–Second level
Click to edit
Why
•Third level
Master title
AUT??!!! style
–Fourth level
History and Rationale
»Fifth level
1
History
For the last fifty years or more, welds
usually inspected by Radiography
Always based on “workmanship” criteria, not
Fitness-For-Purpose.
(Also called Engineering Critical
Assessment – ECA - or Fracture
Mechanics).
Major problems with radiography:
– Practical
– Technical.
2
Radiography – Practical Problems
Radiation safety
Licensing
Disruption to work area
Chemical wastes
Large volumes of film
Film storage and deterioration
Subjective interpretation
Relatively slow inspection
3
Radiography – Technical Problems
Thinner, stronger vessels under construction
due to:
– Increased resource costs
– Higher strength materials
– Better quality materials
Developments of Fracture Mechanics and
crack growth predictions require defect
depth measurements
=> RT cannot size in vertical plane
=> RT poor at detecting planar defects.
4
Defect Detection by RT
Depends on
defect type
Unfortunately
planar cracks
most difficult
to detect –
and most
critical.
9
Sample POD Data (1)
10
Sample POD Data (2)
11
Sample POD Data (3)
Here TOFD
has the best
POD, but
adding TOFD
and PE
Linescanning
would
produce high
12
POD.
POD Results
Itmust be appreciated that actual POD
results will depend on:
– Techniques used
– Procedures used
– Actual defects in samples
– Component, incl. thickness and material
– Number of data points
– Analysis techniques
– Number of techniques, esp. combinations
Consequently, results do vary, but general
trend is for AUT to be 13better than RT.
AUT vs. RT – Length Measurements
Generally
AUT
better
than RT
or MUT.
14
AUT vs. RT – Depth Sizing
ASSUMPTIONS:
A. RT: Assume 2 exposures with 50 curie source (which is difficult to
get that highly curie sources all the time)
B. Manual UT: Assume the minimum scanning requirements by
ASME code.
C. Set up time is based on accessibility and test plan.
19
INSPECTION SPEED AND IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY
20
Phased Arrays
A quick introduction
What are Ultrasonic Phased Arrays
22
Phased Array Probe Configuration
Essentially, a phased-array probe is a long
conventional probe
23
Phased Array Probe Configuration
128 elements !
24
How Phased Arrays Work - Beam
Focusing
•large range of
focal depth
(focusing)
• adjustable
each pulse.
25
How Phased Arrays Work - Beam
Steering
• large range of
inspection
angles
(sweeping)
• multiple
modes with a
single probe
(SW, LW)
26
Common Probe Geometries
Linear
Circular
28
Phased Array Basics
30
Electronic Scanning
Moves the beam along one axis of
an array without any mechanical
movement.
The movement is performed only
by time multiplexing the active
elements.
31
Electronic Scanning
Electronic (linear) scanning can easily emulate typical
ASME-type 45 and 60 shear wave inspections, and is
much faster than raster scanning.
Typical weld inspection requires two or more angles
with implied raster size, step size, etc.
Need to cover weld, HAZ, any position errors =>
significant amount of scanning
32
Tandem Probes for Vertical Defects
33
Sectorial Scanning Animation
This illustration shows a turbine blade root being
inspected using S-scans.
34
S-scans - Determining Defect Location
35
Photoelastic Visualization of S-scan
40-70
degree S-
scan on
cal block.
36
But Incident Angles Not Always Optimum!
Optimum position for array for inspecting upper weld
may not be good for root defects
Being addressed by ASME codes – need multiple S-
scans.
37
S-scan Imaging Superimposed
S-scan
imaging offers
unique
possibilities for
characterizing
defects and
components.
38
TOFD – Time-Of-Flight Diffraction
A quick summary
The Diffraction Phenomenon
Incident
wave Diffracted
waves
All directions
Reflected Flaw
wave Low energy
Independent of
Diffracted incidence angle
waves
40
TOFD using Phased Arrays
Transmitter Receiver
Lateral wave
Back-wall reflection
LW BW
42
Data Visualization (TOFD) A-scan
Indication
Back-wall echo
44
Advantages of TOFD
Good midwall defect detection.
