MM105301MM Non-destructive Testing

Liquid Penetrant Test(LPT)

Dr. R. Bheekya Naik

Assistant Professor

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 Penetrants
The important characteristics of penetrant:
• - spread easily over the surface of the material
• - be drawn into surface breaking defects by capillary action.
• - remain in the defect but remove easily from the surface of the part.
• - remain fluid so it can be drawn back to the surface of the part through
the drying and developing steps.
• - be highly visible or fluoresce brightly to produce easy to see
• - not be harmful to the material being tested or the inspector.

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 Classifications of penetrants
• Physical characteristics and their performance two basic
types:
• Type 1 - Fluorescent Penetrants: they contain a dye or
several dyes that fluoresce when exposed to ultraviolet
radiation.
• Fluorescent penetrant systems are more
sensitive than visible penetrant systems
because the eye is drawn to the glow of the
fluorescing indication.
• Type 2 - Visible Penetrants: they contain a red dye that
provides high contrast against the white developer
background.
• do not require a darkened area and an
ultraviolet light in order to make an inspection
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 Classification to remove the excess penetrant
The four methods
Water Washable
• Method A - Water Washable: contain an
emulsifying agent (detergent) that makes it
possible to wash the penetrant from the part
surface with water alone and also know as self-
emulsifying systems.
• Method B - Post-Emulsifiable, Lipophilic: the
penetrant is oil soluble and interacts with the oil-
based emulsifier to make removal possible.
• Method C - Solvent Removable: requires hand
wiping the surface with a cloth moistened with
the solvent remover Solvent Removable
• Method D - Post-Emulsifiable, Hydrophilic:
they use an emulsifier that is a water soluble
detergent which lifts the excess penetrant from
the surface of the part with a water wash. 4
Emulsifiable
Processing Flow Diagram for Water Washable Liquid Penetrant System
Processing Flow Diagram for Solvent‐Removable Liquid Penetrant System
Processing Flow Diagram for Post Emulsifiable Liquid Penetrant System
Emulsifiers for post emulsification system:

(a) Lipophilic emulsifiers (Oil based)

(b) Hydrophilic emulsifiers (Water based)

Emulsifiers act on basis of

• chemical composition
• concentration
• viscosity
• roughness of surface
•Lipophilic Emulsifiers
− are oil based and function by diffusion
− emulsifier diffuses into the penetrant film and renders it emulsifiable in water
−the rate at which it diffuses into the penetrant establishes the emulsification time
• Hydrophilic emulsifiers
− are water based and are diluted in water for dip or spray applications
−hydrophilic emulsifiers function by displacing excess penetrant from the surface by detergent
action
−the force of the water spray or the air agitation of dip tanks provides a scrubbing action for removal
of the penetrant
Penetrants classified based on the strength or
detectability
• The indication that is produced for a number of very small
and tight fatigue cracks.
• The five sensitivity levels are:
• Level ½ - Ultra Low Sensitivity
• Level 1 - Low Sensitivity
• Level 2 - Medium Sensitivity
• Level 3 - High Sensitivity
• Level 4 - Ultra-High Sensitivity
• The brightness of the indication produced is measured using a
photometer

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 MATERIALS USED IN PENETRANT INSPECTION
In addition to the penetrants, liquids such as emulsifiers, solvent/cleaners,
and developers are required for conducting liquid penetrant inspection:

• Penetrants
• Emulsifiers
• Solvent Cleaner / Removers
• Developers
 Developers
A developer is a critical part of the inspection process and should serve the following
purpose:
−blotting action, which serves to draw penetrant from within the flaw to the surface
−spreading the penetrant and enlarging the appearance of the flaw
−provides contrast and covers background
• According to standards, developers are classified based on the method that the developer
is applied (as a dry powder, or dissolved or suspended in a liquid carrier).

