LABORATORY INSTRUCTION MANUAL

MATERIAL TESTING LAB

Department of Mechanical Engineering

JIS College of Engineering

(NAAC Accredited Autonomous Institution)
Approved by AICTE, New Delhi & Affiliated to WBUT
Block A, Phase III, PO. Kalyani, Dist.
Nadia, Pin - 741235, West Bengal.

Course Name: Material testing Lab

Course Code: ME494
Contact Hour/Week (L:T:P) : 0:0:3
Credits: 2
Full Marks = 100 (Internal Evaluation - 40; End Semester Exam - 60)
Prerequisite: Knowledge of Material Science, Basic Sciences.

Course Objective: To test several properties of material like ductility, surface

roughness, malleability, hardenability etc.

Course Outcome: Upon the completion of the course the student would be able to
1. Determine toughness value of industrial specimens.
2. Carry out various type of heat treatments of a given specimen to change associated
mechanical properties and grain size
3. Find out surface or subsurface defects relevant to almost all manufacturing industries.
4. Measure the mechanical properties like drawability, endurance limit of a steel
specimen necessary for material selection in design and development.

Course Articulation Matrix:

P P P P P P P P P P PS PS PS
CO PO PO
O O O O O O O O O O O O O
Codes 3 5
1 2 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3
ME492 - - 1
- - 2 - 1 - - - 2 1 1 -
.1
ME492 3 - 2
- - 2 1 3 - - - 3 1 2 1
.2
ME492 - - 3
- - 2 1 3 - - - 1 1 1 1
.3
ME492 - - 2
- - 3 1 2 1 1 - 2 1 2 2
.4
2. 2. 1. 3 - 2
Avrg. - - 1 1 1 - 2 1 1
25 25 5

Course Contents :
Experime Description
nt No.
1 Impact tests: Charpy tests; Ferrous material
2 Impact tests: Izod tests; Ferrous material
3 Fatigue test of a typical sample.
4 Sample preparation and etching of ferrous and non-ferrous metals
and alloys for metallographic observation;
5 Experiments on heat treatment of carbon steels under different rates
of cooling and testing for the change in hardness and observing its
microstructure changes through metallographic studies
6 Observation of presence of surface/ sub-surface cracks using dye
penetration (DP) test.
SL. NAME OF THE
NO EXPERIMENT
1 To determine the impact strength of a specimen by Charpy
impact method.

2 To determine the impact strength of a specimen by Izod impact

method.

3 To determine the fatigue strength of a sample specimen by

fatigue testing method.

4 Sample preparation and etching of ferrous metal specimen for

metallographic observation.

5 Experiments on heat treatment of carbon steel specimen under

different rates of cooling and investigate the hardenability of
specimen.

6 Observation of presence of surface and sub surface cracks by

dye penetration test.

Experiment No.1
Title: Charpy Impact test
Aim: To determine the Impact toughness (strain energy) through Charpy test
Theory:
In a impact test a specially prepared notched specimen is fractured by a single blow
from a heavy hammer and energy required being a measure of resistance to impact.
Impact load is produced by a swinging of an impact weight W (hammer) from a
height h. Release of the weight from the height h swings the weight through the arc
of a circle, which strikes the specimen to fracture at the notch (fig. 3) Kinetic energy
of the hammer at the time of impact is mv 2 /2, which is equal to the relative
potential energy of the hammer before its release. (mgh),where m is the mass of the

hammer and v = √ 2gh is its tangential velocity at impact, g is gravitational

acceleration (9.806 m/s2 ) and h is the height through which hammer falls. Impact
velocity will be 5.126 m/s or slightly less. Here it is interesting to note that height
through which hammer drops determines the velocity and height and mass of a
hammer combined determine the energy.
Energy used can be measured from the scale given. The difference between
potential energies is the fracture energy. In test machine this value indicated by the
pointer on the scale. If the scale is calibrated in energy units, marks on the scale
should be drawn keeping in view angle of fall () and angle of rise (. Height h 1 and h2
equals,
h1= R (1- cosθ) and h2= (1- cosθ).
With the increase or decrease in values, gap between marks on scale showing
energy also increase or decrease. This can be seen from the attached scale with any
impact machine.
Energy used in fracturing the specimen can be obtained approximately as Wh 1- Wh2
This energy value called impact toughness or impact value, which will be measured,
per unit area at the notch.
Charpy introduced Charpy test in 1909. Test is as per the IS: 1499.

