinuities cracks, voids, inclusions, delaminations
Structure and Microstructure crystalline structure, grain size,
Characterization segregation, misalignment
Dimensional measurements thickness, diameter, gap size,
discontinuity size
Physical and Mechanical reflectivity, conductivity, elastic modulus,
properties sonic velocity
Material and Chemical alloy identification, impurities, elemental
Composition Determination distributions
Stress and Dynamic response residual stress, crack growth, wear,
vibration
• Discontinuities (such as cracks,
voids, inclusions, delamination);
• Structure and Microstructure
Characterization (including crystalline
structure, grain size, segregation,
misalignment);
• Dimensional measurements (thickness,
diameter, gap size, discontinuity size);
• physical and mechanical
properties (reflectivity, conductivity,
elastic modulus, sonic velocity);
• Material and Chemical Composition
Determination (alloy identification,
impurities, elemental distributions);

PMI
• stress and dynamic response
(residual stress, crack growth, wear,
vibration);
 Needs of NDT
• Modern nondestructive tests are used by manufacturers:

 to ensure product integrity, and reliability;

 to avoid failures, prevent accidents and save human life;
 to make a profit for the user;
 to ensure customer satisfaction and maintain the
manufacturer's reputation;
 to aid in better product design;
 to control manufacturing processes;
 to lower manufacturing costs;
 to maintain uniform quality level;
 to ensure operational readiness.
 When are NDT Methods Used?

• At almost any stage in the production or life

cycle of a component.
To assist in product development
To screen or sort incoming materials
To monitor, improve or control manufacturing
processes
To verify proper processing such as heat treating
and proper assembly
To inspect for in-service damage
Inspection Quality : Raw Products

• Forgings,
• Castings,
• Extrusions,
• etc.
Inspection Quality : Secondary Processing

• Machining
• Welding
• Grinding
• Heat treating
• Plating
• etc.
Inspection Quality : In-Service Damage

• Cracking
• Corrosion
• Erosion/Wear
• Heat Damage
• etc.
Six Most Common NDT Methods
• Visual
• Liquid Penetrant
• Magnetic
• Ultrasonic
• Eddy Current
• X-ray
 Review types of NDT
inspection method
1. Visual Testing
2. Liquid Penetrant
3. Magnetic Particle
4. Ultrasonic
5. Radiography
6. Eddy Current
Others (neutron radiography, laser induced ultrasonic, etc)
 Visual Inspection (VT)
Most basic and common
inspection method.

•Visual inspection involves using an inspector's

eyes to look for defects.
•The inspector may also use special tools such as
magnifying glasses, mirrors, or borescopes to gain
access and more closely inspect the subject area.
Visual Inspection

Tools include
• fiberscopes,
• borescopes,
• magnifying glasses and
• mirrors.
 Visual Inspection

Portable video inspection

unit with zoom allows
inspection of large tanks
and vessels, railroad,
tank, sewer lines.
Visual Inspection

Robotic crawlers
permit observation in
hazardous or tight
areas, such as air
ducts, reactors,
pipelines.
Liquid Penetrant Inspection (PT)

• Dye
• Cleaner
• Developer
Liquid Penetrant Inspection (PT)

• A liquid with high surface

wetting characteristics (dye) is
applied to the surface of the
part and allowed time to seep
into surface breaking defects.
• The excess liquid is removed
from the surface of the part
(cleaner).
• A developer (powder) is
applied to pull the trapped
penetrant out the defect and
spread it on the surface where it
can be seen.
 Liquid Penetrant Inspection

• Visual inspection is the final step in the

process.
• The penetrant used is often loaded with a
fluorescent dye and the inspection is done
under UV light to increase test sensitivity.
 Magnetic Particle Inspection (MT)

• Accomplished by inducing a
magnetic field in a
ferromagnetic material and
then dusting the surface with
iron particles (either dry or
suspended in liquid).
• Surface and near-surface
imperfections distort the
magnetic field and
concentrate iron particles near
imperfections, previewing a
visual indication of the flaw.
 Magnetic Particle Inspection (MT)

• The part is magnetized.

• Finely milled iron particles
coated with a dye pigment
are then applied to the
specimen.
• These particles are attracted
to magnetic flux leakage
fields and will cluster to form
an indication directly over
the discontinuity.
• This indication can be
visually detected under
proper lighting conditions.
Magnetic Particle Crack
Indications
 Ultrasonic Inspection (UT)
• High frequency sound waves are introduced into a
material and they are reflected back from surfaces or
flaws.
• Reflected sound energy is displayed versus time, and
inspector can visualize a cross section of the
specimen showing the depth of features that reflect
sound.
initial
pulse

back surface
echo
crack
echo

crack

0 2 4 6 8 10 plate

Oscilloscope, or flaw detector screen

 Radiography (RT)
• Involves the use of penetrating
gamma or X-ray radiation to examine High Electrical Potential
parts and products for imperfections.
Electrons
• An X-ray generator or radioactive + -
isotope is used as a source of
radiation. Radiation is directed X-ray Generator or
through a part and onto film or other Radioactive Source
Creates Radiation
imaging media.
• The resulting shadowgraph shows the
dimensional features of the part. Radiation
Penetrate
• Possible imperfections are indicated the Sample

as density changes on the film in the Exposure Recording Device

same manner as a medical X-ray
shows broken bones.
 Radiography (RT)
Film Radiography
The part is placed between the
radiation source and a piece of film.
The part will stop some of the
radiation. Thicker and more dense
area will stop more of the radiation.

