A Few More Thoughts On the submission of an MSDS for
The Evolution of each product. Penetrant Specifications Water tolerance of water washable penetrants was added to the list of The past two issues of the PEN- fluorescence is measured with the qualification requirements. ETRANT PROFESSOR have con- spotmeter. centrated on the historical path of The ability of emulsifiers to con- the relevant qualifying documents Originally, the flash point of prod- tinue to perform after they had been and the journey to develop a method ucts was merely required to be test- contaminated with penetrant was of measuring absolute sensitivity. ed and reported. Since then, OSHA added. While these have been extremely and other regulations have limited important in the creation of a uni- the flash point of materials to be Water suspendible and water sol- form system of qualification, prog- used in open tanks to 200°F. uble developers appeared upon ress was also being made in other the scene, and bioresistance crite- areas besides sensitivity measure- Corrosion tests were initially only ria were added to the qualification ment. performed on magnesium and specification. Hydrophilic emulsi- aluminum at relatively low tem- fiers were developed and added to We previously pointed out that an perature. Now steel, titanium, and the specification. important contribution to the mea- nickel have been added to the list, surement of sensitivity was the de- and the temperature range has been Black light intensity criteria were velopment of the spotmeter. While extended, reflecting the demands on added, and penetrants were required this found its place measuring sen- the materials used in modern jet en- to have stable indications under sitivity, it also became important in gines. conditions of temperature and also the measurement of background flu- exposure to UV-A. orescence. The first edition of the Toxicity has always been an impor- MILSPEC merely stated that after tant subject, and the initial testing water washing, the penetrants “shall was not insignificant. This morphed leave no residual fluorescence”. The into a system whereby manufactur- test relied upon sandblasted panels ers were required to submit their and eyeball examination. Now, of formulations to the Air Force for course, the test is still carried out on toxicological approval. Later this sandblasted panels, but the residual requirement was changed to require Met-L-Chek Company, 1639 Euclid Street, Santa Monica, California, 90404, U.S.A. Phone: 310- 450-1111 Fax 310-452-4046 Email: info@met-l-chek.com Web: www.met-l-chek.com ASTM Spring Meeting
The annual Spring meeting of
ASTM Committee E-07 was held in Plantation, Florida, and the main subject continued to be UV-A (or black light) sources.
Questions about the use of new
LED powered lights had surfaced in the past meetings, and these discus- 2011 sions continued. At the core of the Chlorinated solvent removers came discussions is the fact that while the perhaps plus or minus up to 5 nano- and then went, as they were found conventional mercury bulbs have an meters. The Fall meeting of the to be ozone depleting substances. output that is a function of the mer- committee will continue this dis- cury, and therefore varies little from cussion. So, to sort of put it in context, initial- the prescribed 365 nanometer wave ly one could qualify a penetrant if a length, LEDs can be made to pro- cracked aluminum block showed in- duce outputs with wave lengths that dications under black light illumina- are different. tion with unmeasured intensity, and the indications were judged to be The question that is being addressed adequate in intensity and contrast. is how to be assured that the output Now, the test is performed on low from an LED source provides ad- Occasionally, we at Met-L-Chek cycle fatigue cracked specimens, equate excitation of penetrant indi- like to brag a bit about who is us- the indications are measured with cations for inspection. Two sugges- ing our products. We are happy to a spotmeter under controlled black tions are under consideration. The add Tesla Motors to that list. Tesla light intensity, and the background first is that the wavelength of the is making a fully electric car that is is also measured and held to a high LED lights needs to be checked for very fast. Here in Los Angeles we standard. One is also assured that a value that will be specified as sat- occasionally see one. They are qui- the indications will not fade in the isfactory, and the second is that the et, quick, and it is easy to mistake drying oven or under prolonged ex- output strength needs to be checked one for a Lotus, because the basic posure to the black light, that the against the specification. In the dis- body and structural design is that of materials are non corrosive, not cussions, the question of whether or a Lotus. ozone depleting, and have reason- not the present mercury bulb lights able bioresistance. And it has only also needed to have their wave taken a bit more than 50 years! lengths checked, or whether such a requirement would be limited to LED lights. Because of the phys- ics governing the wave length of the mercury lights, the suggestion is to PENETRANT PROFESSOR limit the frequency check to LED is an occasional publication lights. of Met-L-Chek®. The Penetrant To receive it, In the meantime, some laboratory Professor call or Email work is underway to test the effect Beverly Clarke. of wavelengths close to, but not identical to 365 nanometers. It is likely that a spread will be allowed,
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