NDE Associates, Inc. provides inspection services for ultrasonic testing. These include Phased array for weld inspection, manual UT-shear wave, thickness measurement, etc. NDT inspections include refineries, petrochemical plants, power plants, utilities, windmills, transmission towers etc,. The inspection is done to detect defects in the welds and to assure that the weld meets the applicable code. The applicable Codes for weld inspection are as follows:

ASME Section V, Article 4, 2011 ed. Ultrasonic Testing of Welds
ASME Section I, Boilers
ASME Section VIII, Pressure Vessels
ASME B31.1, Power Piping
ASME B31.3, Petrochemical Piping
AWS D1.1 Structural Steel
DNV OS-F101 Offshore Standard, Submarine Pipeline Systems
BS (ISO)-17640 UT of Welds

UT in lieu of Radiography for Weld Inspection

Radiography is commonly used to inspect welds that are fabricated as per a specific ASME code. Radiography is a reliable method but it has one major limitation. All work in the inspection area has to be stopped and the workers vacated to avoid exposure. This can impair work progress and delay the job. UT  in lieu of radiography is quite attractive option as it does not affect any work being done in the vicinity. The general approach for this inspection would be to use Phased Array + TOFD combination. This combination assures full weld coverage and detection of all types of flaws, eg, LOF, ID and OD connected cracks, slag, porosity  and center line cracks.

NDE Associates, Inc provides consulting services to qualify vendors for inspection as per

• ASME Code Case 2235-9 or ASME VIII, Div 2 (2010), Section 7.5.5, UT in lieu of radiography for Section VIII pressure vessels.

• ASME 31.3, Code Case 181-2 (2012). Use of Alternative Ultrasonic Acceptance Criteria.

UT Shear Wave on Test Blocks with defects.
 

Ultrasonic Applications include:

• Ultrasonic Piping inspection

• Ultrasonic Vessel inspection

• Pressure Vessel Inspection

• Pipeline Inspection

• Nozzle Inspection

• Boiler tube Inspection

• Steam Line Inspection

In addition to flaw detection, we offer services for flaw sizing using advanced ultrasonic test methods such as tip diffraction, Time of Flight and Tip-diffraction TOFD.


 

Manual UT Equipment Manufacturers

Dakota Instruments, USA
GE Inspection Services, USA
IMG Ultrasuoni, Italy
Krautkramer, Germany
Mitech, China
Modsonic, India
NDT Systems, USA
Sonatest, UK
Sonovation, UK
OlympusNDT, USA

UT Scanners
Jireh Industries, Canada

UT Wedges
Castec, Houston

Please feel free to contact us to add/delete/change



Phased Array Inspection of High Energy Piping circumferential weld
Instrument is Omniscan
 

Phased Array inspection of 24 inch Pipe riser welds. Inspection done on-shore after pipes removed from service.
Instrument is Omniscan-PA



Manual Shear Wave examination with Epoch 4

NDE Associates, Inc.
515 Tristar Drive
Webster, TX 77598
Phone: 281-488-8944    Fax: 281-488-8485