Dye penetrant inspection

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1. Section of material with a surface-breaking crack that is not visible to the naked eye.
. !enetrant is applied to the surface.
". #$cess penetrant is removed.
%. Developer is applied, rendering the crack visible.
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2009)
Dye penetrant inspection &DPI', also called liquid penetrant inspection &LPI' orpenetrant
testing &PT', is a widely applied and low-cost inspection method used to locate surface-breaking
defects in all non-porous materials &metals, plastics, or ceramics'. (he penetrant may be applied to
all non-ferrous materials and ferrous materials, but for inspection of ferrous components magnetic-
particle inspection is also preferred for its subsurface detection capability. )!* is used to detect
casting, forging and welding surface defects such as cracks,suface porosities, and leaks in new
products, and fatigue cracks on in-service components.
ontents
!hide"
# Principles
2 $aterials
% &nspection steps
' (dvantages and
disadvantages
) *tandards
+ ,eferences
- ./ternal lin0s
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!rinciples
D!* is based upon capillary action, where low surface tension fluid penetrates into clean and dry
surface-breaking discontinuities. !enetrant may be applied to the test component by dipping,
spraying, or brushing. -fter ade.uate penetration time has been allowed, the e$cess penetrant is
removed, a developer is applied. (he developer helps to draw penetrant out of the flaw where a
visible indication becomes visible to the inspector. *nspection is performed under ultraviolet or white
light, depending upon the type of dye used - fluorescent or nonfluorescent &visible'.
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/aterials
!enetrants are classified into sensitivity levels. 0isible penetrants are typically red in color, and
represent the lowest sensitivity. Fluorescent penetrants contain two or more dyes that fluoresce when
e$cited by ultraviolet &10--' radiation &also known as black light'. SinceFluorescent penetrant
inspection is performed in a darkened environment, and the e$cited dyes emit brilliant yellow-green
light that contrasts strongly against the dark background, this material is more sensitive to small
defects.
When selecting a sensitivity level one must consider many factors, including the environment under
which the test will be performed, the surface finish of the specimen, and the si2e of defects sought.
3ne must also assure that the test chemicals are compatible with the sample so that the e$amination
will not cause permanent staining, or degradation. (his techni.ue can be .uite portable, because in
its simplest form the inspection re.uires only " aerosol spray cans, some lint free clothes, and
ade.uate visible light. Stationary systems with dedicated application, wash, and development
stations, are more costly and complicated, but result in better sensitivity and higher sample through-
put.
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*nspection steps
4elow are the main steps of )i.uid !enetrant *nspection5
1. Pre-cleaning:
(he test surface is cleaned to remove any dirt, paint, oil, grease or any loose scale that could either
keep penetrant out of a defect, or cause irrelevant or false indications. 6leaning methods may
include solvents, alkaline cleaning steps, vapor degreasing, or media blasting. (he end goal of this
step is a clean surface where any defects present are open to the surface, dry, and free of
contamination. 7ote that if media blasting is used, it may 8work over8 small discontinuities in the part,
and an etching bath is recommended as a post-bath treatment.
2. Application of Penetrant:
(he penetrant is then applied to the surface of the item being tested. (he penetrant is allowed time to
soak into any flaws &generally 9 to ": minutes'is called dwell time. (he dwell time mainly depends
upon the penetrant being used, material being testing and the si2e of flaws sought. -s e$pected,
smaller flaws re.uire a longer penetration time. Due to their incompatible nature one must be careful
not to apply solvent-based penetrant to a surface which is to be inspected with a water-washable
penetrant.
3. Ecess Penetrant !e"o#al:
(he e$cess penetrant is then removed from the surface. (he removal method is controlled by the
type of penetrant used. Water-washable, solvent-removable, lipophilic post-emulsifiable,
or hydrophilic post-emulsifiable are the common choices. #mulsifiers represent the highest sensitivity
level, and chemically interact with the oily penetrant to make it removable with a water spray. When
using solvent remover and lint-free cloth it is important to not spray the solvent on the test surface
directly, because this can remove the penetrant from the flaws. *f e$cess penetrant is not properly
removed, once the developer is applied, it may leave a background in the developed area that can
mask indications or defects. *n addition, this may also produce false indications severely hindering
your ability to do a proper inspection.
$. Application of De#eloper:
-fter e$cess penetrant has been removed a white developer is applied to the sample. Several
developer types are available, including5 non-a.ueous wet developer, dry powder, water
suspendable, and water soluble. 6hoice of developer is governed by penetrant compatibility &one
can;t use water-soluble or suspendable developer with water-washable penetrant', and by inspection
conditions. When using non-a.ueous wet developer &7-WD' or dry powder, the sample must be
dried prior to application, while soluble and suspendable developers are applied with the part still wet
from the previous step. 7-WD is commercially available in aerosol spray cans, and may
employ acetone, isopropyl alcohol, or a propellant that is a combination of the two. Developer should
form a semi-transparent, even coating on the surface.
