Welding Inspection and Non-Destructive Test Practice in Hong Kong Ir LAM Chi-sing

On 28 June 2008, the Materials Division and Associate Members Committee jointly organized a technical seminar on Welding Inspection and Non-destructive Testing Practice in Hong Kong. The speaker Ir CK Cheung gave a brief introduction on the accreditation of welding inspection for the local construction industry. It covered inspection and approval of welding procedures and welder tests in accordance with the European Standard and Hong Kong Public Works Contract requirements. A structural steel welder is engaged to cut or join structural steel sections, steel water mains and steel gas mains by electric arc, oxy-acetylene flame or other welding processes. Welders approval is a prerequisite for the registration of structural steel welders under the Hong Kong Ordinance Chapter 583 :Construction Workers Registration Ordinance A certificate of passing of a welder test which is in conformity with BS EN 287-1:1992 standard issued by a welding inspection body accredited by the Hong Kong Accreditation Service (HKAS) under Hong Kong Inspection Body Accreditation Scheme (HKIAS) is required for the registration. The second speaker, Mr. KM Wong from A.E.S. Destructive & Non-destructive Testing Limited described Eddy Current Testing (ET) on structural steel welds. ET was electromagnetic non-destructive test and could be applied to painted or coated welds. Accordingly, it was an effective in-service test on welded structure of bridge, quay crane, offshore platform, mechanical rides in theme parks, etc. ET was also widely used in inspection of heat exchanger tubes. While there was not specific standard for preventive maintenance of such facilities so far, ET might be one of the main techniques to define the standardization in the future. ET works on the principles of electromagnetic induction, with an excited test coil inducing small, circulating current into conductive materials. Change in coil impedance due to distortion of eddy currents at regions of discontinuities and associated magnetic flux linkages, was then measured and correlated with the discontinuities. Some advantages of using ET were its convenience in use, instant results, and non-contact with test piece. However, its application was limited to conductive materials only. The seminar ended with the interactive question and answer session and had been well received by our members. Finally, on behalf of the host and the participants, we thank Ir CK Cheung and Mr. KM Wong for their valuable presentation. Words 377

Photo: Ir CK Cheung receiving souvenir from Dr WK Fung .(Materials Division)

Photo: Mr. KM Wong (Middle) receiving souvenir from Mr. Ray Ng (AMC Chairman) .Mr. Martin Siu (R)