Doc. No. PNEC/PT/01.

Rev 0

LIQUID PENETRANT EXAMINATION Page: 1 of 12

PNEC PROCEDURE
Date: 28.01.2012

LIQUID PENETRANT

EXAMINATION PROCEDURE

(VISIBLE - SOLVENT REMOVABLE)

DOCUMENT NO: PNEC/PT/01.Rev 0

NDE- Level III

PREPARED & APPROVED BY CERTIFIED BY REVIEWED BY

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PNEC PROCEDURE
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TABLE OF INDEX

Description
Clause no.

Scope
1

Reference Documents
2
Written Procedure requirements.
3

Qualification of Personnel
4

Penetrant materials.
5

Surface preparation and Cleaning.

6

Drying after preparation.

7

Calibration.
8

Examination.
9

Interpretation.
10

Light intensity.
11

Evaluation
12

Acceptance standard.
13

Defect Removal and repair.

14

Post examination cleaning.

15
Report of Examination
16

Safety.
17

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PNEC PROCEDURE
Date: 28.01.2012

1.0SCOPE

1.1This document describes the procedure and acceptance standards for liquid penetrant
examination of base materials and welds for detection of discontinuities open to the
surface in non-porous metals using visible color contrast solvent removable
penetrant and non aqueous wet developer.

1.2The extent of examination shall be as required by approved drawings, QAP and Code.

2.0 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

2.1 ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section V, 2010 Edition.

2.2 ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII Division-1, 2010 Edition.

2.3 ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII Division-2, 2010 Edition.

2.4 ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section IX, 2010 Edition.

2.5 PNEC-WP-01.Written Practice for Training, Qualification and Certification of NDE

Personnel.

2.6 ASNT-SNT-TC-1A-2006

3.0 WRITTEN PROCEDURE REQUIREMENTS

This examination procedure shall be the demonstrated as per T-150 of ASME

Section V, to the satisfaction of AI.

A change of a requirement in Table-621 of ASME Section V (refer PNEC/PT/01

Annexure-1) identified as essential variable shall require re-qualification of this
procedure by demonstration. A change of a requirement identified as a non-
essential variable shall not require re-qualification of the written procedure. All
changes of essential or non-essential variables from those specified within this
procedure shall require revision of this procedure.

4.0 QUALIFICATION OF PERSONNEL

The personnel performing liquid Penetrant examination shall be certified as per

ASNT-SNT-TC-1A and as per PNEC written practice.

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PNEC PROCEDURE
Date: 28.01.2012

5.0 PENETRANT MATERIALS

5.1 The term penetrant material used in this procedure is intended to include the
penetrant, solvent or cleaning agent and developer used in the examination. This
procedure covers use of color contrast solvent removable penetrant material only.

5.2 Penetrant, cleaner and developer shall be of the same brand. Inter-mixing of
penetrant materials from different families or different manufacturers is not
permitted. Following penetrant materials are approved for use:

a) Penetrant: Magnaflux SKL-SP-1

b) Cleaner: Magnaflux SKC-1

c) Developer: Magnaflux SKD-S2

5.3 For examination of nickel based alloys, the penetrant materials (penetrant, cleaner
and developer) shall not contain sulphur above 1% by weight as per Mandatory
Appendix II of ASME Section V, Article-6.

5.4 For examination of austenitic or duplex stainless steels and titanium alloys, the
liquid penetrant materials (penetrant, cleaner and developer) shall not contain total
chlorine and fluorine above 1% by weight as per Mandatory Appendix II of ASME
Section V, Article-6.

5.5 The Senior Manger QA&MR shall obtain penetrant material manufacturer’s
certification of contamination content for all liquid penetrant materials. The
certification shall include the manufacturers’ batch numbers and the tests results
obtained in accordance with clause no 5.3 and 5.4 above.