Specimen and equipment:

1. Impact testing machine. (Fig.5)
2. U notch is cut across the middle of one face as shown in (fig.6).

Mounting of the specimen:

Specimen is clamped to act as horizontal simply supported beam with the notch is opposite side
of pendulum impact
Direction of blow of hammer is shown in fig. (5). Direction of blow is shown in figure.
Figure 5

Schematic diagram of Charpy Impact Testing Machine

Figure 6

Schematic diagram of Dimension and Job Position of Charpy specimen

Procedure:
1. Measure the dimensions of a specimen. Also, measure the dimensions of the
notch.
2. Raise the hammer and note down initial reading from the dial, which will be
energy to be used to fracture the specimen.
3. Place the specimen for test and see that it is placed center with respect to
hammer. Check the position of notch.
4. Release the hammer and note the final reading. Difference between the initial and
final reading will give the actual energy required to fracture the Specimen.
5. Repeat the test for specimens of other materials.
6. Compute the energy of rupture of each specimen.

Observation Table:
Sl. Charpy value Average Charpy
No Value
1.
2.
3.

Result:
Strain energy of given specimen is ……………N/mm2 Charpy impact test.

Questions:

1. What is the necessity of making a notch in impact test specimen?

2. Why Charpy test used for?
3. How do you calculate Charpy impact test?
4. What is the unit of Charpy Impact test?

Questions CO Bloom’s
Taxonomy level
1 CO1 1
2 1
3 1
4 1

Experiment No.2
Title: Izod Impact test
Aim: To determine the Impact toughness (strain energy) through Izod test
Theory:
In a impact test a specially prepared notched specimen is fractured by a single blow
from a heavy hammer and energy required being a measure of resistance to impact.
Impact load is produced by a swinging of an impact weight W (hammer) from a
height h. Release of the weight from the height h swings the weight through the arc
of a circle, which strikes the specimen to fracture at the notch (fig. 3) Kinetic energy
of the hammer at the time of impact is mv 2 /2, which is equal to the relative
potential energy of the hammer before its release. (mgh),where m is the mass of the

hammer and v = √ 2gh is its tangential velocity at impact, g is gravitational

acceleration (9.806 m/s2 ) and h is the height through which hammer falls. Impact
velocity will be 5.126 m/s or slightly less. Here it is interesting to note that height
through which hammer drops determines the velocity and height and mass of a
hammer combined determine the energy.
Energy used can be measured from the scale given. The difference between
potential energies is the fracture energy. In test machine this value indicated by the
pointer on the scale. If the scale is calibrated in energy units, marks on the scale
should be drawn keeping in view angle of fall () and angle of rise (. Height h 1 and h2
equals,
h1= R (1- cosθ) and h2= (1- cosθ).
With the increase or decrease in values, gap between marks on scale showing
energy also increase or decrease. This can be seen from the attached scale with any
impact machine.
Energy used in fracturing the specimen can be obtained approximately as Wh 1- Wh2
This energy value called impact toughness or impact value, which will be measured,
per unit area at the notch.
Izod introduced Izod test in 1903. Test is as per the IS: 1598

Specimen and equipment:

1. Impact testing machine.(fig.3)
2. Specimen and v notch is shown in the fig(4)
Size of the specimen is 10mm X 10mm X 75mm
Mounting of the specimen:
Specimen is clamped to act as vertical cantilever with the notch on tension side.
Direction of blow of hammer is shown in fig. (3). Direction of blow is shown in figure.
Figure. 3

Schematic diagram of Izod Impact Testing Machine

Figure 4

Schematic diagram of Dimension and Job Position of Izod specimen

Procedure:
1. Measure the dimensions of a specimen. Also, measure the dimensions of the
notch.
2. Raise the hammer and note down initial reading from the dial, which will be
energy to be used to fracture the specimen.
3. Place the specimen for test and see that it is placed center with respect to
hammer. Check the position of notch.
4. Release the hammer and note the final reading. Difference between the initial and
final reading will give the actual energy required to fracture the Specimen.
5. Repeat the test for specimens of other materials.
6. Compute the energy of rupture of each specimen.