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 Required Properties of Developers
• must be absorptive, to maximize blotting
• fine grain size and shape that will disperse
• provide contrast and background
• easy to apply
• must form a thin, uniform coating over the surface
• easily wetted by the penetrant
• must be nonfluorescent for fluorescent penetrants
• must be easy to remove after inspection
• should not be harmful to part being inspected & equipment
• should not be toxic

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 Classified based on method developer is applied
• The six standard forms of developers are:
• Form a - Dry Powder
• Form b - Water Soluble
• Form c - Water Suspendable
• Form d - Nonaqueous Type 1: Fluorescent (Solvent Based)
• Form e - Nonaqueous Type 2: Visible Dye (Solvent Based)
• Form f - Special Applications
• Plastic or lacquer developers are special developers that are primarily used when a permanent
record of the inspection is required

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Dry developer
• chalk, talc, kaolene, silica flour
• application by hand, spray gun, electrostatic charged gun, low pressure air system
• should be light and soft to allow ease of application
• should not be hygroscopic i.e. should remain dry and not pick up moisture
• can cause irritation on skin and air passage of humans
• gloves and respirators are required

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 Water Suspendable Developer
• available as dry powder concentrate which is then dispersed in water,
0.04 to 0.12 Kg/L
• These consist of insoluble developers particles suspended in water.
• These require frequent stirring to keep the particle from setting out of
suspension
• applied by spray gun or dipping
• drying helps in drawing penetrant
• applied before drying; so developing time is decreased; so workpiece are
ready for inspection in a shorter period of time
• Additives are added such as
(a) dispersing agents
(b) agents to retard settling and caking
(c) corrosion inhabitators
(d) agents to ease removal after inspection
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Water Soluble Developers
• available as dry powders concentrate which is
dissolved in water, 0.12 to 0.24 Kg/L
• applied by spray gun or dipping
• Water soluble developers is a crystalline powder
that forms a clear solution when mixed with water
• The solution recrystallized on the surface when the
water drained
• dried developer film on the workpiece is completely
water soluble and is thus easily and completely
removed after inspection by water rinsing
• additives added: corrosion inhibitors and biocides.

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Water Suspendable Developers (Non‐aqueous
developers)
•contain particles of developer
suspended in a mixture of volatile
solvents, available in ready to use
condition (spray cans)
• applied on dried surface
• solvents are quick drying, do little
spreading even on vertical surfaces
• solvents may also dissolve dye /
penetrant there by staining the
developer
• also contain surfactants whose
function is to coat the particles and
reduce their tendency to clump or
agglomerate 19
Selection of Developer
• use wet developer on very smooth surfaces
• use dry developer on very rough surfaces
• wet developer better suited for large scale inspection
• wet developer cannot be used where sharp tilts are present
•solvent developer are effective for revealing fine, deep cracks but not suitable for revealing
wide, shallow flaws

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EQUIPMENT USED IN PENETRANT INSPECTION
1. Portable Equipment

2. Stationary Inspection Equipment

3. Automated Inspection Equipment

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 Portable Equipment
1.The field where equipment portability is necessary
2.Portable penetrant applications are limited to localized areas
or spot inspections rather than entire part surface
3.Kits for either visible or fluorescent penetrant inspection
are available
4.Kit for visible penetrant inspection includes a precleaner,
penetrant, penetrant remover and developer, all in
pressurized spray cans. Penetrant removal requires wiping
with lint‐free cloth or paper towel
5.Kit for fluorescent penetrant inspection is similar to that of
visible penetrant, including a small portable black light (UV)
for conducting the inspection

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Stationary Inspection Equipment
• Consists of a series of modular subunits, each for a specific task
• The number of subunits in a processing line varies with the type of
penetrant method used
• The subunits are:
1. Penetrant station
2. Emulsifier station
3. Pre and post‐rinse stations
4. Drying stations
5. Developer stations
6. Inspection stations

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Typical Small‐sized Stationary Inspection Equipment
Typical large‐sized Stationary Inspection Equipment
1. Penetrant station
• Requirement of a penetrant station is that it provides a means for coating workpiece with penetrant either all
over, for small workpieces or over small areas of large workpieces
•In addition provides a means to drain excess penetrant back into the penetrant reservoir. Draining racks usually
serve the additional purpose for providing a storage place for parts during the time required for penetration
(dwell time)
• Small workpieces are coated by dipping into a reservoir of penetrant in batches in a wire basket
• Large workpieces coated by spraying or flowing
 2. Emulsifier station
•Small and middle size workpieces are immersed in a tank containing emulsifier
•Large workpieces are coated using multiple sprays
•For local coating of large workpiece, spraying is employed
 3. Pre and post‐rinse stations
• Small workpieces are washed by hand by placing in water baskets and cleaned with
hand‐held spray using water
• Automatic rinsing of small workpieces is accomplished by means of a rotating table in
which basket is placed on the table, and water‐ spray heads are properly located so as to
rinse all surfaces of the workpieces thoroughly

