Non – Destructive Test

Purpose
To introduce the student to some non-destructive testing methods and to investigate
the availability and occurrences of defect within the give specimen.

Introduction
The objective of all testing is to insure that materials and components perform in the
way expected , if the test does not destroy the specimen this test is called non-destructive
test ( NDT ) . Non-destructive testing is used for in-service inspection and for condition
monitoring of operating plant. It is also used for measurements of components and
spacing and for the measurement of physical properties such as hardness and internal
stress.

Non-destructive testing, as the name implies, in no way impairs for further use the
specimen that is tests. Usually these tests do not directly measure mechanical properties,
such as tensile strength or hardness, but are intended to locate defects or flaws. When
machines or parts have large safety factors built into them, there is little need for non-
destructive testing. However, many products used in aircraft, space technology, and other
industries require a high reliability. This is achieved by inspection at the time of
manufacturing and in some cases continued testing during the service life of the part. The
limitation of destructive test:
1) A certain amount of the material has to be allocated for the testing and it
may be subsequently usable as scrap.
2) Special test-pieces and specimen may have to be prepared.
3) Component may be damaged and have to be scrapped.
4) Test specimen must be carefully prepared according to standard methods to
ensure reliable and meaningful results.

Detection of surface flow :

1)Visual inspection.
2)Penetrant methods.
3)Magnetic particle method.
 4)Electrical methods.

Detection of internal flow :

1) Radiological method.
2) Acoustic method.

Types of the non-destructive tests:

1) Ultrasonic Testing – (UT uses complex electronic equipment. Any material
which transmits mechanical vibration can be tested. UT detects
both linear and non-linear flaws and permits three dimensional
interpretations. Evaluation is often difficult. The UT instrument
converts electrical pulses into mechanical vibrations or pulses.
These pulses travel across tested specimen and reflect from flaws
because of their different acoustic nature. The returning reflected
pulses are re-converted to electrical energy and displayed as
signals on cathode ray tube (CRT). The position and size of these
signals correspond to the position and size of the flaws.

Ultrasonic testing is a high-tech method of inspection materials

using an instrument that sends out a high frequency sound wave
through the object and then records the amount of time used to
travel the distance through the object and back to the transducer,
the Ultrasonic testing instrument then does a series of
calculations and the result is the thickness of the object. This of
course happens in a fraction of a second. The reading is then
recorded and compared to a reading from the previous inspection.
By comparing these readings you can then tell how much the
material has deteriorated over the time passed. Ultrasonic testing
is ideal for inspecting items such as shafts, bar stocks, or tank,
tubing wall thickness, or pressure vessels and is also good for
weld scanning. You can perform ultrasonic testing on most
material types.

2)Magnetic Particle Inspection – (MT usually requires electrical equipment

to generate magnetic fields. Only metals which can be
magnetized are tested by MT. An internal magnetic field is
generated in the tested specimen. In locations where flaws (Non-
magnetic voids) exist, some of the field will leak off the
specimen and bridge the voids through the air. Magnetic (Iron)

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 particles, dust over the magnetized area, are attracted by the
leakage or external fields. Their buildups form a flaw indication.

Material
1) Steel tube.
2) Black magnetic ink.
3) Iron magnetic powder.

Procedure
1)Clean inspected area of specimen with steel brush and wipe off with cloth.
2)Place yoke on test piece perpendicular to direction of suspected cracks.
3)Energize yoke magnetic field will form in test piece.
4)Apply magnetic ink or powder while yoke is still energized.
5)Indications will form immediately.

3) Eddy Current Testing – (ET test is used only on electrical conductivity

materials, and only a small area can be inspected at a time. An
energized electric coil induces a magnetic field into the tested
specimen. The fluctuating magnetic field generates an electric
current. The presence of a flaw increases the resistance to the
flow of eddy currents. This is indicated by a deflection on the
instrument's voltmeter. With the eddy current testing method,
defects are detected by using the force field set up in or around
the object with a calibration standard.

Eddy current testing is typically used on cladded material,

heat exchangers, and stainless tubing and alloy metals. Eddy
current testing can be used on Non-Ferro-magnetic materials.
Using eddy current testing has many benefits such as; when used
it can detect corrosion by percentage of wall loss and it also
provides a permanent record for the company who is having
inspection performed. With the eddy current testing method,
defects are detected by using the force field set up in or around
the object with a calibration standard.

Material
Aluminum and steel specimen.

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 Discussion & Conclusion
1) Some tests we done on the material can effect on it and may destroy
ht e component of the material but NDT don’t effect on the material and it
make the specimen useful to use it after doing the test .
2) Non-destructive testing is used in many applications to insure that the
material is perform in the way that we want Eddy current, magnetic
particles and radiological are some of (NDT) types.

References
1) Manual of the Lab.
2) The instructor data.
3) The lab experiment observations.