Observation Table:

Sl. Izod Valve Average Izod

No Value
1.
2.
3.

Result:
Strain energy of given specimen is ……………N/mm2 Izod impact test.

Questions:

1. Why notch is provided in Izod impact test?

2. How is Izod impact strength calculated?
3. What is the notch angle of Izod impact test?
4. What are the types of impact tests?
5. What is the difference between Charpy and Izod impact tests?

Questio CO Bloom’s Taxonomy level

ns
1 CO1 2
2 2
3 1
4 1
5 4

Experiment No.3
Title: To determine the fatigue strength of a sample specimen by fatigue testing
method
Object of the experiment
To measure the fatigue strength (Endurance limit) i.e minimum reversible cycle
load on material by which a material break.
Requirements for the experiment
a) Fatigue testing set up
b) Specimen with the correct design (M.S Specimen)
c) Vernier calipers
d) Dead weight as load
e) Wrench for tightening the bolt of specimen holder

Theory
Most engineering failures are mainly due to fatigue in which the components are
subjected to fluctuating or cyclic loading such as suspended bridges, rails, or
airplane wings. Though the fluctuating load is normally less than the yield
strength of the materials, it results in fracture behavior which is more severe
than that achieved from static loading. Fatigue failures are therefore
unpredictable, and provide high-risk situations, if the operators are not aware of
material behavior when subjected to fatigue loading.
Cyclic loading in general has no repeated patterns or in situations where
overloading occurs as seen in figure (Spectrum loading). However, in order to
investigate the fatigue behavior according to engineering purposes, a simple
relation between stress and number of cycles to failure (time) can be expressed
in a sinusoidal curve as illustrated in figure (Tension/Compression loading and
tension/Tension loading). Fatigue behavior of materials can thus be practically
described according to the parameters given as follows;
 Maximum stress (σ max )
 Minimum stress (σ min)
 Stress range (∆σ) = σ max − σ min
 Mean stress = (σ max + σ min )/2
 Stress amplitude = (σ max − σ min )/2
 Stress ratio = σ min /σ max

Figure 1: Relationship between stress and number of cycle

These parameters significantly affect the fatigue behaviors of the materials. This
is for example, increasing in the maximum stress as well as mean stress and
stress range leads to more severe fatigue conditions. If the maximum and
minimum stresses are tensile, they are considered to be more dangerous than
compressive stresses as the tensile stresses will open up the fatigue crack.

Furthermore, if the maximum and minimum stresses are in similar amounts but
having the opposite signs (tensile and compressive stresses), the stresses in this
case is called completely reversed cyclic stresses in which the stress ratio equals
-1.

The fatigue testing can be conducted using an instrument as shown in figure 2.

The fatigue specimen is gripped on to a motor at one end to provide the
rotational motion whereas the other end is attached to a bearing and also
subjected to a load or stress. When the specimen is rotated about the
longitudinal axis, the upper and the lower parts of the specimen gauge length are
subjected to tensile and compressive stresses respectively. Therefore, stress
varies sinusoially at any point on the specimen surface. The test proceeds until
specimen failure takes place. The revolution counter is used to obtain the
number of cycles to failures corresponding to the stress applied.

Figure 2: Fatigue testing machine

 Figure 3: S-N curve for Ferrous and Non ferrous Material
A- Ferrous Material
B- Non Ferrous Material

Experimental Procedure

a) Polish the sample surface as smooth as possible and observe for any surface
defects and deep scratch/machining marks. Reject the sample if you find any
defects.
b) Measure dimensions of the given specimen of mild steel.
c) Fit the specimen is in the sample holder such that it passes through the
opening provided in the rod on which the loads are seated.
d) After fitting the sample, keep the desired load on the seat provided for the
loads.
e) Switch on the instrument to conduct the fatigue test and record the time for
the failure, when it occurs.
f) Note the appearance of the fractured surface and number of cycle completed
before failure in each case.
g) Report the value of bending stress and Number of cycle.
h) Make normal stress-Number of cycle and bending stress-Number of cycle plots
using results of all the batches and obtain the endurance limit.
Observation table

Details Specimen Specimen Specimen Specimen Specimen

1 2 3 4 5
Specimen
diameter
(mm)
Cross-
sectional
areas
(mm2)
Weight (kg)

Maximum
stress
(MPa)

No. of
cycles to
failure
(cycles)
Fracture
surfaces

Result: The Endurance limit from the experiment is found to be ……………………

[Plot: Stress vs. No. of revolution in semi log graph paper]

Conclusions
The fatigue tests of mild steel will give the value of stress below which it can endure
infinite number of cycles which is important from the engineering design point of
view.

