Penetrant Testing

Red/White with daylight Fluorescent with UV light

MR® 79, 85, 88, 411, 3001, 3010

Mechanic or chemical preparation and precleaning: clean the test area
(remove tinder, rust and other contaminations like oil and fat, etc.).
1. Pre-Cleaning
Cracks must be open to the surface.

Drying

MR® 67 PS, 68 NF, 68 C, 311-R MR® 670 F, 671 F, 672 F

Water washable and/or solvent removable penetrant Water washable penetrant
penetration time between 5 and 60 minutes penetration time between 5 and 60 minutes

2. Penetrant Application: spraying, brushing, flooding, dipping. Application: spraying, brushing, flooding, dipping.

using MR® 67 PS: using MR® 68 NF, 68 C, 311-R: using MR® 670 F, 671 F, 672 F:
Remove with water Remove with water and/or solvents Remove with water
Water pressure ≤ 2 bar, (e.g. MR® 79, 85, 88) Water pressure ≤ 2 bar,
temperature ≤ 50 °C Water pressure ≤ 2 bar temperature ≤ 50 °C
3. Excess penetrant removal temperature ≤ 50 °C

Control of excess penetrant removal regarding penetrant residues

Daylight UV light ≥ 300 μW/cm²

Drying

MR® 70, 703 W MR® 70, 81 T, 703 W

Wet developer solvent based (MR® 70) Dry developer powder (MR® 81 T)
or wet developer water based (MR® 703 W) or wet developer solvent based (MR® 70)
4. Developing
or wet developer water based (MR® 703 W)

Drying when using wet developers

Monitoring the developing process
(duration 10 to 30 minutes)

Daylight UV light
Daylight or synthetic light illumination on surface
illumination on surface min. 1.000 μW/cm²
5. Inspection
min. 500 lux darkened room with max. 20 lux

Recording, if necessary: postcleaning and protection

Your partner in NDT! – www.mr-chemie.de

 Penetrant Testing
Process Description
Penetrant Testing acc. to EN ISO 3452-1

Process description
The liquid penetrant test procedure allows a quick determination of surface discontinuities on
all iron metals and non-iron metals, some plastics and ceramic materials, glass, etc., provided
that the discontinuities are open to the surfaces. This procedure is used in the examination of
welding seams, cast pieces, in shipbuilding, automobile and aircraft construction, apparatus
and tank construction, etc.

The penetrant test procedure is based on the fact that a red or green-fluorescent penetrant
(due to its specific characteristics) does not only spread optimally on a surface, it also
penetrates in every discontinuity open to the surface.

After a penetration time of 10-15 minutes (depending on material, temperature and

requirements) the excess penetrant respectively the penetrant that did not penetrate into
possible discontinuities is removed from the surface. The excess penetrant removal can be
carried out by either water or a special solvant remover. Subsequently, you can produce an
indication of the discontinuities by application of a developer.

By its own specific characteristics, the white developer absorbs the penetrant that remained in
the discontinuities. Thus discontinuities can be seen well as clear lines or points on the white
underground.
There are two penetrant test procedures:

1) Daylight procedure with penetrant red or penetrant red + fluorescent: the pattern of the
defect or discontinuity appears as red indication on a white background and, depending on
the kind of pentrant, may also be viewed as fluorscent indications under UV-light.

2) Fluorescent procedure with penetrant fluorescent: the pattern of the defect or discontinuity
appears under UV-light as a fluorescent indication.

The test procedure consists of four separate processing steps, for which the following products
are necessary:

1. Precleaning (MR® Remover)

2. Application of penetrant (MR® Penetrant)
3. Excess penetrant removal (MR® Remover or water)
4. Application of developer (MR® Developer, white)

1. step 2. step 3. step 4. step

precleaned surface defect surface defect after surface defect after
surface with defect with Penetrant removal of excess developing with
penetrant red indication

09.10.2014/db
________________________________________________________________

MR Chemie GmbH  Nordstr. 61-63  59427 Unna (Germany)  www.mr-chemie.de 1/2
Tel.: +49 (0)2303 95151-0  Fax: +49 (0)2303 95151-10  e-mail: post@mr-chemie.de
 Penetrant Testing
Process Description
Penetrant Testing acc. to EN ISO 3452-1

1. Step:
Precleaning with MR® Remover
The workpieces resp. the areas of the workpieces which are to be examined must be cleaned
thoroughly: rust, scales and other contaminations must be removed with suitable tools, other
contaminants (oils, greases, etc.) must be removed from the surface with MR ® Remover.
Before taking the next step the surface should be in a clean, dry condition, so that the
penetrant can enter the surface discontinuities.

2. Step:
Application of MR® Penetrant red, MR® Penetrant red + fluorescent or MR®
Penetrant fluorescent (waterwashable)

MR® Penetrant red or fluorescent can now be either sprayed or brushed onto the dry, grease-
free workpiece; another possiblity of application is to immerse the workpiece into a penetrant
bath. The recommended penetration time is usually between 5 and 30 minutes.

3. Step:
Removal of excess penetrant with MR® Remover or water

The excess penetrant can be removed either by rinsing with water, wiping with a special cloth
(with or without MR® Remover) or spraying MR® Remover. The penetrant is to be removed
thoroughly but without washing it out of the disconitniuities. Removal of a fluorescent
penetrant must be checked by using UV-light. Allow surface to dry before taking the next step.

4. Step:
Application of MR® Developer

The most rational application of MR® Developer is by using aerosols, the developer film should
be thin and even. Of course, a spray gun can also be used. After a drying time of 5-20 minutes
possible discontinuities can be seen on the surface:

 using the daylight procedure, red indications will appear on the surface; if using MR ®
Penetrant red + fluorescent the indications can additionally be viewed under UV-light
 using the fluorescent procedure, fluorescent indications will appear under UV-light

The wider and deeper a discontinuity, the wider and more intensive the indication.

MR® Developer can be removed easily after inspection.

MR® Products for penetrant testing are approved according to EN ISO 3452-2. Regarding the
contents of corrosive ingredients they meet the requirements of EN ISO 3452-2 and ASME
Code V, Section V, Article 6, T-641.
MR® Products for penetrant testing are produced in batches which are being tested according
to these standards. Batch certificates can be provided upon request.

09.10.2014/db
________________________________________________________________

MR Chemie GmbH  Nordstr. 61-63  59427 Unna (Germany)  www.mr-chemie.de 2/2
Tel.: +49 (0)2303 95151-0  Fax: +49 (0)2303 95151-10  e-mail: post@mr-chemie.de