Renu’s Advance NDE Services

Ultrasonic phased arrays is a novel technique for generating, receiving and imaging ultrasound. PAUT use multiple ultrasonic elements and electronic time delays to create beams by constructive and destructive interference. As such, it offer significant technical advantages for weld testing and plant monitoring over conventional ultrasonic as phased array beams can be steered, scanned, swept and focused electronically from a fixed probe position. Beam steering permits the selected beam angles to be optimized ultrasonically by orienting or focusing them perpendicular to the predicted discontinuities. Phased arrays allow real-time control of three important ultrasonic probe parameters: Focal distance & Beam angle: continuously and dynamically adjustable, Focal spot size: dynamical-ly adjustable

Additional benefits:

• Multiplexing allows fast displacement of ultrasonic beam within probe
• Main benefits of ultrasonic phased arrays:
• High-speed inspection using single-axis scans instead of conventional raster scan
• Near-optimal focal length and focal spot for various areas of complex parts or thick components
• Small, simple probe assembly with multiple beams from a single probe
• Better detection in austenitic materials and dissimilar metal welds
• Alternative to Radiographic imaging.

TOFD Utilizes diffracted energy in the detection of flaws; the technique is less reliant on flaw orientation and morphology than standard pulse echo techniques, leading to improved sizing and probability of defect detection (PPOD). Additionally, computerized electronic data capture and storage, in conjunction with scanning manipulators enable rapid scanning speeds to be achieved TOFD has now been accepted as an alternative to Radiography in Pre-Service Inspections with standards such as ASME 2235, and its use in pipe weld and thick walled pressure vessel fabrication is now common place.

TOFD Advantages :

• TOFD defect detection does not depend on the defect orientation, in contrast to the pulse echo technique.
• Defect height can be exactly determined, thus most suitable for monitoring growth or changes in known defects.
• Most efficient for inspection of thick-walled vessels where X & Gamma ray would re-quire too much time.
• TOFD method can be used to observe and report microscopic degradation caused by fatigue, stress and chemical attack – it has proven possible to quantify micro cracking caused by copper dilation through weld electrode contamination providing some knowledge of the probable fault mechanism is suspected prior to intervention.

In an eddy current testing a circular coil carrying current is placed in proximity to the test specimen .The alternating current in the coil generates changing magnetic field which inter-acts with test specimen and generates eddy current. Variations in the phase and magnitude of these eddy currents and variations in the electrical conductivity or magnetic permeability of the test object, or the presence of any flaws, will cause a change in eddy current and a corre-sponding change in the phase and amplitude of the measured current.

ET Advantages:

• Sensitive to small cracks and other defects.
• Detects surface and near surface defects.
• Inspection gives immediate results.
• Equipment is very portable.
• Method can be used for much more than flaw detection.
• Minimum part preparation is required.
• Test probe does not need to contact the part.
• Inspects complex shapes and sizes of conductive materials.

The Alternating Current Field Measurement technique is an electromagnetic technique capable of both detecting and sizing (length and depth) surface breaking cracks in metals. The alternating constant current in a tangential solenoid, remote from the test surface, induces electric currents in the sample surface which are uni-directional and of uniform strength over a localized area under the solenoid.

ACFM Advantages:

• Reduced cleaning requirements with no need to clean to bare metal.
• Detection and sizing of surface-breaking cracks in ferrite or austenitic steel or in transition welds between the two.
• Rapid scanning using a hand-held probe.
• Computerized Reporting and data collection for review
• Inspection through 0.15” thick coating.

IRIS (Internal Rotary Inspection System) is a measuring system to measure the exact thick-ness of both ferrous and non-ferrous tubes of exchangers, air fins, coolers, boilers and other similar equipment. Most exchangers are sensitive for internal and/or external corrosion.

IRIS Advantages:

• IRIS can be applied on almost each material
• Exact determination of location of pitting/corrosion.
• Small changes in thickness measurable.
• No negative effect on results caused by external items like fins or baffles.
• Measurement produces nominal value for wall thickness of pipe.
• No calibration pipes needed.
• IRIS can also be used in steam drums.

Advance Ultrasonic Corrosion Mapping is a key method in most non-invasive inspection strategies. In order to inspect the range of components e.g. pipes, vessels, tanks etc. Energy Workforce uses multiple types of Ultrasonic Corrosion Mapping which is versatile to pro-vide accurate and reproducible fingerprints of material integrity.

C- Scan Advantages:

• Immersion quality UT data.
• Rapid, large area coverage.
• SReal time inspection.
• Portable and Reduced operator fatigue.
• User friendly interface.
• Data storage.
• Suitable for inspection of a range of materials.

LRUT is used to detect corrosion, erosion in pipe work. An array of transducers is clamped around the pipe and ultrasound is transmitted simultaneously along the pipe in both directions. The return signal is received by the same transducers, and the data are analyzed using the system’s calibrated software.
The technique’s principal advantage is that it provides 100% initial screening cov-erage, and only requires local access to the pipe surface where the transducer array is to be attached. The technique has the ability to inspect inaccessible areas such as clamps and cased or buried pipes. It works without the need to remove insulation or coating.

C- Scan Advantages:

• The technology can inspect up to 150m pipe from single location and provides 100% direct assessments of pipe lengths.
• Rapid Screening for in service degradation.
• Cost reduction in gaining access to the pipes for inspection