Indian Society for Proc.

National Seminar on
Non-Destructive Testing Non-Destructive Evaluation
Hyderabad Chapter Dec. 7 - 9, 2006, Hyderabad

ASME CODE FOR ULTRASONIC TESTING THE KNOWLEDGE

SINEQUATION
ASHOK J. TRIVEDI

M/s Electronic & Engineering Co. India Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai-400 053, India
e-mail: ashokjtrivedi@vsnl.net

Abstract

With the globalization stance of government, India is quickly emerging as an important

business nation in the world. Many overseas reputed organizations have identified India for
their international engineering business operations and have set up their offices as well as
manufacturing facilities in recent past. Being techno economically competent many Indian
industries have also started exports to the developed countries. Obviously, in this
international competitive era, a product stands out amongst others only by its virtue of
soundness, reliability and safety. To accomplish this, qualified professionals, calibrated
equipments / instruments, standard examination procedures and codified acceptance criteria
are the sinequanon, where NDE assumes utmost importance. Amongst various NDE methods
available for inspection, this paper highlights ASME Code requirements for ultrasonic
examination. It is very essential to prepare a written NDE procedure, get it approved from an
authorized person and satisfactorily demonstrate the procedure to an authorized inspector
before its actual implementation on the job. Shortcuts to this would result in failure to meet
code requirements and unpleasant situation for the product as well as organization. In
particular this paper deals with ultrasonic examination of materials and welds as per ASME
Section V, which is providing the guide lines for evolution of NDE procedures and
presentation of proper NDE reports.

Key Words :
ASME Code, Sinequanon, Raw Materials, Welds, NDE Procedures, NDE Reports.

Introduction :
For any organization to sell a product in this international competitive era, the product must
have the required quality, reliability, soundness as well as safety. To achieve these parameters
the product must meet various international test specifications and code requirements. NDE
plays a very important role in achieving the above parameters. For successful implementation
of nondestructive examinations proper NDE procedures are very essential. This paper deals
with following two aspects as per ASME Code :
(A) Procedure for ultrasonic examination of materials.
(B) Procedure for ultrasonic examination of welds.
The paper highlights about the essential as well as non-essential variables in preparing NDE
procedures as well as essential requirements to be fulfilled while preparing NDE reports for
both the above aspects at (A) and (B) as per ASME Section V Code requirements.
(A) Guide Lines for Preparing Written Procedure For Ultrasonic Examination Of
Materials :
 ASHOK J. TRIVEDI

ASME Sec. V Article 5 gives the guide lines for ultrasonic examination of various materials.
It also refers to Article 23 of the same section. It also suggests to consult referencing Code
Section for specific requirements.
This Code requires that ultrasonic examination shall be performed in accordance with a
written procedure. It specifies the minimum requirements of a written NDE procedure,
requirements of a procedure qualification, essential as well as non-essential variable of a
written NDE procedure, requirements of nondestructive examination report.
Variables of an ultrasonic examination procedure are tabulated on Page 4.
To cover the above aspects and to give one illustration the author suggests following format
for a written ultrasonic examination procedure of plates :

1. Procedure No. Rev. No. and Date.

2. Scope.
3. Reference Documents.
4. Surface Condition of Materials.
5. Heat Treatment.
6. Equipment : Principle on which equipment function, Equipment Make and Model,
Frequency Range, dB control settings available, Screen Height
Linearity, Amplitude Control Linearity, Sweep Range Calibration
Check, Etc.
7. Transducers : Type, Frequency, Size, Angle if type selected is angle beam transducer,
Wave Mode, Any Special Search Unit.
8. Couplant : Brand and Type.
9. Responsibilities and Operators Qualification.
10. Range Calibration of Instrument.
11. Sensitivity Calibrations and Calibration Checks.
12. Scanning and Sizing a Flaw, Scan Over Lap, Scanning Speed, Etc.
13. Acceptance / Rejection Criteria.
14. Report : Shown on Page 3.
15. Table showing essential as well as non-essential variables for the procedure.
16. Clause for Demonstration of the procedure to the satisfaction of AI.
17. Name, Qualification Level and Signature of person preparing the procedure.
18. Name Qualification Level and Signature of person approving the procedure.
 UT REPORT FORMAT-1

Procedure No.
Date
Report No. Date :
Job No.
Reference/Identification
Test date
Test Material
Surface Condition
Object
Test Equipment
UFD Instrument : Make : Model:

Test Probe Normal Beam TR Probe

Frequency Size Frequency Size

Couplant
Test Range
Calibration
Start Time Finish Time
Time Base
Sensitivity (Echo Amplitude
as % FSH)
Gain dB dB
Observations/ Remarks:

Name of Operator Inspection Authority

Qualification
Level II
Signature Date Signature Date
 ASHOK J. TRIVEDI

TABLE T-522 of ASME Section V, Article-5

VARIABLES OF AN ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION PROCEDURE