The film darkness (density)

will vary with the amount of
radiation reaching the film
X-ray film through the test object.

= less exposure
= more exposure
Top view of developed film
Radiographic Images
 Eddy Current Testing (ET)

• Electrical currents are generated in a

conductive material by an induced
alternating magnetic field.
• The electrical currents are called eddy
currents because they flow in circles at
and just below the surface of the
material.
 Eddy Current Testing (ET)
Interruptions in
the flow of eddy Coil's
currents, caused Coil magnetic field
by imperfections,
dimensional
changes, or Eddy current's
changes in the magnetic field
material's
conductive and Eddy
permeability currents
properties, can be
detected with the Conductive
material
proper equipment.
Detection of defect in field
applications
Power Plant Inspection
Periodically, power plants are
shutdown for inspection.
Inspectors feed eddy current probes
into heat exchanger tubes to check
for corrosion damage.

Pipe with damage Probe

Signals
produced by
various
amounts of
corrosion
thinning.
Wire Rope Inspection

Electromagnetic devices and

visual inspections are used to
find broken wires and other
damage to the wire rope that
is used in chairlifts, cranes and
other lifting devices.
Storage Tank Inspection
Robotic crawlers use
ultrasound to inspect
the walls of large above
ground tanks for signs
of thinning due to
corrosion.
Cameras on long
articulating arms are
used to inspect
underground storage
tanks for damage.
Aircraft Inspection
• Non destructive testing is used
extensively during the manufacturing of
aircraft.
• NDT is also used to find cracks and
corrosion damage during operation of
the aircraft.
• A fatigue crack that started at the site
of a lightning strike is shown below.
Jet Engine Inspection
• Aircraft engines are overhauled after
being in service for a period of time.
• They are completely disassembled,
cleaned, inspected and then
reassembled.
• Fluorescent penetrant inspection is
used to check many of the parts for
cracking.
Pressure Vessel Inspection
The failure of a pressure vessel can result in the rapid
release of a large amount of energy. To protect against
this dangerous event, the tanks are inspected using
radiography and ultrasonic testing.
Rail Inspection
Special cars are used to inspect
thousands of miles of rail to
find cracks that could lead to a
derailment.
 Pipeline Inspection
NDT is used to inspect pipelines to
prevent leaks that could damage the
environment. Visual inspection,
radiography and electromagnetic
testing are some of the NDT
methods used.

Remote visual inspection using

a robotic crawler.

Magnetic flux leakage inspection. This device, known

as a pig, is placed in the pipeline and collects data on
the condition of the pipe as it is pushed along by Radiography of weld joints.
whatever is being transported.
 Classification of NDT Methods
Methods Objectives
Liquid Penetrant Open crack, surface crack
Electromagnetic alloy content, anisotropy, cavities, cold work, local strain, hardness,
(Magnetic Particle ) composition, contamination, corrosion, cracks, crack depth, crystal
(Eddy Current) structure, electrical and thermal conductivities,heat treatment, hot tears,
inclusions, ion concentrations, lattice strain, layer thickness, moisture
content, segregation, shrinkage, state of cure, tensile strength, thickness.

Ultrasonic crack initiation and propagation, cracks, voids, degree of cure, degree of
impregnation, degree of sintering, delaminations, density, dimensions,
elastic moduli, grain size, inclusions, mechanical degradation,
misalignment, porosity, radiation degradation, structure of composites,
surface stress, tensile, shear and compressive strength, wear
Radiography cracks, density and chemistry variations, elemental distribution, foreign
objects, inclusions, micro porosity, misalignment, missing parts,
segregation, service degradation, shrinkage, thickness, voids
 Benefits from NDT
• NDT plays a crucial role in everyday life and is
necessary to assure safety and reliability.
Typical examples are found in aircraft,
spacecraft (shuttle), motor vehicles, pipelines,
bridges, trains, power stations, refineries,
buildings and oil platforms which are all
inspected using NDT.
 Benefits from NDT
• NDT is a Quality Assurance management tool
which can give impressive results when used
correctly. It requires an understanding of the
various methods available, their capabilities
and limitations, knowledge of the relevant
standards and specifications for performing
the tests.
 Benefits from NDT
• Materials, products and equipment which fail
to achieve their design requirements or
projected life due to undetected defects may
require expensive repair or early replacement.
Such defects may also be the cause of unsafe
conditions or catastrophic failure, as well as
loss of revenue due to unplanned plant
shutdown.
 Benefits from NDT
• Non destructive testing can be applied to each
stage of an item's construction. The materials
and welds can be examined using NDT and
either accepted, rejected or repaired. NDT
techniques can then be used to monitor the
integrity of the item or structure throughout
it‘s design life.
 Advantages of NDT

• Tested objects or parts can be reused.

• More than one inspection techniques can
be applied to the same object.
• Requires minimum specimen preparation
THE END