Non-Destructive Testing

Radiographic Testing [RT]

Radiographic Testing is a technique that uses Gamma- or X-radiation on materials to identify imperfections within welds or other metallic materials.

RT can verify and measure internal flaws even in complex structures or assembled components
How-to

Radiographic Testing directs radiation, from a radioactive isotope or an X-ray generator, through the material being tested and onto a film or a kind of radiation detector. The readings from the detector create a shadowgraph, which reveals the underlying aspects of the inspected material.
Radiographic Testing can uncover aspects of a material that can be hard to detect with the naked eye, such as alterations to its density.

Benefits

There are numerous benefits such as:

  • Allows for volumetric inspection 
  • Provides a permanent record of the inspection 
  • A good Quality Control method 
  • Can inspect assembled components 
  • Automatically detects and measures internal flaws in complex structures 
  • Isolates and inspects internal components 
  • Measures dimensions and angles within the sample without sectioning 
  • Sensitive to changes in thickness, corrosion, flaws and material density changes 
  • Minimum surface preparation required 
Limitations
  • Equipment can be bulky, heavy and expensive
  • Radiation hazards 
  • Testing area needs to be of ‘controlled access’ 
  • Testing process is relatively time consuming  
  • Access may be required to both sides of the object 
  • May not detect critical flaws 
  • Results require interpreting by an experienced person 
  • Gamma- results are inferior to X-ray results 
  • Not suitable for certain configurations e.g. tee-joint  
What Materials can be tested

Radiographic Testing [RT] can be used on most materials and product forms, e.g. welds, castings, composites etc. Radiographic Testing provides a permanent record in the form of a radiograph and provides a highly sensitive image of the internal structure of the material. 

Newtron Technologies Applications

Because of its high dependability, Newtron radiographic testing services are widely used in the oil & gas, transport, military, automotive, manufacturing, marine and power generation industries.

CODES & STANDARDS

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
ISO 4993 Steel and iron castings – Radiographic inspection
ISO 5579 Non-destructive testing – Radiographic examination of metallic materials by X- and gamma-rays – Basic rules
ISO 10675-1 Non-destructive testing of welds – Acceptance levels for radiographic testing – Part 1: Steel, nickel, titanium and their alloys
ISO 11699-1 Non-destructive testing – Industrial radiographic films – Part 1: Classification of film systems for industrial radiography
ISO 11699-2 Non-destructive testing – Industrial radiographic films – Part 2: Control of film processing by means of reference values
ISO 14096-1 Non-destructive testing – Qualification of radiographic film digitisation systems – Part 1: Definitions, quantitative measurements of image quality parameters, standard reference film and qualitative control
ISO 14096-2 Non-destructive testing – Qualification of radiographic film digitisation systems – Part 2: Minimum requirements
ISO 17636-1 Non-destructive testing of welds. Radiographic testing. X- and gamma-ray techniques with film
ISO 17636-2 Non-destructive testing of welds. Radiographic testing. X- and gamma-ray techniques with digital detectors
ISO 19232 Non-destructive testing – Image quality of radiographs

European Committee for Standardization (CEN)
EN 444  Non-destructive testing; general principles for the radiographic examination of metallic materials using X-rays and gamma-rays
EN 462-1 Non-destructive testing – image quality of radiographs – Part 1: Image quality indicators (wire type) – determination of image quality value
EN 462-2 Non-destructive testing – image quality of radiographs – Part 2: image quality indicators (step/hole type) determination of image quality value
EN 462-3 Non-destructive testing – Image quality of radiogrammes – Part 3: Image quality classes for ferrous metals
EN 462-4 Non-destructive testing – Image quality of radiographs – Part 4: Experimental evaluation of image quality values and image quality tables
EN 462-5 Non-destructive testing – Image quality of radiographs – Part 5: Image quality of indicators (duplex wire type), determination of image unsharpness value
EN 584-1 Non-destructive testing – Industrial radiographic film – Part 1: Classification of film systems for industrial radiography
EN 584-2 Non-destructive testing – Industrial radiographic film – Part 2: Control of film processing by means of reference values
EN 1330-3 Non-destructive testing – Terminology – Part 3: Terms used in industrial radiographic testing
EN 2002–21 Aerospace series – Metallic materials; test methods – Part 21: Radiographic testing of castings
EN 10246-10 Non-destructive testing of steel tubes – Part 10: Radiographic testing of the weld seam of automatic fusion arc welded steel tubes for the detection of imperfections
EN 12517-1 Non-destructive testing of welds – Part 1: Evaluation of welded joints in steel, nickel, titanium and their alloys by radiography – Acceptance levels
EN 12517-2 Non-destructive testing of welds – Part 2: Evaluation of welded joints in aluminium and its alloys by radiography – Acceptance levels
EN 12679 Non-destructive testing – Determination of the size of industrial radiographic sources – Radiographic method
EN 12681 Founding – Radiographic examination
EN 13068 Non-destructive testing – Radioscopic testing

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
ASTM E 94 Standard Guide for Radiographic Examination
ASTM E 155 Standard Reference Radiographs for Inspection of Aluminum and Magnesium Castings
ASTM E 592 Standard Guide to Obtainable ASTM Equivalent Penetrameter Sensitivity for Radiography of Steel Plates 1/4 to 2 in. [6 to 51 mm] Thick with X Rays and 1 to 6 in. [25 to 152 mm] Thick with Cobalt-60
ASTM E 747 Standard Practice for Design, Manufacture and Material Grouping Classification of Wire Image Quality Indicators (IQI) Used for Radiology
ASTM E 801 Standard Practice for Controlling Quality of Radiological Examination of Electronic Devices
ASTM E 1030 Standard Test Method for Radiographic Examination of Metallic Castings
ASTM E 1032 Standard Test Method for Radiographic Examination of Weldments
ASTM 1161 Standard Practice for Radiologic Examination of Semiconductors and Electronic Components
ASTM E 1648 Standard Reference Radiographs for Examination of Aluminum Fusion Welds
ASTM E 1735 Standard Test Method for Determining Relative Image Quality of Industrial Radiographic Film Exposed to X-Radiation from 4 to 25 MeV
ASTM E 1815  Standard Test Method for Classification of Film Systems for Industrial Radiography
ASTM E 1817 Standard Practice for Controlling Quality of Radiological Examination by Using Representative Quality Indicators (RQIs)
ASTM E 2104  Standard Practice for Radiographic Examination of Advanced Aero and Turbine Materials and Component

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section V

This information is a collection of references. While we have made every attempt to ensure that information on this site is updated, Newtron is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. It is not guaranteed to be complete, correct, current, or up to date and may be changed without prior notice.