Questions:

1.What is Fatigue of materials?

2.What term is used for the maximum stress at which material fail on a specified number
of cycle?
3.Word “endurance limit” is used for _____________
4.Which type of material shows fatigue limit?
5.What is the reason for fatigue failure?

Questio CO Bloom’s Taxonomy level

ns
1 CO4 1
2 1
3 1
 4 1
5 1

Experiment No.4

PREPARATION OF THE SPECIMEN TO STUDY UNDER

METALLURGICAL MICROSCOPE
Introduction:
The credit for originating Metallographic examination goes to Alloys Beck Von
Widmanstatten (between 1808 & 1840). Microscope was employed for the
purpose in 1841, when Paul Annosow used the instrument to examine the etched
surfaces of oriental steel blades. It was around 1890 when metallographic
technique received general recognition, largely as a result of the work of
Professor Henry C. Sorby in England.
Metallography is the general study of metals and their behavior, with
particular reference to their microstructure and macrostructure. Microstructure
is the characteristic appearance and physical arrangement of metal molecules as
observed with a microscope. Macrostructure is the appearance and physical
arrangement as observed with the naked eye. Metallurgical Microscope is by
far the most important tool of the metallurgist from both the scientific and
technical stand point. It helps determining:
a) Grain size and shape.
b) Size, shape and distribution of various phases and inclusion.
c) Mechanical and thermal treatment of the alloys.
Preparation of Specimen:
Preparation of specimen is necessary to study its microstructure, because the
metallurgical microscope discussed earlier makes use of the principle of
reflection of light from the specimen to obtain the final image of the metal
structure. Following are the steps involved in the preparation of specimen:
1) Selection of specimen: When investigating the properties of a metal or
alloy, it is essential that the specimen should be selected from that area (of the
alloy plate or casting) which can be taken as representative of the whole mass.
2) Cutting of the specimen: After selecting a particular area in the whole
mass, the specimen may be removed with the help of appropriate cutting tools.
3) Mounting the specimen: If the specimen is too small to be held in hand for
further processing, it should be mounted on a thermoplastic resin disc or some
other low melting point alloy.
4) Obtaining flat specimen surface: It is first necessary to obtain a
reasonably flat surface on the specimen. This is achieved by using a fairly coarse
file or machining or grinding.
5) Intermediate and Fine Grinding: Intermediate and fine grinding is carried
out using emery papers of progressively finer grade.
6) Rough polishing: A very small quantity of diamond powder (particle size
about 6 microns) carried in a paste that is oil-soluble is placed on the nylon cloth-
covered surface of a rotating polishing wheel. The specimen is pressed against
the cloth of the rotating wheel with considerable pressure and is moved around
the wheel in the direction opposite to rotation of the wheel to ensure a more
uniform action.
7) Fine polishing: The polishing compound used is alumina (Al2O3) powder
placed on a cloth covered rotating wheel. Distilled water is used as a lubricant.
Fine polishing removes fine scratches and very thin distorted layer remaining
from the rough polishing stage.
8) Etching:
Necessity-Even after fine polishing, the granular structure in a specimen usually
cannot be seen under the microscope; because grain boundaries in a metal have
a thickness of the order of a few atom diameters at best, and the resolving power
of a microscope is much too low to reveal their presence. In order to make the
grain boundaries visible, after polishing the metal specimens are usually etched.
Etching imparts unlike appearances to the metal constituents and thus makes
metal structure apparent under the microscope.

Method- Before etching, the polished specimen is thoroughly washed in running

water. Then, the etching is done either by,

(i) Immersing the polished surface of the specimen in the etching reagent or by
(ii) Rubbing the polished surface gently with a cotton swab wetted with the
etching reagent.
After etching, the specimen is again washed thoroughly and dried. Now, the
specimen can be studied under the microscope.

