Inspecting engineering products by penetrant flaw detection

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This standard identifies the competences you need to carry out penetrant flaw detection tests in accordance with approved procedures/techniques. This can apply to ferrous or non-ferrous engineering products, materials or structures.

You will be required to prepare products, check equipment and ambient conditions, carry out tests, interpret test indications, prepare NDT test reports and mark up products to indicate flaws.  Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures and to report any problems with activities or equipment that you cannot resolve or which are outside your permitted authority. You will take personal responsibility for your actions and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you carry out.

You will have a good understanding of your work, and will provide an informed approach to the inspection of engineering products by using penetrant flaw detection testing techniques. You will have adequate uncorrected or corrected vision in accordance with national standards to allow you to competently perform inspections.  You will have an appreciation of hazards, safe working practice and safety precautions, have correct vision at all times and you will understand the risks posed by material defects/flaws and the consequences of component failure and how to carry out penetrant flaw detection activities and use associated tools and equipment safely.

This standard is for anyone who inspects engineering products using penetrant flaw detection techniques.

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1. work safely at all times, complying with health and safety legislation and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines **
2. identify, confirm and carry out specified inspection checks against agreed acceptance criteria
3. prepare testing equipment and materials, checking they comply with specification requirements, are safe to use and fit for purpose
4. prepare ambient conditions, checking they are satisfactory for tests to proceed
5. prepare test components  for the application of penetrants in line with organisational procedures
6. apply and remove penetrants and developers using appropriate tools, equipment and products and allowing appropriate contact and drying time for the conditions and type of penetrant and developer being used
7. carry out all required inspection checks as specified and identify any defects or variations
8. analyse indications and identify any defects/flaws or variations from specification
9. mark up products or equipment to show where there are indications of flaws
10. record accurately the results of the inspections in the appropriate format and in line with legislative and organisational requirements and pass to designated people
11. deal with problems within your control in line with organisational procedures without delay, reporting problems outside your control to designated people

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1. relevant health and safety and other regulations, directives, national standards and guidelines and your responsibilities to yourself and others including those relating to quality control,
2. hazards associated with penetrant flaw detection activities including the use of inflammable, toxic and volatile materials, aerosol containers, sprays and powders, material defects/flaws and component failure
3. safe working practice and specific safety precautions to minimise hazards when carrying out penetrant flaw detection activities and using associated tools and equipment on engineering products, materials or structures including personal protective equipment (PPE) to be used, and how to obtain it
4. how to obtain and interpret job instructions/techniques and testing specifications.
5. how to interpret and evaluate test results to identify defects or variations from specification
6. the reasons why some components, materials or structures require to be tested using non-destructive testing methods and why it is sometimes necessary to use a range of different non-destructive testing methods
7. penetrant flaw testing practice and its uses and limitations including types of defect/flaws that are detectable, how to recognise them from developed indications and how to identify false indication of effects and their causes
8. the various types of penetrant flaw detection equipment including portable kits and fixed installations; containers and dispensers for penetrants, removers and developers
9. the basic concepts of penetrant flaw detection testing including types and characteristics of penetrant liquids; how liquids are absorbed by capillary flow into product surfaces and how to break discontinuities/flaws in products
10. how to develop indications of discontinuities/flaws and the type of lighting that is required for the defects/flaws to show up clearly including ambient light or ultraviolet (UV) light
11. the different types of penetrants in use, their colour and fluorescent intensity, methods of applying them, drying time and contact time required to be effective and how to remove excess
12. the various types of penetrant removers including solvents, water-soluble and oil-soluble emulsifiers
13. the various types of developers and their drying time and contact times required for effective development including dry powder, powder in aqueous and non-aqueous carriers, developers in solution
14. preparations to be carried out on test areas including degreasing
15. the effect of finish, contaminants and testing temperature on test results
16. acceptable levels of defects/flaws in products and the influence of defects on product service/performance
17. the importance of accurate test reports, the data and information required, organisational formats and how to prepare and complete them
18. the extent of your own responsibility and whom you should report to if you have problems that you cannot resolve

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1. Carry out all of the following during the penetrant flaw detection activities:
   1. obtain the required penetrant flaw detection equipment and materials, and check that they are in a safe and usable condition
   2. use appropriate personal protective equipment
   3. comply with job instructions/techniques, NDT testing inspection specifications, risk assessments and other relevant safety standards
   4. check that penetrant flaw detection dispensers are fully operational
   5. follow the defined testing procedures/techniques, and apply safe working practices and procedures at all times
   6. leave the work area in a safe condition on completion of the activities
2. Check and confirm that all of the following ambient testing conditions are satisfactory:
   1. temperature
   2. humidity
   3. freedom from contaminants
   4. lighting
3. Prepare the products, materials, structures equipment for testing, to include carrying out all of the following:
   1. identifying and marking the test areas
   2. removing any contaminants from the test area (such as cleaning or degreasing)
   3. preparing the surface of the test area to the specified finish (such as grinding or polishing)
4. Use both of the following penetrant flaw detection dispensers:
   1. penetrant
   2. developer
5. Carry out all of the following, in accordance with instructions and procedures:
   1. applying penetrant to the area under inspection
   2. removing penetrant and ensuring test area is dry
   3. applying a developer (where appropriate)
   4. observing defect indications under correct lighting conditions (ambient light or ultraviolet (UV) light)
   5. recording conclusions of observations
   6. analysing and interpreting results to identify defects of variations from specification
   7. restoring and cleaning the product on completion of the test
6. Carry out penetrant flaw detection on one of the following:
   1. welded joints
   2. castings
   3. wrought products/materials (such as forged, rolled, extruded)
   4. cold formed products/materials (such as by bending, pressing, rolling)
   5. heat treated components
   6. structures (such as airframes, lifting beams, pressure vessels)
   7. composites
   8. other specific products
7. Identify all of the following:
   1. defect/flaw type
   2. dimensional size of the defect/flaw
   3. location of the defect/flaw
8. Follow the correct procedure for materials or structures which fall into all of the following categories:
   1. components, materials or structures which meet the specification
   2. components, materials or structures with identified defects/flaws
   3. components, materials or structures requiring further investigation
   4. components, materials or structures requiring other inspection methods
9. Complete the inspection activities, to include carrying out all of the following:
   1. marking up defective components, materials or structures with all relevant information
   2. recording all the required details of the inspection in the appropriate format
   3. handing over the inspection details to the designated people

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Discontinuity – Any imperfection in the material / component / structure

Flaw – A significant discontinuity to be recorded but within specified limits and tolerances

Defect – A flaw outside specified limits and tolerances causing the material / component / structure to be non-compliant and rejected

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3

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01 Mar 2024

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Current

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Original

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Enginuity

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SEMETS322

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Engineering, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies, Engineering Technicians

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3113

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engineering; technical; support; inspecting; penetrant; flaw-detection; testing; welded joints; castings; structures

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