Astm e 587 - 2015
Astm e 587 - 2015
Astm e 587 - 2015
1. Scope*
1.1 This practice covers ultrasonic examination of materials
by the pulse-echo technique, using continuous coupling of
angular incident ultrasonic vibrations.
1.2 This practice shall be applicable to development of an
examination procedure agreed upon by the users of the
practice.
2. Referenced Documents
4.1 An electrical pulse is applied to a piezoelectric transducer which converts electrical to mechanical energy. In the
angle-beam search unit, the piezoelectric element is generally
a thickness expander which creates compressions and rarefactions. This longitudinal (compressional) wave travels through a
wedge (generally a plastic). The angle between transducer face
and the examination face of the wedge is equal to the angle
between the normal (perpendicular) to the examination surface
and the incident beam. Fig. 1 shows the incident angle i, and
the refracted angle r, of the ultrasonic beam.
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FIG. 1 Refraction
V
f
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FIG. 3 Effective Angles in the Steel versus Wedge Angles in Acrylic Plastic
FIG. 4 Axle
FIG. 5 Thickness
FIG. 7 Coincident Beams
examination and opposite surfaces. Centrally located laminations are best detected with the first or second mode asymmetrical Lamb waves (one or three elliptical layers). Small
thickness changes are best detected with the third or higher
mode symmetrical or asymmetrical-type Lamb waves (five or
more elliptical layers). A change in plate thickness causes a
change of vibrational mode just as a lamination causes a mode
change. The mode conversion is imperfect and may produce
indications at the leading and the trailing edges of the lamination or the thin area.
5. Basis of Application
5.1 Purchaser-Supplier Agreements: The following items
require agreement between using parties for this practice to be
used effectively:
5.1.1 Personnel QualificationIf specified in the contractual agreement, personnel performing examinations to this
practice shall be qualified in accordance with a nationally
recognized NDT personnel qualification practice or standard
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FIG. 8 Corner
FIG. 15 Cracks
FIG. 11 Edge Lamination
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E587 15
oil, water-soluble oils, and grease. Corrosion inhibitors or
wetting agents or both may be used. Couplants must be
selected that are not detrimental to the product or the process.
The couplant used in standardization should be used for the
examination. The standardization and examination surface
temperatures should be within 625F (14C) to avoid large
attenuation and velocity differences in the wedge material.
6.1.3.1 The coupling medium should be selected so that its
viscosity is appropriate for the surface finish of the material to
be examined. The examination of rough surfaces generally
requires a high-viscosity couplant. The temperature of the
materials surface can change the couplants viscosity. As an
example, in the case of oil and greases, see Table 1.
6.1.3.2 At elevated temperatures (above 125F (52C)),
heat-resistant coupling materials such as silicone oils, gels, or
greases should be used. Further, intermittent contact of the
search unit with the surface or auxiliary cooling of the search
unit may be necessary to avoid temperature changes that affect
the ultrasonic wave transmission properties of the wedge
material or the characteristics of the transducer. At higher
temperatures, certain couplants based on inorganic salts or
thermoplastic organic materials, high-temperature wedge
materials, and transducers that are not damaged by high
temperatures, may be required.
6.1.3.3 Where constant coupling over large areas is needed,
as in automated examination, or where severe changes in
surface roughness are found, other couplings such as liquidgap coupling will usually provide a better examination. In this
case, the search unit face does not contact the examination
surface but is spaced from it a distance of about 0.02 in. (0.5
mm) by integral rails or a fixture. Liquid flowing through the
search unit fills the gap. The flowing liquid provides the
coupling path and has the additional advantage of keeping the
search unit temperature low if the examination surface is hot.
6.1.3.4 An alternative means of direct contact coupling is
provided by the wheel search unit. The transducer is mounted
at the required angle to a stationary axle about which rotates a
liquid-filled flexible tire. A minimum amount of couplant
provides ultrasonic transmission into the examination surface
since the elastic tire material is in rolling contact and conforms
closely to the surface.
6.1.4 Reference ReflectorsReference reflectors of known
dimension, artificial reflectors, or distance-amplitude relationships of known reflector sizes for a particular search unit and
material may be used for standardization. The artificial reflectors may be in the form of side-drilled holes, notches, or
NOTE 1The table is a guide only and is not meant to exclude the use
of a particular couplant that is found to work satisfactorily on a particular
surface.
Approximate Surface Roughness
Average (Ra in.)
5 to 100
50 to 200
100 to 400
250 to 700
Over 1000
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FIG. 16 Standardization
VR
4~d!
NOTE 1Example: The reference reflector depth is 0.013 in. (0.33 mm)
in a material having a Rayleigh wave velocity (VR) of 0.118 in./s (3.00
mm/s):
f>
VR
4~d!
0.118 in./s
f>
4 ~ 0.013 in.!
f>2.27 cycles/s.
or 2.27 MHz. This frequency will produce a beam with sufficient depth
of penetration to give higher amplitudes from reflectors with greater
depths.
f>
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thickness of the material. Therefore, it is necessary that the
reference standard be similar to the item under examination.
