Providing Alternatives to MT, PT, and UTT

In the world of Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) there is, usually, more than one way to find a crack or determine remaining wall.  Magnetic Particle Testing (MT), Penetrant Testing (PT) and Ultrasound Thickness Testing (UTT) are three of the most conventional and widely used methods and techniques of the NDE industry to detect the aforementioned damage mechanisms but, they all have limitations.  Time, which is $$$, is usually the largest contributing factor why one method or technique of NDE is chosen during an Outage or Turnaround when results are needed now.  The first factors should be detection and test reliability but, that is not always the case.  Many times technician are sent into the field to acquire data based on the method and technique of NDE determined by the owner of the equipment or a contractor that was hired with the proper knowledge to make the decision.  When the technician confronts the component to evaluate they perform the task given to them but do not always know anymore than what they were taught. Simply stated, turn the machine on, calibrate it, apply it this way or that way and write down what you find.  With various conventional means of NDE any technician should be able to perform an exam without making mistakes but why not reduce the risk.  Using an alternative or prove-up technique provides assurance the job was performed correctly and determines the first technique was capable to detect the damage mechanism of interest.  Below, I will share with you some alternative or complementary solutions to the conventional techniques of MT, PT, and UTT.

Balanced Field Electromagnetic Techniques (AKA Hawkeye)                   The Hawkeye 2000, and variations of, use the principles of Balance Field Electromagnetic Technique (BFET) to detect surface and sub-surface cracking in welds and base metal. With maximum scanning speeds of one foot per second, the Hawkeye 2000 is much faster than conventional NDE techniques such as PT and MT. The Hawkeye 2000 can virtually be used anywhere that cracking is an issue, including the scanning of both ferrous and nonferrous metals. It can be used on pressure vessels, general vessels, windmill towers, storage tank floors and shells, and bridges. Please watch our video and read our case study for more

Corrosion Fatigue Cracking Video                        Case Study: LP & MT vs BFET

Low Frequency Electromagnetic Technique (LFET)                                     

LFET is used to inspect storage tanks, other convex or concave ferrous surfaces, as well as nonferrous metal tubing/piping surfaces.  Due to the design of our LFET scanners, uniformed rust, scale, and coatings do not affect the acquisition which minimizes the cleaning process and reduces time.  Our scanners can be used on both ferrous and non-ferrous alloys and hot (500 F) and below freezing surfaces which affect MT and LP.  TesTex has LFET scanners for many NDE applications, including:  Waterwalls, Reheaters/Superheaters, Storage Tanks, Pipelines, Wastewater Lines, Fire Lines, Pressure Vessels, Heat Exchanger Shells and more.

Tank Floor Inspection: LFET                               Articles and Case Studies: LFET

For more information please contact any of our offices around the world.