ME0 UT Procedure
ME0 UT Procedure
Ultrasonic Examination
2 Name
Date: Signature
1 Name Dr M. El-koussy
Date:
5/11/2005 Signature
CONTENTS
/N SUBJECT
1 SCOPE
2 REFERENCES
3 DEFINITIONS
4 RESPONSIBILITIES
5 PROCEDURE
ATTACHEMENTS
6
APPENDEX
7
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ARAB STEEL ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION Rev. 1
FABRICATION C0.
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1. SCOPE:
1.1 This Procedure describes the requirements for contact Ultrasonic Examination Methods
to be employed for the examination of full penetration welded joints, heat affected zone
and adjacent material; rolled, drawn, forged, extruded or cast ferrous metals and alloys
approved by API 5L standard
1.2 This procedure is to cover the method to be employed for ultrasonic examination of plate
and pipe welds in steel having a parent material thickness of 6mm or greater.
2. REFERENCES:
2.2 Clients specification requirements for acceptance criteria provided that no violation of no
violations of API 1104 : 1999occurs
3. DEFINITIONS:
4. RESPONSIBILITIES:
4.1 The NDE Examiner shall be responsible for conducting and reporting the results of
examination in accordance with the ASME - B & PV applicable Code Section and
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Client’s specifications, whichever is more restrictive. In case of any conflict both , if the
requirement of ASME Code shall prevail
5. PROCEDURE:
5.1.2 The certification of personnel shall be checked by the Quality Control Manager or
NDE Level III prior to work commencement
5.2.1 Qualification of procedure is carried out as described in API 1104, 1999. 11.4.4.
The qualification shall be as follows:
5.2.2 A-Welds minimum of two welding procedures containing defects and acceptable
imperfections shall be prepared
5.2.3 B- Radiographs shall be made of the welds and the results documented
5.2.4 C-The UT procedure shall be applied, and the results documented and compared
with the radiographs
5.2.5 Differences in detection results shall be documented. (Differences in the
detectability and resolution between ultrasonics and raiographs may be noted). If
required by company destructive testing of the weld sample shall be made to
discover or confirm the results. The use of UT procedure on production welds shall
be based on the capability of the implemented UT method/technique/system to 1)
circumferentially locate, 2)size for length, 3)determine depth from O.D. surface,
and 4)axially 9weld cross section)n locate required imperfections/defects in the
weld samples. In addition the procedure must accurately determine the
acceptability of welds in accordance with the criteria listed in 9.6 and 11.4.7 of API
1104. 1999.
5.3 Equipment:
5.3.1 Ultrasonic instrument shall be of the pulse echo type utilizing “A” scan
presentation, capable of generating and receiving frequencies over the range of at
least 1 to 5 MHz .
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5.3.2 Ultrasonic instrument shall be equipped with a stepped gain control in units of 2.0
dB or less.
5.3.3 The reject control shall be in the '' off'' position for all examinations, unless it can
be demonstrated that it does not affect the linearity of the examination
5.3.4 Ultrasonic examination instrument shall have both send and receive jacks for dual
search units or a single search unit with send and receive transducers.
5.3.5 CALIBRATION OF SCREEN HEIGHT LINEARITY. Position an angle beam
search unit on a calibration block as shown in Fig 1-440 of ASME Code, Section
V, Article 4 (attached), so that indications from both the 1/2 and 3/4T holes give a
2 :1 ratio of amplitudes between the two indications. Adjust the sensitivity so that
the larger indication is set at 80% of full screen height (FSH). Without moving the
search unit, adjust the sensitivity to successively set the larger indication from
100% to 20% of FSH, in 10 % increments or 2 dB steps, and read the smaller
indication at each setting. The reading shall be 50% of the larger amplitude,
within 5% of FSH. The settings and readings shall be estimated to the nearest 1%
of FSH. Alternatively, a straight beam search unit may be used on any calibration
block that provides amplitude differences, with sufficient signal separation to
prevent overlapping of the two signals.
The screen height linearity shall be verified prior to first use and then at
intervals not to exceed three months.
Couplant. The same couplant to be used during the examinations shall be used
for calibration.
Contact Wedges. The same contact wedges to be used during the examination
shall be used for calibration.
Instrument Controls. Any control which affects instrument linearity(e.g. filters,
reject or clipping) shall be in the same position for calibration, calibration checks,
instrument linearity checks, and examination.
Temperature. The temperature differential between the calibration block and
examination surfaces shall be within 14 degrees C.
5.3.9 Calibration for Piping. Calibration shall be performed using the calibration
blocks shown in Fig. 22A, 22B and 22C of API 1104,1999(attached).. The angle
beam shall be directed toward the calibration reflector that yields the maximum
response in. The gain control shall be set so that this response is 80% plus or
minus 5% of FSH. This shall be the primary reference level. The search unit shall
then be manipulated, without changing instrument settings, to obtain the
maximum responses from the calibration reflectors at the distance increments
necessary to generate a three- point distance amplitude correction (DAC) curve.
Separate calibrations shall be established for both the axial and circumferential
notches. These calibrations shall establish the distance range calibration and the
distance amplitude correction.
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FABRICATION C0.
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5.4 Materials:
5.4.1 Search units shall be in the frequency range 1 MHz to 5 MHz and be free of noise
and internal reflections. Twin or single transducer elements may be used
dependent upon the configuration of weld under examination.
5.4.2 Search units with contoured contact wedges may be used to aid the ultrasonic
coupling. Calibration shall be done with the contact wedges used during the
examination.
5.4.3 Each flaw detector shall have a full set of search units with cables; the search units
shall be of type, size and frequency, as required by the governing specification.