The desired reference discontinuity may be either a thickness
differential or a discontinuity reflector. The Lamb wave travels
at its group velocity, which is different for each mode and is
different from the phase velocity. The sweep (time trace) on the
screen should be standardized for distance from the search unit
to the reference reflector.
7.2.3.2 Amplitude StandardizationThe ordering data shall
state the maximum allowable discontinuity that can then be
used as the reference standard. A suitable Lamb-wave type and
mode shall be chosen in order to obtain a reference indication
from the reference reflector.
8. Procedure
8.1 Angle-beam examinations are generally performed by
using the angle-beam longitudinal wave or the angle-beam
shear wave technique.
8.2 Angle-Beam Longitudinal WaveWhen the geometry of
the part or orientation of the flaws requires a beam angle of 1
to 40, angle-beam longitudinal waves should be used. Anglebeam shear waves between 1 and 40 generally should not be
used because a higher amplitude angle-beam longitudinal wave
may coexist and confuse the examination. In the 1 to 40 beam
angle range, angle-beam longitudinal waves will give higher
amplitudes than the coexisting lower angle shear waves. Three
subgroups may be identified within this group: single transducer; parallel beam, dual transducer; and crossed beam, dual
transducer search units.
8.2.1 Single-Transducer Search UnitsWhen the angle of
the major reflecting face of the expected flaw is known, the
examination beam angle should be perpendicular to that face.
Scan the material so that the beam is perpendicular to the major
face of the flaw in areas where the flaw may be present.
8.2.1.1 The beam angle for detecting fatigue cracks in solid
shafts from the end, as shown in Fig. 17, may be computed as
follows:
2 5 arctan
A1B
C
A2B
C
FIG. 17 Shaft
will be essentially parallel. Except for operation of the instrument in the through transmission mode, application of these
search units is similar to that described in 8.2.1.
8.2.3 Crossed-Beam, Dual-Transducer Search Units
These search units are assembled so that the beams cross
directly under the examination surface and provide improved
near-surface resolution. The range of depth that can be examined with these search units depends on the transducer size and
beam angle. Except for improved near-surface resolution,
possibly limited depth range, the extra care required for depth
standardization, and operation of the instrument in the through
transmission mode, application of these search units is similar
to straight-beam examination as described in Practice E114.
8.3 Angle-Beam Shear WaveAngle-beam shear wave examinations are generally performed using the single transducer
search unit technique. The principles involved in this technique
are illustrated in Fig. 16. The side of the drilled hole provides
a cylindrical reflector similar to a slag inclusion. Other flaws
and flaw orientations are possible. It is imperative, therefore,
that a study be made of the anticipated flaws to determine the
most likely orientation so that the ultrasonic beam may be
directed to produce reflections. Often a number of beam
directions or a rotational aiming of the beam will be needed if
flaw orientation can be random. Inclusions of voids that are
rough, irregular, or spherical provide multidirectional reflections and require less aiming of the beam. Cracks due to stress,
incomplete fusion welds, etc., can be expected to be at right
angles to the stress or to lie in the plane of the weld preparation
face. Materials that have been rolled, forged, or otherwise
formed in the solid state may exhibit cracks at right angles to
the stress (direction of flow) or laminations in a plane parallel
to the examination surface.
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9. Examination Data Record
9.1 The following data should be recorded during each
examination.
9.1.1 Part identification and date of examination.
9.1.2 Operators name and (if certified) level.
9.1.3 Instrument description, make, model, and serial number.
9.1.4 SetupCouplant, cable length, cable type, and
manual/automatic scanning.
9.1.5 Search Unit DescriptionType, frequency, transducer
size, wedge, and beam mode of vibration.
9.1.6 Reference standards and standardization data required
to duplicate the examination.
9.1.7 Indication information as required by the applicable
specification or results of the examination (number, identity or
probable type, size, and location of discontinuities).
10. Interpretation of Results
10.1 Reflector position and amplitude should be determined
at reference gain.
10.2 Reflections may be caused by the geometry of the part,
for example, corners, surface concavity or convexity, and other
surface contours which reflect ultrasonic waves to the search
unit. Geometric indications should be identified.
10.3 Advance agreement should be made between the
supplier and purchaser regarding the interpretation of the
results of the examination and what data will be stored.
Indications that are not identified as geometric and that exceed
the rejection level shall be rejected unless it is agreed by the
customer or determined from the part drawing that the defects
will not remain in the finished part.
11. Report
FIG. 18 Shaft
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SUMMARY OF CHANGES
Committee E07 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue (E587-10)
that may impact the use of this standard.
(1) Added the terms group velocity and phase velocity to
Section 3.
(2) Added ISO 9712 to Section 2 and 5.1.1.
(3) Deleted reference to MIL-STD-410.
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