Sample picture of low carbon steel under metallurgical microscope

Questions:

1. Why specimen preparation is required for checking the microstructure of metal and
alloy explain?
2. What is the principle of metallurgical microscope- explain.
3.What is Grain and Grain boundary?

Questions CO Bloom’s
Taxonomy level
1 CO2 2
 2 1
3 1

Experiment No. :- 5

Title : Experiments on heat treatment of carbon steel specimen under different rates of
cooling and investigate the hardenability of specimen.

Aim: Study of effect of Annealing, Normalizing & Water quenching on properties

(Hardness) of the steel

Equipment Used for Annealing, Normalizing & Water quenching: Muffle Furnace
Equipment for checking Hardness before & after Annealing, Normalizing &
Water quenching: Brinell Hardness Tester

Theory –
Heat treatment is the heating and cooling of metals to change their physical
and mechanical properties, without letting it change its shape.
Heat treatment could be said to be a method for strengthening materials but
could also be used to alter some mechanical properties such as improving
formability, machining, etc. The most common application is metallurgical but
heat treatment can also be used in manufacture of glass, aluminum, steel and
many more materials. The process of heat treatment involves the use of
heating or cooling, usually to extreme temperatures to achieve the wanted
result. It is very important manufacturing processes that can not only help
manufacturing process but can also improve product, its performance, and its
characteristics in many ways.

Fig 6.1: Eutectoid region of Fe-Fe3C

Annealing-Annealing in general, involves heating to sufficient high

temperatures Holding at this temperature & finally cooling at a very slow rate
inside the furnace. The temperature to which steel is heating & holding time
are determined by various factors such as the chemical composition of the
steel, size & shape of steel component & final properties desired. Annealing
can form either the final treatment or a preparatory step for further treatment.
The various purposes of this treatment are

i) To relive internal stresses developed during solidification, machining,

forging, rolling or welding etc.
ii) To improve or restore ductility or toughness
iii) To enhance machinability.
iv) To eliminate chemical non-uniformity.
v) To refine grain size
vi) To reduce gaseous content in steel.

Normalizing – It is the process of heating steel to about 40 - 50 C above

upper critical temperature ( A3) holding for proper time & then cooling it in air
or slightly agitated air to room temperature or air volume. After normalizing
the resultant microstructure should be pearlitic. This is particularly important
for some alloy steels which are air hardened by nature for such steels, cooling
in air don’t lead to normalized structure. Slower cooling rates are read since
the temperature involved in this process is more than that for normalizing, the
homogeneity as austenitic increases & it results in better dispersion. Results in
enhanced mechanical properties. The grain size in finer in normalized structure
that in annealing grain size of normalized steel is governed by section
thickness. As cooling rates differ considerably from case to case, there is
variation in grain size of normalizing steel over its cross section. Refinement of
grain size is on of the most important objectives of normalizing & it is to be a
great extent due to high temperature involved in these operation are subjected
to a great extent . Normalizing treatment is frequently applied to steel in order
to gain refinement, improvement in mach inability & enhanced mechanical
properties such as hardness, strength & toughness.

Fig 6.2: TTT diagram for Plain Carbon Eutectoid Steel

Water Quenching- Water quenching is a process of cooling a metal at a rapid

rate. This is most often done to produce a martensite transformation. In ferrous
alloys, this will often produce a harder metal, while non-ferrous alloys will
usually become softer than normal.
 To harden by quenching, a metal (usually steel or cast iron) must be heated
above the upper critical temperature and then quickly cooled in water. Upon
being rapidly cooled, a portion of austenite (dependent on alloy
composition) will transform to martensite, a hard, brittle crystalline structure.
However, quenching a certain steel too fast can result in cracking.
Observation table:
a) Hardness value checking:

Process Rockwell Hardness Average Rockwell Hardness

value
Annealing 1.
2.
3.
Normalizing 1.
2.
3.
Water 1.
Quenching
2.
3.

