PROCEDURE FOR ULTRASONIC TESTING AS PER ASTM A 578 OF FLAT PRODUCTS.

1. SCOPE:This procedure includes ultrasonic examination of carbon, HSLA, and alloy steel plates offline, shall be carried out in full compliance with the appropriate material specification, defect acceptance standards and personnel qualification. It is used to detect the internal discontinuity of a material having thickness 10 mm & above. 2. Personnel Qualification: Testing personnel shall be certified Level-I/II operators in accordance with ASNT SNTTC-1A. 3. Testing Equipment:Equipment consist of the following Battery operated portable instrument 1) MICROSCAN PX20 Ultrasonic Flaw detector EEC Make 2) DIGISCAN DS-322 Ultrasonic Flaw detector EEC Make 3) MULTI CHANNEL PID-08 Ultrasonic Flaw detector EEC Make 4) The Transducer (Singal/Dual Crystal) is normally 25 to 30mm in diameter; however, any transducer having a minimum active area of 450mm 2 may be used .A Nominal test frequency 2.25 MHz is recommended .Thickness, grain size or microstructure of the material & nature of equipment may require higher or lower test frequency. 5) Other Transducers may be used for evaluating & pinpointing indication. 4. SURFACE CONDITION:Surface of the plate to be examined shall be free from loose scale, paint, dust, chips & any foreign material. 5. EXAMINATION TECHNIQUE:Pulse Echo Technique by direct contact method with straight beam. 6. Instrument set up and calibration:The Instrument shall be calibrated as per ASTM E317 at least once in year. Basic Range set up & checking of instrument also to be done by IIW block (International Institute of Welding) 1) IIW V1 Block 2) IIW V2 Block.

Verification of known distances, check resolution sensitivity, Horizontal linearity. Amplitude linearity also has to be checked by positioning the transducer over the depth resolution notch in the II W block. 7. Procedure: 1. Conduct the general scanning with a test frequency & instrument adjustment that will produce a minimum 50 to maximum 90% of full scale reference first back reflection from the opposite side of a sound area of plate during scanning. 2. Scanning shall be Continuous along perpendicular grid lines on Nominal 225 mm centers/Continuous along parallel paths, Transverse to major plate axis on Nominal 100 mm centers/Continuous along parallel paths, parallel to major plate axis on Nominal 75 mm centers. 3. Scanning Lines shall be measured from the centre or one corner of the plate, 50mm of all edges shall be scanned as a additional path. 4. Couplant used is water. 5. When a discontinuity condition is observed during general scanning adjust the instrument to produce a first reflection from opposite side of a sound of the plate of 75 +/- 5% of full scale .Maintain this instrument setting during evaluation of the discontinuity condition. 6. Frequency is as per material (Grain size, microstructure), thickness of the material and minimum size of the flaw that is looking for, the extent of the dead zone noise level etc. In general 2Mhz probes used for thickness>25mm and 4Mhz for thickness<=25mm. 7. If any Supplementary requirement is there which has been agreed between manufacturer & purchaser that 100% of one major plate surface shall be scanned than 100% scanning with 10% overlap should be there between each path. 8. While scanning discontinuity indication, complete loss of back reflection accompanied by continuous indications is detected than the entire grid should by scanned continuously. The boundaries of these discontinuities shall be established by the 6 DB drop method. 9. Record all discontinuity causing complete loss of back reflection. For 20 mm thick plates & above record all indications which amplitude equal to or grater than 50% of the initial back reflection & accompanied by a 50% loss of back reflection. 8. Acceptance/Rejection Criteria:For Level A:Any area where one or more Discontinuity produce 100% Back wall loss accompanied by continuous indication on the same plane that cannot be encompassed within a 75 mm diameter circle or one half of plate thickness whichever greater is Unacceptable.

For Level B:I.Any area where one or more Discontinuity produce 100% Back wall loss accompanied by continuous indication on the same plane that cannot be encompassed within a 75 mm diameter circle or one half of plate thickness whichever greater is Unacceptable. II. In addition, two or more discontinuities smaller than point No: I shall be unacceptable unless separated by a minimum distance equal to the greatest diameter of the larger discontinuity or unless they may be collectively encompassed by the circle described as point I. For Level C:I.Any area where one or more Discontinuity produce 100% Back wall loss accompanied by continuous indication on the same plane that cannot be encompassed within a 25 mm diameter circle or one half of plate thickness whichever greater is Unacceptable. 9. Marking:Accepted plates shall be identified by stamping or stenciling UT A 578-A for Level A , UT A 578-B for Level B & UT A 578-C for Level C adjacent to the marking required by the material specification. 10. Reporting /Certification:1) Identification, material specification and size of plate. 2) Amplification or gain control of equipment. 3) Couplant used. 4) Date of testing. 5) Amplitude of the defect indication reduction in back echo amplitude, depth of the defect and location of the defect, with respect to the point. 6) Acceptable / Not Acceptable. 7) UT operators name and his level. 8) All recordable indication listed in point no: 8.9 on a sketch of the plate with sufficient data to relate the geometry & identity of the sketch to those of the plate. 9) UT marking as per relevant specification or customers requirement.