6.0 SURFACE PREPARATION AND CLEANING

a) In general, satisfactory results may be obtained when the surface of the part is
in as-welded or as-ground condition. Any suitable surface preparation method
like hand grinding, wire-brushing may be used where surface irregularities could
mask indications.

b) Prior to the examination, the surface to be examined and adjacent areas within
at least 25 mm (1 inch) shall be thoroughly cleaned and shall be dry and free of
all dirt, grease, lint, scale, welding flux, weld spatter, paint, oil, and other
extraneous matter that could obscure surface openings or otherwise interfere
with the examination. Cleaning shall be accomplished using cleaner as
mentioned in 5.2 above.

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PNEC PROCEDURE
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7.0 DRYING AFTER PREPARATION

After cleaning, drying of the surfaces to be examined shall be accomplished by

normal evaporation. It shall be ensured that the cleaner has evaporated completely
before application of penetrant. A minimum time period of 2 minutes and maximum
15 minutes shall be allowed for drying to ensure that the cleaner has evaporated
prior to application of the penetrant.

SURFACE TEMPERATURE

The temperature of the penetrant and the surface of the part to be processed shall
not be below 10 °C or above 52 °C throughout the examination period. Where it is
not practical to comply with these limitations, the procedure shall be qualified at
the proposed temperature range within the temperature limits recommended by
manufacturer, on liquid penetrant comparator blocks, as per Mandatory Appendix
III of ASME Section V, Article-6.

8.0 CALIBRATION

Light meters shall be calibrated at least once a year or whenever the meter has
been repaired. If the light meter has not been used in for one year or more,
calibration shall be done before being used.

9.0 EXAMINATION

9.1 Penetrant Application

The penetrant shall be applied by Spraying.

9.2 Penetrant Dwell Time

Penetrant dwell time shall be 10 minutes minimum and shall not exceed 30
minutes.

9.3 Excess Penetrant Removal

After the specified penetrant dwell time has elapsed, any penetrant remaining on
the surface shall be removed by wiping with clean, dry, lint free cloth or absorbent
paper, repeating the operation until most traces of penetrant have been removed.
The remaining traces shall be removed by lightly wiping the surface with cloth or
absorbent paper moistened with solvent. To minimize removal of penetrant from
discontinuities, care shall be taken to avoid use of excess solvent. Flushing or

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PNEC PROCEDURE
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flooding the surface with solvent, following application of penetrant and prior to
developer application, is prohibited.

9.4 Drying after excess penetrant removal

After removal of excess penetrant, the surface shall be dried by normal

evaporation. Drying time shall not be less than 2 minutes and shall not be more
than 10 minutes.

9.5 Application of Developer

a) The developer shall be applied as soon as possible after penetrant removal and
drying of the surface. The time interval between drying after removal of excess
penetrant and application of developer shall not exceed 10 minutes. The
developer shall be applied in thin and uniform layer. Insufficient coating
thickness may not draw the penetrant out of discontinuities while excessive
coating thickness may mask indications.

b) Wet non-aqueous developer shall be used and shall be applied by spraying only
to a dry surface. Prior to applying suspension type wet developer to the surface,
the developer must be thoroughly agitated to ensure adequate dispersion of
suspended particles. Drying of the developer shall be done by natural
evaporation.

c) Developing time for final interpretation begins immediately as soon as the wet
developer coating is dry.

10.0 INTERPRETATION

10.1 Final interpretation shall be made not less than 10 minutes nor more than 30
minutes after the wet developer coating is dry. If the surface to be examined is
large enough to preclude complete examination within the above prescribed and
established time, the examination shall be performed in increments.

10.2 The characterization of type of discontinuities is difficult to evaluate if the

penetrant diffuses excessively into the developer. If this condition occurs, close
observation of the formation of indication(s) during application of the developer
may assist in characterizing and determining the extent of the indication(s).

10.3 With the developer forming a reasonable uniform white coating, surface
discontinuities are indicated by bleed-out of the penetrant which is a deep red color
that stains the developer. Indications with light pink color may indicate excessive
cleaning. Inadequate cleaning may leave an excessive back ground making
interpretation difficult.