Result:
Hardness of given specimen-
i) Before heat treatment …………………
ii) After heat treatment: Annealing …………………….
Normalizing …………………
Water Quenching ……………

Questions:

1. Compare the Normalizing & Annealing process indicating advantages & disadvantages
2. Explain why alloy steels are oil quenched instead of water quenching
3. Explain with suitable diagram why mild steel cannot be hardened by conventional
quenching
4. What is the significance of tempering
5. What is the principle of working of muffle furnace

Questions CO Bloom’s
Taxonomy level
1 CO2 4
2 2
3 2
4 1
5 1
 Experiment No.6

Title: Observation of presence of surface/sub-surface cracks of a welded joint

by Dye Penetration Test
Aim: Identify the surface/subsurface discontinuities of a welded joint

Equipments:
1) Specimen
2) Dye penetrant
3) Developer
4) Penetrant remover
5) Cotton or towel

Theory:
Liquid penetrant testing is one of the oldest and simplest NDT methods is used to reveal
surface discontinuities by bleed out of a colored or fluorescent dye from the flaw.
The technique is based on the ability of a liquid to be drawn into a "clean" surface
discontinuity by capillary action. After a period of time called the "dwell time", excess
surface penetrant is removed and a developer applied. This acts as a blotter that draws
the penetrant from the discontinuity to reveal its presence.

The advantage that a liquid penetrant inspection offers over an unaided visual
inspection is that it makes defects easier to see for the inspector where that is done in
two ways:
a) It produces a flaw indication that is much larger and easier for the eye to detect than
the flaw itself. Many flaws are so small or narrow that they are undetectable by the
unaided eye (a person with a perfect vision can not resolve features smaller than 0.08
mm).
b) It improves the detectability of a flaw due to the high level of contrast between the
indication and the background which helps to make the indication more easily seen
(such as a red indication on a white background for visible penetrant or a penetrant that
glows under ultra violate light for fluorescent penetrant).

It can be used to inspect almost any material provided that its surface is not extremely
rough or porous. Materials that are commonly inspected using this method include;
metals, glass, many ceramic materials, rubber and plastics.

However, liquid penetrant testing can only be used to inspect for flaws that break the
surface of the sample (such as surface cracks, porosity, laps, seams, lack of fusion, etc.).

Penetrant
Penetrant are carefully formulated to produce the level of sensitivity desired by the
inspector. The penetrant must possess a number of important characteristics:
a) Spread easily over the surface of the material being inspected to provide complete
and even coverage.
b) Be drawn into surface breaking defects by capillary action.
c) Remain fluid so it can be drawn back to the surface of the part through the drying and
developing steps.
d) Be highly visible or fluoresce brightly to produce easy to see indications.
e) Not be harmful to the material being tested or the inspector.

Standard specifications classify penetrant materials according to their physical

characteristics and their performance.

Penetrant materials come in two basic types:

a) Fluorescent Penetrant: they contain a dye or several dyes that fluoresce when
exposed to ultraviolet radiation.
b) Visible Penetrant: they contain a red dye that provides high contrast against the
white developer background.

Penetrant are then classified by the method used to remove the excess penetrant from
the part. The four methods are:
a) Water Washable: penetrant can be removed from the part by rinsing with water
alone. These penetrant contain an emulsifying agent (detergent) that makes it possible
to wash the penetrant from the part surface with water alone.
b) Post-Emulsifiable, Lipophilic: the penetrant is oil soluble and interacts with the oil-
based emulsifier to make removal possible.
c) Solvent Removable: they require the use of a solvent to remove the penetrant from
the part.
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.

Penetrant are then classified based on the strength or detectability of the indication that
is produced for a number of very small and tight fatigue cracks. The five sensitivity
levels are:
a) Level ½ - Ultra Low Sensitivity
b) Level 1 - Low Sensitivity
c) Level 2 - Medium Sensitivity
d) Level 3 - High Sensitivity
e) Level 4 - Ultra-High Sensitivity
The procedure for classifying penetrant into one of the five sensitivity levels uses
specimens with small surface fatigue cracks. The brightness of the indication produced is
measured using a photometer.