• Rinse stations are always equipped with a UV light to monitor removal of fluorescent
penetrant.
 4. Drying stations
•Recirculating hot‐air driers are mostly used for drying
•Heat input, air flow, and rate of movement of workpieces through the drier, as well as
temperature control, are all factors that must be balanced
•Electric resistance elements are frequently used as sources of heat, but gas and
steam are also used
5. Developer stations
• For dry developer the developer station is after the drier while for wet developer it is
before the drier following the rinse station
• Dry developer: consists of a simple bin containing the developer powder. Dried
workpiece are dipped into the powder and excess powder shaken off. For larger
workpieces a scoop is provided for throwing power over the surfaces, after which
excess powder is shaken off
• Wet developer: carried out by dipping in a tank, for suspendible developer continuous
agitation is necessary
6. Inspection stations
• It is a worktable on which workpieces can be handled under proper lighting
•For fluorescent methods, table is usually surrounded by a curtain or hood to exclude
white light, generally black light (UV) of 100 W or greater is used, air circulation is
required due to heating, for very large components a dark room is required
3. Automated Inspection Equipment

• Required in situations in which manual processing simply cannot keep up with the production
rates (high volume) required or control the process properly
• Modern automated penetrant inspection systems provide precise and repeatable process
control, improved inspection reliability, increased productivity, and lower inspection costs
• Automated penetrant inspection systems incorporate programmable logic control (PLC) units,
which are programmed to control the processing cycle precisely, and to monitor the functions at
each processing station
 Fully Automatic Plants:
• Recently, fully automatic penetrant testing plants have been developed incorporating robots and
computers for detection and evaluation of defects.
• A typical plant of this type consists of:
1. Robotics to handle test pieces, light and cameras,
2. Penetrant testing system,
3. Video camera for image reception,
4. Data acquisition / processing systems, and
5. On‐line defect detection and decision making systems.

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INSPECTION AND EVALUATION
•Interpretation is the process of evaluating an indication in an attempt to determine the cause and nature of the
discontinuity
•Inspection Indication are of two types:
1. Relevant indication or true indications
2. Non‐relevant or false indication

Non-relevant weld geometry indications Relevant weld geometry indications

•Each indication that is not acceptable should be evaluated. It may be really unacceptable or worse, it may be
false, it may be real, or it may actually be acceptable upon closer examination
•Re‐Run Test–If there are questions as to the quality of the results of a test, re‐run the test.
•Reworking an unacceptable flaw is often allowed to some specified limit.
Flaws can be removed by:
a) Sanding
b) Grinding
c) Chipping
d) Machining
e) Welding
•Document findings are recorded on an inspection report form or other record
keeping form
•Drawings, Photos, Videos etc.
 APPLICATIONS / CASE STUDIES OF / IN LIQUID
PENETRANT INSPECTION
• Inspection of forged steel shaft
• Inspection of in‐service aircraft engine compressor blades
• Inspection of aluminium alloy forgings for aircraft application
• Inspection of forged and machined nickel bas alloy disc
• Inspection of cracks in carbide tipped – circular saw blades
1. INSPECTION OF FORGED STEEL SHAFT
Work piece: Forged steel shaft in torsional stress service
Defects and working condition: Likely surface cracks due to fatigue
 Procedure
1. Surface is degressed, cleaned by solvent cleaner and dried
2. Water washable fluorescent penetrant is then applied by spraying or flooding the entire surface
3. The excess penetrant is allowed to drain off and a dwell time of 10 min is allowed for the penetrant to migrate into
the flaws
4. The surface is washed with water and wiped by lint‐free cloth soaked in the cleaner
5. Wet aqueous developer is applied by spraying two or three uniform layers over the surface and allowed a dwell time
of 20‐30 min.
6. The shafts are taken to a darkened area and examined for cracks in black light (UV).
7. If cracks are observed, these are ground lightly followed by application of developer and re‐inspection
8. If surface is free from defects, the shafts are accepted of use otherwise rejected
2. INSPECTION OF IN‐SERVICE AIRCRAFT
ENGINE COMPRESSOR BLADES
• Work piece: Compressor blades of aircraft engine
• Defects and working condition: Compressor blades of aircraft engines are susceptible to
cracking due to high temperature and high stresses during operation. Their periodic
inspection at regular intervals of time is a mandatory requirement of engine service
manual