Accurate sizing of defects using the time of
arrivals of diffracted signals.
Defects mis-oriented defects ,or defects located
away from the weld centreline.
Very rapid linear scanning (raster scanning not
required)
Non-amplitude scanning and detection.
Set-up independent of weld configuration.
45
Limitations of TOFD
Dead zone at top surface (OD).
Dead zone at bottom surface (ID).
Sensitive to very small defects with a
risk of overcalls (add pulse echo).
Analysis can be difficult.
Some sizing errors possible from
lateral position of defect.
Low signal-to-noise ratio.
46
Sample Comparisons of AUT
and RT
AUT shows better detection than RT
Radiography Root Crack Phased Array technique
TOFD technique
48
Porosity
Radiography Phased Array technique
TOFD technique
49
Radiography Inclusion Phased Array technique
TOFD technique
50
Lack of Root Fusion
Radiography Phased Array technique
TOFD technique
51
Concave Root
Radiography Phased Array technique
TOFD technique
52
Incomplete Root Penetration
Phased Array technique
Radiography
TOFD technique
53
General
Qualification
54
AUT vs. RT – Advantages (1)
Manyfunctional advantages from switching
to AUT
– No radiation
– No licensing
– No chemical wastes
– Less subjective data interpretation
– Minimizes data storage problems
– Minimizes materials handling issues
– Minimizes production disruptions
Benefits depend on application.
55
AUT vs. RT – Advantages (2)
Manytechnical advantages for AUT,
especially combined Phased Arrays and
TOFD:
– Better detection of planar defects
– Tailored inspections
– Can size in vertical plane for ECA
– Lower reject rates
– Fast and cost effective
– Results auditable
– Well demonstrated for simple welds, e.g. butt
welds.
56
AUT vs. RT – Limitations
All the limitations of ultrasonics apply
New technology – still developing
Shortage of trained AUT operators
Some applications impractical, e.g. nozzles
More work to set up ECA acceptance criteria
Higher initial cost of equipment (but
declining)
Codes, qualifications and training still not
fully developed.
57
Phased Arrays in Codes
A quick Summary
PAUT in Codes
The dominant code for weld inspection, both
globally and for phased arrays, is ASME,
specifically Section V. ASME has published five
separate Code Cases on phased arrays to cover
both manual and encoded scanning. These Code
Cases specify many of the parameters and
requirements for performing phased array
inspections.
Other organizations, e.g. the American Petroleum
Institute API, also approve phased arrays, and
follow a similar philosophy.
59
PAUT in Codes
The American Welding Society AWS, also
approve phased arrays.
Many codes allowed using either RT or UT
but the main problem was that there is no
permanent record for UT compared with RT,
So PAUT solved the problem and now you
can use PAUT with a permanent record
which is actually better than RT records.
60
AUT in ASME Codes
61
ASME Mandatory Appendices VI-VIII
62
Phased Array Codes and Code Cases
63
Phased Array Mand. App. Requirements
Calibrate
all beams (OK for OmniScan)
Use same Focal Law for cal as for scanning
65
ASME B31.3 Code Case 181 (-2)
66
Other Code Activities
API, AWS, ASTM, EN/ISO etc.
67
Code activities - API
68
Code activities - AWS
69
Code activities - ASTM
70
EN/ISO
71
Code activities – ASME summary
72
Code activities – other summary
73
Examples of codes deal with PAUT
ASME, Section V Article 4.
ASME Code Cases 2541, 2557, 2558, 2599 and 2600.
ASME Code Case 2235-11- 2013, “Ultrasonic Examination in Lieu of
Radiography”, ASME Sections I, VIII and XII.
ASME, Section VIII Div.1 “Using recordable UT in lieu of RT”
ASME, Section VIII Div.2 “Using recordable UT in lieu of RT”
ASME B31 Code for pressure piping Code case 181.
AWS D1.1 Ed.2015.
API 1104 for pipe lines.
API 650 “annex U” for above ground tanks inspection.
API 577 - in-service inspection for piping, pressure vessels and tanks
(Para. 9.9.2.5 & 9.9.2.6).
ASTM 2491.
ASTM 2700.
74
Thank you
Any questions?