Developers
The role of the developer is to pull the trapped penetrant material out of defects and
spread it out on the surface of the part so it can be seen by an inspector. Developers
used with visible penetrant create a white background so there is a greater degree of
contrast between the indication and the surrounding background. On the other hand,
developers used with fluorescent penetrant both reflect and refract the incident
ultraviolet light, allowing more of it to interact with the penetrant, causing more efficient
fluorescence.
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). 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
Penetrant Application and Dwell Time
The penetrant material can be applied in a number of different ways, including spraying,
brushing, or immersing the parts in a penetrant bath. Once the part is covered in
penetrant it must be allowed to dwell so the penetrant has time to enter any defect that
is present.
There are basically two dwell mode options:
- Immersion-dwell: keeping the part immersed in the penetrant during the dwell period.
- Drain-dwell: letting the part drain during the dwell period (this method gives better
sensitivity)

Penetrant Removal Process

The penetrant removal procedure must effectively remove the penetrant from the
surface of the part without removing an appreciable amount of entrapped penetrant
from the discontinuity. If the removal process extracts penetrant from the flaw, the flaw
indication will be reduced by a proportional amount. If the penetrant is not effectively
removed from the part surface, the contrast between the indication and the background
will be reduced.
The methods used for excess penetrant removal are:
a) Method A: Water-Washable
b) Method B: Post-Emulsifiable, Lipophilic
c) Method C: Solvent Removable
d) Method D: Post-Emulsifiable, Hydrophilic

Procedure:
The exact procedure for liquid penetrant testing can vary from case to case depending
on several factors such as the penetrant system being used, the size and material of the
component being inspected, the type of discontinuities being expected in the component
and the condition and environment under which the inspection is performed. However,
the general steps can be summarized as follows:

1. Surface Preparation:
One of the most critical steps of a liquid penetrant testing is the surface preparation. The
surface must be free of oil, grease, water, or other contaminants that may prevent
penetrant from entering flaws. The sample may also require etching if mechanical
operations such as machining, sanding, or grit blasting have been performed. These and
other mechanical operations can smear metal over the flaw opening and prevent the
penetrant from entering.
2. Penetrant Application:
Once the surface has been thoroughly cleaned and dried, the penetrant material is
applied by spraying, brushing, or immersing the part in a penetrant bath.

(Application of dye penetrant)

3. Penetrant Dwell:
The penetrant is left on the surface for a sufficient time to allow as much penetrant as
possible to be drawn from or to seep into a defect. Penetrant dwell time is the total time
that the penetrant is in contact with the part surface. Dwell times are usually
recommended by the penetrant producers or required by the specification being
followed. The times vary depending on the application, penetrant materials used, the
material, the form of the material being inspected, and the type of discontinuity being
inspected for. Minimum dwell times typically range from five to 60 minutes. Generally,
there is no harm in using a longer penetrant dwell time as long as the penetrant is not
allowed to dry. The ideal dwell time is often determined by experimentation and may be
very specific to a particular application.
4. Excess Penetrant Removal:
This is the most delicate part of the inspection procedure because the excess penetrant
must be removed from the surface of the sample while removing as little penetrant as
possible from defects.
Depending on the penetrant system used, this step may involve cleaning with a solvent,
direct rinsing with water, or first treating the part with an emulsifier and then rinsing
with water.

(Removal of excess penetrant)

5. Developer Application: A thin layer of developer is then applied to the sample to

draw penetrant trapped in flaws back to the surface where it will be visible. Developers
come in a variety of forms that may be applied by dusting (dry powders), dipping, or
spraying (wet developers).

(Developer Application)
6. Indication Development:
The developer is allowed to stand on the part surface for a period of time sufficient to
permit the extraction of the trapped penetrant out of any surface flaws. This
development time is usually a minimum of 10 minutes. Significantly longer times may be
necessary for tight cracks.

(Indication development)

7. Inspection:
Inspection is then performed under appropriate lighting to detect indications from any
flaws which may be present.
8. Clean Surface:
The final step in the process is to thoroughly clean the part surface to remove the
developer from the parts that were found to be acceptable.

Result:
Questions:

1. What is the principle of dye penetrant testing?

2. What is the dye penetrant inspection method?
3. Which developer is commonly considered as the least sensitive?
4. Why the pre cleaning is important in the dye penetrant inspection?
5. Which method of penetrant removal is post emulsified lipophilic?

Questions CO Bloom’s
Taxonomy level
1 CO3 1
2 1
3 2
4 2
5 2