Ultrasonic tests (UT) are volumetric tests, perfectly detecting planar discontinuities, i.e. porosity, as well as welding defects such as lack of fusion, incomplete fusion, cracks.
Our service range includes:
- Conventional ultrasonic testing as per PN-EN ISO 17640:2019-01;
- Digital ultrasonic techniques: TOFD (Time of Flight Diffraction) and PA (Phased Array);
- IBUS weld testing procedure;
- Density measurement as per PN-EN ISO 16809:2019-08.
All sounds with a vibration frequency above the upper audible limit of human hearing (16000÷18000 Hz) are called ultrasounds. Ultrasounds are produced with electro-acoustic transducers based on piezoelectricity and magnetostriction. The transducers transform acoustic energy into electricity and vice versa. Ultrasound waves are characterized in that they do not propagate in vacuum, while they propagate very well in metals, they are capable of covering relatively large distances without major energy losses (up to several meters in steel), diffracting on the border of two media with different physical properties and elasticity, easily converging to beams, which facilitates detection of minor defects.
Three types of ultrasonic methods can be distinguished:
Transmission method - observing the attenuation of ultrasonic wave energy, using the fact that the type and location of a defect has a major effect on the weakening of the transmitted energy. In this method, two transducers are positioned on the opposite sides of the inspected specimen, of which one is the transmitter and the other one the receiver;
Pulse-echo method - in this method, the transmitter and the receiver are positioned on the same side of the inspected piece. Two pulses (input and output) are generated for a good specimen, whereas an additional third signal (flaw echo) appears for a defective weld. Based on the distance between the pulses, the depth of the material defect is determined;
Resonance method - mainly used to measure thickness of thin-walled specimens. It consists of observation of the formation of a standing wave maximum or recording the vibration frequency at which such maximums occur.
Ultrasonic tests are mainly used to:
- Detect material discontinuities (testing of welds, casts, forgings and metal sheets for delamination);
- Measure thickness of pieces accessible from one side only (boilers, vessels);
- Structure testing.
We carry out ultrasonic testing using ultrasonic defectoscopes:
- Olympus EPOCH600
- Olympus EPOCH650
- Krautkramer USM35XS
Ultrasonic testing is performed in conformity with the following standards:
PN-EN ISO 5577:2017-04 - Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Vocabulary
PN-EN ISO 17640:2019-01- Non-destructive testing of welds — Ultrasonic testing — Techniques, testing levels, and assessment
PN-EN ISO 11666:2018-04 - Non-destructive testing of welds — Ultrasonic testing — Acceptance levels
PN-EN ISO 10863:2020-12 - Non-destructive testing of welds — Ultrasonic testing — Use of time-of-flight diffraction technique (TOFD)
PN-EN ISO 15626:2018-10 -Non-destructive testing of welds — Time-of-flight diffraction technique (TOFD) — Acceptance levels
PN-EN ISO 13588:2019-04 - Non-destructive testing of welds — Ultrasonic testing — Use of automated phased array technology
PN-EN ISO 19285:2017-11 - Non-destructive testing of welds — Phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) — Acceptance levels
PN-EN ISO 16809:2019-08 - Non-destructive testing. Ultrasonic thickness measurement
PN-EN ISO 16810:2014-06 - Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — General principles
PN-EN ISO 16811:2014-06 - Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Sensitivity and range setting
PN-EN ISO 23279:2017-11 - Non-destructive testing of welds — Ultrasonic testing — Characterization of discontinuities in welds
PN-EN ISO 16823:2014-06 - Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Transmission technique
PN-EN ISO 16826:2014-06 - Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Examination for discontinuities perpendicular to the surface
PN-EN ISO 16827:2014-06 - Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Characterization and sizing of discontinuities
PN-EN ISO 2400:2013-03 - Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Specification for calibration block No. 1
PN-EN ISO 7963:2023-05 - Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Specification for calibration block No. 2
PN-EN 10160:2001 - Ultrasonic testing of steel flat products of thickness equal or greater than 6 mm (reflection method)
PN-EN ISO 22232-3:2021-03 - Non-destructive testing — Characterization and verification of ultrasonic test equipment — Part 3: Combined equipment
PN-EN ISO 22232-2:2021-03 - Non-destructive testing — Characterization and verification of ultrasonic test equipment — Part 2: Probes
PN-EN 10228-3:2016-07 - Non-destructive testing of steel forgings - Part 3: Ultrasonic testing of ferritic or martensitic steel forgings
PN-EN ISO 10893-8:2011 - Non-destructive testing of steel tubes — Part 8: Automated ultrasonic testing of seamless and welded steel tubes for the detection of laminar imperfections
PN-EN ISO 10893-8:2011/A1:2020-12 - Non-destructive testing of steel tubes — Part 8: Automated ultrasonic testing of seamless and welded steel tubes for the detection of laminar imperfections
PN-EN ISO 10893-10:2011/A1:2021-01 - Non-destructive testing of steel tubes — Part 10: Automated full peripheral ultrasonic testing of seamless and welded (except submerged arc-welded) steel tubes for the detection of longitudinal and/or transverse imperfections
