Designation: E 1158 – 04

Standard Guide for

Material Selection and Fabrication of Reference Blocks for
the Pulsed Longitudinal Wave Ultrasonic Examination of
Metal and Metal Alloy Production Material1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1158; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope Alloy Ultrasonic Standard Reference Blocks3

1.1 This guide covers general procedures for the material E 428 Practice for Fabrication and Control of Steel Refer-
selection and fabrication of reference blocks made of metal or ence Blocks Used in Ultrasonic Examination
metal alloys and intended to be used for the examination of the E 1316 Terminology for Nondestructive Examinations
same or similar production materials by pulsed longitudinal 3. Terminology
ultrasonic waves applied perpendicular to the beam entry
surface. Primary emphasis is on solid materials but some of the 3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in this guide,
techniques described may be used for midwall examination of see Terminology E 1316.
pipes and tubes of heavy wall thickness. Near-surface resolu- 4. Summary of Guide
tion in any material depends upon the characteristics of the
instrument and search unit employed. 4.1 This guide describes a method of selecting suitable
1.2 This guide covers the fabrication of reference blocks for reference block material from current or previous production
use with either the immersion or the direct-contact method of and the subsequent fabrication and checking of the resulting
ultrasonic examination. ultrasonic reference blocks.
1.3 Reference blocks fabricated in accordance with this 5. Significance and Use
guide can be used to determine proper ultrasonic examination
system operation. Area-amplitude and distance-amplitude 5.1 This guide is intended to illustrate the fabrication of
curves can also be determined with these reference blocks. ultrasonic reference blocks that are representative of the
1.4 This guide does not specify reference reflector sizes or production material to be examined. Care in material selection
product rejection limits. It does describe typical industry and fabrication can result in the manufacture of reference
fabrication practices and commonly applied tolerances where blocks that are ultrasonically similar to the production material
they lend clarity to the guide. In all cases of conflict between thus eliminating the reference block as an examination vari-
this guide and customer specifications, the customer specifica- able.
tion shall prevail. 6. Material Selection
1.5 This standard does not purport to address the safety
6.1 It is good practice to use a sample removed from the
concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
production lot of material as the reference block material.
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and
When this is not possible the following guidelines should be
health practices and to determine the applicability of regula-
followed.
tory limitations prior to use.
6.2 The reference block material should be of the same
2. Referenced Documents general shape and dimensions, surface finish, chemical com-
2.1 ASTM Standards: 2 position, and microstructure as the production material to be
E 127 Practice for Fabricating and Checking Aluminum examined.
6.3 To ensure that the material chosen is suitable for use as
reference block material and is free of potentially interfering
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E07 on Nondestruc-
tive Testing and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E07.06 on Ultrasonic
Method.
3
Current edition approved February 1, 2004. Published March 2004. Originally The reference blocks in Practice E 127 are used to check the performance of
approved in 1990. Last previous edition approved in 1998 as E 1158 - 98. ultrasonic examination equipment and for standardization and control of ultrasonic
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or examinations of aluminum alloy products. The ultrasonic response of the blocks in
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Practice E 127 is evaluated against a standard target. The blocks described in this
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on standard are used for the examination of production material and may be used to
the ASTM website. establish accept-reject criteria.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