5.4.4 Calibration blocks shall include, but not be limited to, ASME Code Sec. V non -
piping calibration blocks fig.T-434.2.1, of the same Sec. calibration block for pipe
fig T-434.3 of same section, IIW and the miniature calibration block (V2) , with
the flaw detector.
5.4.5 For examinations in materials where the examination surface diameter is greater
than 20 in. (508 mm), a block of essentially the same curvature shall be used, or
alternatively, a flat basic calibration block, may be used.
5.4.6 For examination in materials where the examination surface diameter is 20 in. (508
mm), or less, the calibration block shall be curved. Except where otherwise stated
in the reference code, a single curved basic calibration block may be used to
calibrate the examination on surfaces in the range of curvature from 0.9 to 1.5
times the basic calibration block diameter.
5.4.7 Calibration Block Materials shall be of the same product form, and material
specification or equivalent P-Number grouping as one of the materials being
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5.4.8 examined. For the purpose of this procedure P-Numbers 1, 3, 4, and 5 materials are
considered equivalent. The calibration block shall have the same heat treatment
specification or receive at least the minimum tempering treatment
5.4.9 required by the material specification. for the type and grade and also have the
same surface finish.
5.4.10 Measurements of beam spread shall be taken only when required by a referencing
code section. Beam spread angles shall be measured once for a search unit wedge
combination at the beginning of each period of extended use, or every 3 months,
whichever is less.
5.4.12 Couplant shall be used to give the maximum acoustic transmission between the
probe face and the material under examination.
The couplant shall be cellulose paste , liquid soap, water, oil or grease.
The couplant shall not be detrimental to the material being examined. Couplant
used on nickel base alloys shall not contain more than 250 ppm of sulphur.
Couplant used on austenitic stainless steels or titanium shall not contain more than
250 ppm of halides (chlorides and fluorides).
Type of material.
Joint configuration.
Welding Process.
Other information that may have a bearing on the inspection e.g. post weld
heat treatment, etc.
5.6 Examination :
5.6.1 Overlap. Each pass of the search unit shall overlap a minimum of 10% of the
transducer dimension parallel to the direction of scan indexing. Oscillations of the
search unit is permitted if it can demonstrate that that the overlapping coverage is
provided.
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5.6.2 Pulse Repetition Rate. The Pulse repetition rate shall be small enough to assure
that a signal from a reflector located at the maximum distance in the examination
volume will arrive back at the search unit before the next pulse is placed on the
transducer.
5.6.3 Rate of Search unit Movement. Scanning speed shall not exceed 150 mm / sec.
Surface Preparation. When the weld metal or base metal surface interferes with
the examination, the weld or base material shall be prepared as needed to permit the
examination.
Welds that are being examined using ultra sound shall be prepared to provide a
sufficiently smooth and regular area for scanning to be undertaken. The area shall
extend at least the full skip distance required, and shall be free of any irregularities
such as spatter, grinding or chipping marks scale, etc., which may hinder the
scanning pattern or cause confusion in the interpretation of the resultant display i.e.
excessive surface noise.
5.6.4 Inspection Technique
5.6.4.1 Weld Joint Distance Amplitude Technique
5.7 Scanning
5.7.1 Datum:
5.7.4 The angle beam shall be directed at approximate right angles to the weld
axis from both sides of the weld where possible to detect discontinuities
oriented parallel to the weld axis.
5.7.5 The angle beam shall be directed essentially parallel to the weld axis and
shall be manipulated so that the angle beam passes through the required
volumes of weld and adjacent base metal specified by the referencing code
in order to detect discontinuities oriented transverse to the weld axis.
The search unit shall be rotated 180º. and the examination shall be
repeated.
5.9.1 Upon completion of the examination the examiner shall prepare an examination
report, for each weld or area of weld examined, using the Company report forms.
Refer to attached here in 6.1 , 6.2. All restrictions which limit the effectiveness of
the test must be recorded.
5.9.2 Non- Rejectable indications. Non-Rejectable indications shall be recorded as
specified by the referencing Code Section.
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6. ATTACHMENTS:
Extension of Examination :
Indication
Dis.from
Welder Joint Amplitude Length Depth Evaluation Remarks
Weld No Ref.Point Type
No Type dB mm mm
mm
NDE Operator
Client Inspector
Authorized Inspector
Sketch
Every 3 Month
Every 3 Month
Transducer : Transducer :
Transducer angle : Transducer angle :
Transducer Frequency: MHz Transducer Frequency: MHz
Transducer Size : Transducer Size :
AUTHORITY
Level Date
NDE Examiner Name Signature
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7- APPENDIX
Sweep Range And Distance-Amplitude Calibration Methods
7-3 -Calibration for Piping Notches Primary Reference Level (See Fig. B-462.3)
(a) Position the search unit for maximum response from the notch which gives the highest amplitude.
(b) Adjust the sensitivity (gain) control to provide an indication of 80% (plus/ minus 5%) of full screen height
(FSH). Mark the peak of the indication on the screen.
(c) Without changing the gain, position the search unit for maximum response from another notch.
(d) Mark the peak of the indication on the screen.
(e) Position the search unit for maximum amplitude from the remaining notch at its Half Vee, Full Vee or 3/2 Vee beam
paths and mark the peak on the screen.
(f) Position the search unit for maximum amplitude from any additional Vee Path(s) when used and mark the peak(s)
on
the screen.
(g) Connect the screen marks for the notches to pro vide the distance-amplitude curve
(h) These points also may be captured by the ultrasonic instrument and electronically
displayed.
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7-5-6 Depth.
The depth from the examination surface to the reflector is T at 8, %T at 6 and 10, 1/2T
at 4, I/4T at 2, and 0 at O. Interpolation is possible for smaller increments of depth.
The position marks on the indexing strip may be corrected for the radius of the hole if
the radius is considered significant to the accuracy of reflector's location.