11.0 LIGHT INTENSITY

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11.1 A minimum of 1000 Lux (100 fc) light intensity is required on the surface to be
examined to ensure adequate sensitivity during examination and evaluation of
indications. The light source, technique used, and light level verification shall be
demonstrated one time, documented, and maintained on file.

11.2 It has been demonstrated that a hand lamp of 220V/100 Watt bulb without
reflector, when held at a distance of 250mm (10 inches) will give a minimum 1000
Lux (100 fc) within a circle of diameter 250mm (10 inches) directly below the bulb
centre.

11.3 Refer separate procedure for the same of above.

12.0 EVALUATION

12.1 Discontinuities at the surface will be indicated by bleed-out of penetrant; however,

localized surface irregularities due to machining marks or other surface conditions
may produce false indications.

12.2 Broad areas of pigmentation which could mask indications of discontinuities are
unacceptable and such areas shall be cleaned and re-examined.

12.3 An indication of imperfection may be larger than the imperfection that causes it,
however the size of the indication is the basis of acceptance evaluation. Only
indications with major dimensions greater than 1.5mm shall be considered
relevant.

a)A linear indication is one having a length greater than three times the width.

b)A rounded indication is one of circular or elliptical shape with the length equal to
or less than three times the width.

c)Any questionable or doubtful indications shall be re-examined to confirm whether

or not they are relevant.

12.4 Any indication, which is believed to be non-relevant, shall be regarded as an

imperfection unless it is shown by re-examination by the same method or by the
use of other non-destructive methods and/or by surface conditioning, that no
unacceptable imperfection is present.

13.0 ACCEPTANCE STANDARD

13.1 All surface to be examined shall be evaluated for acceptance as per requirement
with referencing code as below:

13.1.1 ASME section VIII Division – 1 Appendix – 8

13.1.2 ASME section VIII Division – 2 Part 7.

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PNEC PROCEDURE
Date: 28.01.2012

As per ASME SECTION VIII DIVISION – 1 APPENDIX –8, 2010 EDITION

All surfaces to be examined shall be free of:

a. Relevant linear indications more than 1.5 mm

b. Relevant rounded indication greater than 5 mm
c. Four or more rounded relevant indications in a line separated by 1.5 mm or less
(edge to edge).

As per ASME SECTION VIII DIVISION – 2 PART – 7 2010 EDITION

All surfaces to be examined shall be free of the criteria defined as above including,

a. Crack like indications detected, irrespective of surface conditions, are

Unacceptable

14.0 DEFECT REMOVAL AND REPAIR

14.1 Un-acceptable imperfections shall be repaired and re-examination made to assure

removal or reduction to an acceptable size. When an imperfection is repaired by
chipping or grinding and subsequent repair by welding is not required, the
excavated area shall be merged with the surrounding surface so as to avoid sharp
notches, crevices or corners. Where welding is required after removal of an
imperfection, the area shall be cleaned and welding performed in accordance with
qualified welding procedure.

14.2 After a defect is thought to have been removed, and prior to making weld repairs,
the area shall be examined by suitable methods to ensure that defect has been
removed or reduced to an acceptably sized imperfection.

14.3 After repairs, the repaired areas shall be blended into the surrounding surface so
as to avoid sharp notches, crevices or corners and re-examined by the liquid
penetrant method and by all other methods of examination that were originally
required for the affected area, except that, when the depth of repair is less than the
radiographic sensitivity required, radiography may be omitted.

15.0 POST EXAMINATION CLEANING

Post examination cleaning shall be done by wiping with cloth moistened with
solvent.

16.0 REPORT OF EXAMINATION

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PNEC PROCEDURE
Date: 28.01.2012

16.1The examination shall be reported on “Liquid Penetrant Examination Report” format,

as per PNEC/PT/01 Annexure-2.

16.2Rejectable indications shall be recorded. As a minimum, the type of indications

(linear or rounded), location and extent (length or diameter or aligned) shall be
recorded.

17.0 SAFETY Test shall be conducted in well ventilated area.

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