(he developer draws penetrant from defects out onto the surface to form a visible indication,
commonly known as bleed-out. -ny areas that bleed-out can indicate the location, orientation and
possible types of defects on the surface. *nterpreting the results and characteri2ing defects from the
indications found may re.uire some training and<or e$perience +the indication si2e is not the actual
si2e of the defect,
%. Inspection:
(he inspector will use visible light with ade.uate intensity &1:: foot-candles or 11:: lu$ is typical' for
visible dye penetrant. 1ltraviolet &10--' radiation of ade.uate intensity &1,::: micro-watts per
centimeter s.uared is common', along with low ambient light levels &less than foot-candles' for
fluorescent penetrant e$aminations. *nspection of the test surface should take place after a 1: minute
development time. (his time delay allows the blotting action to occur. (he inspector may observe the
sample for indication formation when using visible dye. *t is also good practice to observe indications
as they form because the characteristics of the bleed out are a significant part of interpretation
characteri2ation of flaws.
&. Post 'leaning:
(he test surface is often cleaned after inspection and recording of defects, especially if post-
inspection coating processes are scheduled.
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-dvantages and disadvantages
(he main advantages of D!* are the speed of the test and the low cost. (he main disadvantages are
that it only detects surface flaws and it does not work on very rough surfaces. -lso, on certain
surfaces a great enough color contrast cannot be achieved or the dye will stain the workpiece.
+1,
)imited training is re.uired for the operator = although e$perience is .uite valuable. !roper cleaning
is necessary to assure that surface contaminants have been removed and any defects present are
clean and dry. Some cleaning methods have been shown to be detrimental to test sensitivity, so acid
etching to remove metal smearing and re-open the defect may be necessary.
+citation needed,
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Standards
International (rgani)ation for *tandardi)ation +I*(,
*S3 ":9>, Non-destructive testing - Penetrant testing and magnetic particle testing - Viewing
conditions
*S3 "%9-, Non-destructive testing - Penetrant testing - Part 2: Testing of penetrant
materials
*S3 "%9-", Non-destructive testing - Penetrant testing - Part 3: Reference test blocks
*S3 "%9-%, Non-destructive testing - Penetrant testing - Part : !"uipment
*S3 "%9-9, Non-destructive testing - Penetrant testing - Part #: Penetrant testing at
temperatures $ig$er t$an #% &'
*S3 "%9-?, Non-destructive testing - Penetrant testing - Part (: Penetrant testing at
temperatures lower t$an )% &'
*S3 1@:?, Non-destructive testing - Penetrant testing - Vocabulary
*S3 "@@, Non-destructive testing of welds - Penetrant testing of welds - *cceptance levels
European 'o""ittee for *tandardi)ation +'E-,
#7 9@1-1, Non-destructive testing - Penetrant testing - Part ): +eneral principles
#7 1"@1-1, ,ounding - -i"uid penetrant inspection - Part ): .and/ gravity die and low
pressure die castings
#7 1"@1-, ,ounding - -i"uid penetrant inspection - Part 2: 0nvestment castings
#7 ::-1?, *erospace series - 1etallic materials2 test met$ods - Part )(: Non-destructive
testing/ penetrant testing
#7 1:A-, Non-destructive testing of steel forgings - Part 2: Penetrant testing
#7 1:%?-11, Non-destructive testing of steel tubes - Part )): -i"uid penetrant testing of
seamless and welded steel tubes for t$e detection of surface imperfections
A*T. International +A*T.,
-S(/ # 1?9, .tandard Practice for -i"uid Penetrant !3amination for +eneral 0ndustry
-S(/ # 1%1@, .tandard Practice for -i"uid Penetrant Testing
A"erican *ociety of .ec/anical Engineers +A*.E,
-S/# 4oiler and !ressure 0essel 6ode, Section 0, -rt. ?, -i"uid Penetrant !3amination
-S/# 4oiler and !ressure 0essel 6ode, Section 0, -rt. % .tandard Test 1et$od for -i"uid
Penetrant !3amination .!-)(# &identical with -S(/ #-1?9'
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Beferences
1. 0 Cohan, -nthony )awrence &1>>@', 4oiler operator5s guide &%th ed.', /cDraw-Eill !rofessional,
p. %:, *S47 >@A::@:"?9@%.
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#$ternal links
+1, - technical reports summari2ing fluorescent penetrant inspection research efforts
+, - an article on how to perform a sensitive visible dye penetrant e$amination