Solution: Stainless Steel Weld Inspection

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Stainless Steel

Weld Inspection

Application Solution

Overview

• Inspection Challenge

• Recommended Phased Array Ultrasonic (PA UT)

Solution

• Results

• Benefits of Zetec Solution

© Zetec Inc. All rights reserved 2

• Various industries want to use PA UT for manufacturing inspection (“in lieu of RT”) and for in-service inspection of stainless steel (SS) and other austenitic welds : dissimilar metal, Inconel, Corrosion-Resistant alloy (CRA)

• These welds are challenging for UT examination, because of sound propagation issues in the coarse-grain austenitic weld structure (see next slide)

• Reliable examination of austenitic welds requires careful selection of inspection techniques

• Most elements of a “successful” inspection solution for austenitic material are known to UT experts, but implementation is still perceived as laborious and expensive (requires high-end equipment and software, or multiple software packages)

Inspection Challenge


• High, and variable attenuation

• High noise level, caused by

reflection on individual grains

• Low-pass filtering effect

• Beam skewing and distortion

• Local variations of material

structure

Inspection Challenge


Propagation issues caused by anisotropic coarse-grain

structure of stainless steel and austenitic welds :

LW

SW

• Low-frequency 2D matrix array probes, to generate both

LW and SW beams, for complete weld coverage

Recommended PA UT Solution


• High-performance portable PA UT unit, with

fully integrated support of 2D matrix arrays :

– On-board setup and adjustment of probe

and wedge configuration

– Visual feedback on focal laws

– Volumetric Merge for efficient data analysis

• Efficient deployment on-site, compatible with

automated and manually driven encoded

scanners

• Examination for circumferential flaws using dual 2D matrix arrays (TRL mode), with frequencies between 1.5 and 3.5 MHz:– Better sensitivity and SNR due to the “convolution” of T and R beams

– No dead zone or wedge echoes

• Refracted angles from 30° to 85°LW, covering the full thickness

• Effective inspection through coarse-grain weld material

Inspection Technique


• Detection of axial cracks (e.g. IGSCC) in austenitic welds with

weld cap in place

• Single 2D matrix array probe, operating in pulse-echo mode,

generating skewed SW beams through base material

• Multiple skew angles and probe orientations to optimize detection

and coverage


Inspection Technique

• Standard dual 2D matrix array probes: frequency and active

surface optimized for material attenuation and wall thickness

• Element configuration optimized for maximum steering

capability without side lobes

• Exchangeable wedge assemblies, contoured to match pipe OD


2D Matrix Array Probes


• Fully integrated, portable unit

• 64-bit computer, 2 x faster

• PA UT 32/128PR + 2 UT at 200 V

UltraVision TouchTM

Advanced software• On-board support of 2D arrays

• « Propose Setup » tool

• Visual feedback on focal laws

• On-line Volumetric Merge

• Full data analysis capability

• 2GByte data files on-board

Zetec Instrument


Results – SS Weld with Cap

PA UT data (30° to 85°LW) from 304 SS weld (T = 25 mm) :

all flaws detected from a single side with 2.25 MHz, 10x3 matrix array (TRL)


Results – Axial Flaws

Merged PA UT data (SW) from axial ID crack in SS pipe weld (T = 23 mm):

Reliable detection using beams with multiple skews,

and accurate positioning of the crack in cylindrical geometry


• Standard 2D matrix array probes with proven design for

a wide range of austenitic weld configurations

• integrated portable PA UT system,

capable of performing 2-sided weld inspection using

TRL probes (32T/32R):– High performance from on-board 64-bit computer

– Capability to record large data files (up to 2 GBytes)

• Efficient setup and optimization of inspection techniques

using only the on-board UltraVision Touch software

• Easy to deploy:– Dynamic Merge views for on-line monitoring of inspection data

– Complete data analysis capability

– Indication Table & Report Generation

Benefits of Zetec Solution

Thank You!

Learn more at: www.zetec.com


Solution: Stainless Steel Weld Inspection

Engineering

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