Ultrasonic Inspection

Typical Assets

We regularly use ultrasonics on the following:

• Storage Tanks – the floor, shell, roof, sump, nozzles etc.
• Pipelines – typically each spool is tested at various points, with a priority given to bends and other high risk areas
• Boiler Tubes – each tube can be tested on each side at various locations along the tube to determine overall condition
• Heat Exchangers – IRIS can be used to determine precise thickness values in tubing and give wall loss percentages, distinguishing between I.D and O.D defects
• Pressure Vessels – shell plates, end plates, nozzles, etc.

Surface Preparation

Ultrasonic testing can be used through a variety of mediums, and although copes with surface conditions well compared to other techniques, there needs to be a good contact between the transducer and the material being tested.

A high amount of surface roughness can reduce the energy being transmitted, resulting in a loss of received amplitude and reduction in detection capacity.

Surface coatings such as thin foams are generally transparent to ultrasonics, however thick foams can cause a surface reflections, so should be removed prior to testing.

Shear Wave Ultrasonics

We also provide Shear Wave Ultrasonics which can be used to look for weld defects beneath the surface such as porosity, slag inclusions, lack of fusion, lack of penetration and cracking. Shear wave is often used an alternative to radiography.