Non- Procedure
Sr. Essential
Requirement essential Reference
No. Variable
Variable Para No.
Material types and configurations to be
examined, including thickness, dimensions
1. X
and product from (castings, forgings, plate,
etc.)
2. Personnel qualification requirements X
Personnel performance requirements, when
3. X
required
The surface/s from which the examination
4. X
shall be performed
Surface condition (examination surface,
5. X
calibration block)
6. Couplant : Brand name or type X
Technique(s) (straight beam, angle beam,
7. X
contact, and /or immersion)
Angle(s) and mode(s) of wave propagation in
8. X
the material.
Search unit type(s), frequency(ies), element
9. X
size(s)/shapes(s)
Special search units, wedges, shoes, or
10. X
saddles, when used.
11. Ultrasonic instrument(s) X
Calibration [(calibration block(s) and
12. X
technique(s)]
13. Direction and extent of scanning X
Automatic alarm and/or recording
14. X
equipment, when applicable.
15. Scanning (manual vs. automatic) X
16. Method for sizing indications X
Computer enhanced data acquisition, when
17. X
used
Records, including minimum calibration data
18. X
to be recorded (e.g. instrument settings)
19. Scan overlap (decrease only) X
Note : 1. A revised procedure shall be prepared and approved by Level III for
any change in essential or non-essential variable/s.
2. Whenever any change is made in any of the essential variable/s, re
demonstration of the procedure to the satisfaction AI shall be done.
3. When ever any change is made in any of the non-essential variable/s re-
demonstration of procedure to AI is not required.
 (B) Guide Lines For Preparing Written Procedure For Ultrasonic Examination Of
Welds :
ASME Sec. V Article 4 gives the guide lines for ultrasonic examination of various materials.
It also suggests to consult referencing Code Section for specific requirements.
This Code requires that ultrasonic examination shall be performed in accordance with a
written procedure. It specifies the minimum requirements of a written NDE procedure,
requirements of a procedure qualification, essential as well as non-essential variable of a
written NDE procedure, requirements of nondestructive examination report.
Variables of an ultrasonic examination procedure are tabulated on Page 7.
To cover the above aspects and to give one illustration the author suggests following format
for a written ultrasonic examination procedure of welds :

1. Procedure No. Rev. No. and Date.

2. Scope.
3. Reference Documents.
4. Configuration.
5. Examination Surface.
6. Surface Condition of Materials.
7. Equipment : Principle on which equipment function, Equipment Make and Model,
Frequency Range, dB control settings available, Screen Height
Linearity, Amplitude Control Linearity, Sweep Range Calibration
Check, Etc.
8. Transducers : Type, Frequency, Size, Angle, Wave Mode, Any Special Search Unit.
9. Couplant : Brand and Type.
10. Responsibilities and Operators Qualification.
11. Range Calibration of Instrument.
12. Sensitivity Calibrations, Reference Standard Calibration Blocks, Calibration Check of
Instrument, Gain Corrections.
13. Scanning and Establishment of a discontinuity, Sizing a Flaw, Scan Over Lap,
Scanning Speed, Etc.
14. Acceptance / Rejection Criteria.
15. Report : Report No. and Date, Procedure No. Rev. No. Date, Equipment : Make,
Model, Sr. No., Search Unit : Type, Size, Frequency, Angle, Wave Mode, Search
Unit Cable : Type and Length, Special Search Unit if used, Couplant : Brand and
Type, Identification of Calibration Block, Reference Reflector, Reference Level
Gain, Scanning Sensitivity, Damping and Reject Settings if used, Identification and
Location of weld examined, Surface from which examination was conducted and
surface condition, Records of un-acceptable as well as recordable indications, record
of inaccessible weld areas, Name and qualification Level of Operator, Date of
Examination, Reference Code used, Computerized Program if used, Etc.
16. Marking and Repairing,
17. Re-examination.
18. Table showing essential as well as non-essential variables for the procedure.
19. Clause for Demonstration of the procedure to the satisfaction of AI.
20. Name, Qualification Level and Signature of person preparing the procedure.
21. Name Qualification Level and Signature of person approving the procedure.

Conclusions :
1. Nondestructive Examination requires preparation and approval of NDE Procedure.
2. It also requires satisfactory demonstration of the procedure to Authorized Inspector.
 ASHOK J. TRIVEDI

3. Person preparing and approving NDE procedure must have :

(A) Required qualification and experience in NDE.
(B) He must have relevant information about the part or component to be examined, its
manufacturing process, service condition, type and location of discontinuity expected,
method of determining such discontinuities, limitations involved with the applied
NDE method and technique.
(C) Applicable Code and Standards.
4. NDE requires properly calibrated equipments and properly trained, certified and
experienced operators.

References :
1. ASME Sec. V : Article 4, Article 5, Article 23
2. SNT-TC-1A of ASNT, BIS Document : 13805
3. ASME Sec. VIII, Div. I, ASME Sec. III.
 TABLE T- 421 OF ASME SECTION-V, ARTICLE- 4.
REQUIREMENTS OF AN ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION PROCEDURE
Non- Procedure
Sr. Essential
Requirement Essential reference
No. Variable
variable Para No.
1 Weld Configurations to be examined,
including thickness dimensions and base X
material product form (Pipe, Plate, etc.)
2 The surfaces from which the examination
X
shall be performed
3 Technique(s) (straight beam, angle beam,
X
contact, and/or immersion)
4 Angle(s) and mode(s) of wave propagation
X
in the material.
5 Search Unit type(s), frequency(ies),
X
element size(s)/shapes(s)
6 Special search units, wedges, shoes or
X
saddles, when used.
7 Ultrasonic instrument(s) X
8 Calibration (Calibration block(s) and
X
technique(s))
9 Directions and extent of scanning X
10 Scanning (manual vs. automatic) X
11 Method for discriminating geometric from
X
flaw indications.
12 Method for sizing indications X
13 Computer enhanced data acquisition, when
X
used
14 Scan overlap (decrease only) X
15 Personnel performance requirements, when
X
required
16 Personnel qualification requirements X
17 Surface condition (examination surface,
X
calibration block)
18 Couplant: brand name or type X
19 Automatic alarm and/or recording
X
equipment, when Applicable
20 Records, including minimum calibration
data to be recorded (e.g. instrument X
settings)
Note: 1. A revised procedure shall be prepared and approved by Level III for
any change in essential or non-essential variable/s.
2. Whenever any change is made in any of the essential variable/s, re
demonstration of the procedure to the satisfaction AI shall be done.
3. When ever any change is made in any of the non-essential variable/s
re-demonstration of procedure to AI is not required.