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 Procedure
•Inspection procedure involves the use of post‐emulsifiable fluorescent penetrant with non‐aqueous wet
developer, both being compatible and preferably from the same manufacturer
•Compressor blades are degreased and thoroughly cleaned after which the penetrant is sprayed over the
blades
•After a dwell time of 10 min, excess penetrant is removed by a hydrophilic remover and 2‐3 layers of
non‐aqueous developer are applied over the surface
•The developer coat is allowed a dwell time of 10‐15 min before the test piece is ready for inspection under
black light
•As this is a critical component if any flaw is detected the blade is completely replaced with a new one (no
salvaging or repairing operations are carried out)
 3. INSPECTION OF ALUMINIUM ALLOY FORGINGS FOR AIRCRAFT
APPLICATIONS

Work piece: Aluminium alloy forgings

Defects and working condition: Surface cracks developed during critical service in dynamic mode
Procedure
•The surface is cleaned and etched in 10% sodium hydroxide
solution for about 5 min at 80oC and rinsed thoroughly by water spray or by agitation in a water tank
•It is then immersed in 5% nitric acid solution for two minutes to desmut after which it is thoroughly
cleaned with water and dried
•It is then immersed in post‐emulsifiable fluorescent penetrant, removed and placed on a drain rack, and
allowed a dwell time of 10‐15 min.
•Before application of hydrophilic emulsifier, a pre‐rinse by light water spray is given for 30‐60 sec at room
temperature, after which the part is dipped into hydrophilic remover for about 90 sec, drained for
another 90 sec and finally washed by water spray to remove excess penetrant on the surface
•Surface is checked in black light, if no traces of fluorescent penetrant is visible, it is dried in a hot air
circulating oven
•After drying dry developer powder is applied by spraying 2‐3 light uniform layers & allowa dwell time of
10‐15 min
•Part is then transferred in a inspection booth and examined in black light for any indications of defects
4. INSPECTION OF FORGED AND MACHINED NICKEL BASE
ALLOY DISC
Work piece: Nickel base alloy disc
Defects and working condition: Critical aircraft component, likely surface cracks due to service loads
 Procedure
•Mixture of 80% HCl, 13% HNO3 and 7% HF (by volume) applied on the disc at room temperature followed by
rinsing to remove all traces of acid
•Cleaned disc is dried and immersed in post‐emulsifiable fluorescent penetrant and allowed a dwell time of
10‐15 min before being treated with the hydrophilic emulsifier for 2‐4 min
•The disc is then washed with water and one or two coats of dry developer are applied by compressed air or
by immersion in the dry developer powder
•After a dwell time of 10‐15 min, the disc is examined for any cracks in black light
5. INSPECTION OF CRACKS IN CARBIDE TIPPED ‐
CIRCULAR SAW BLADES
Work piece: Carbide‐tipped circular saw blades 18” diameter and 3/16” thick. Blade was cut radially at four
places to allow for expansion as temperature increased during sawing. Holes were drilled through the blade at
the end of each radial cut to distribute stresses and thus to prevent the cuts from growing during service
Defects and working condition: Cracks due to thermal stresses generated during sawing. Saw blade was used
for removing gating from aluminium castings.
 Procedure
• Because of its sensitivity, the post‐emulsifiable penetrant system was selected for this application
• Blades cleaned in a mineral solvent
•Soaking in post‐emulsifiable fluorescent penetrant for 10 min at room temperature
• Drain for 5 min
• Dip in emulsifier for 4 min
• Drain for 5 min
• Wash with water at 38oC
• Dip in water soluble developer
• Dry in oven at 82oC for 3 to 5 min
• Inspected in UV (black light)
•Most of the cracks discovered were from the outside diameter & those farther than 1½ inches from the
outside diameter were rejected.
•For smaller cracks a hole was drilled at the end of the crack to arrest propagation. Blades so repaired were
considered satisfactory for service.