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 E 1158 – 04
reflectors, ultrasonically examine the reference block material
at the anticipated examining frequency and at a sensitivity that
produces an acoustic noise level of 20 % screen height. The
entire block should be scanned from the surface which will be
used for standardization. Any discrete indication that exceeds
40 % screen height should be cause to remove the material
from consideration as an ultrasonic reference block.
NOTE 1—Holes are of different diameters.
6.4 Reference block material that meets the guidelines of
FIG. 2 Typical Area-Amplitude Reference Block for use in
6.3 should then be examined at a sensitivity that produces Ultrasonic Examination of Round Bars as in Fig. 1
multiple reflections from the back surface (between 3 and 5
reflections in most metals and metal alloys). The production
material should be examined at the same sensitivity level to
determine that the same number of back reflections are
obtained. This procedure may have to be repeated several times
and an average number of back reflections determined in the
case of some materials (see Note 1).
NOTE 1—In some highly attenuative materials more than one or two
back reflections may not be attainable. In these cases, selection of the NOTE 1—All holes are the same diameter.
reference block material may be based on similar acoustic noise levels FIG. 3 Typical Distance-Amplitude Reference Block for the
from both the production material and that chosen for a reference block. Ultrasonic Examination of Large Square or Rectangular Bars
Greater than 1 in. [25.4 mm]
7. Reference Block Configuration
7.1 There are many different types of reference blocks used
in industry depending upon the size and shape of the material
to be examined. Some of the more common types are described
in 7.2 through 7.7, and shown in Figs. 1-7. An alternate method
for fabricating flat-bottom holes is described in the annex. NOTE 1—Holes are of different diameters.
7.2 Fig. 1 shows the typical reference standards used for FIG. 4 Typical Area-Amplitude Reference Block for the Ultrasonic
ultrasonic examination when the product to be examined Examination of Square or Rectangular Bars
consists of large round bar stock, between 1 and 10 in. in
diameter. With such products it is often necessary to correct for
the loss of signal with increasing examination distance crossectional areas placed at the same distance from the scan
(distance-amplitude-correction, or DAC). Therefore, a stepped surface. Typical hole sizes range from between 2⁄64 and 8⁄64 in.
block, as shown in Fig. 1 is commonly used. This type of block [0.79 and 3.18 mm] with even larger flat-bottom holes used in
is typically referred to as a distance-amplitude-block. It con- reference blocks intended for use for the largest bars.
tains a number of holes of the same size at various distances
7.4 For small round bar stock, typically 1 in. [25.4 mm] and
from the scan surface. A typical flat-bottom hole size found in
under, a distance-amplitude block is normally not required. The
many such blocks is 5⁄64 in. or larger depending upon the
typical area-amplitude block for this product is the same as for
ultrasonic attenuation, or the internal structure of the product,
the larger diameter material as shown in Fig. 2, but on a smaller
or both. For even larger diameter bars the distance amplitude
scale. The hole sizes typically range from between 2⁄64 and 5⁄64
correction reference standard may contain even larger flat
in. [0.79 and 1.98 mm] for many metal and metal alloy
bottom holes, possibly 1⁄4 in. or greater.
products.
7.3 To determine the linearity of the examination and to
establish the quality level of the large-diameter product, (7.2), 7.5 When the product to be examined consists of large
an area-amplitude reference block as shown in Fig. 2 is square or rectangular bar stock, the distance-amplitude refer-
common. An area-amplitude-block contains holes of different ence block is often of the type shown in Fig. 3. The typical
area-amplitude reference block is shown in Fig. 4. The refer-
ence block hole sizes are typically the same as those used for
similar thickness round bars.
7.6 The smaller sizes of square or rectangular bar stock, 1
in. [25.4 mm] and under in the direction of examination, often
do not require the use of a distance-amplitude reference block.
The area-amplitude block may be similar to that shown in Fig.
4. The reference block hole sizes are usually similar to those
used for round bars of the same thickness.
7.7 The reference blocks used for the ultrasonic examina-
NOTE 1—All holes are the same diameter.
FIG. 1 Typical Distance-Amplitude Reference Block Configuration
tion of products with more complex geometries are normally
for the Ultrasonic Examination of Large Metal and Metal Alloy fabricated from production samples so that the effects of
Bars of from 1 to 10 in. [25.4 to 254.0 mm] Diameter and Larger geometry variations are minimized.

2
 E 1158 – 04
involves the drilling of the chosen hole sizes to a desired depth
using a conventional fluted drill bit. In Fig. 1 this depth would
be 3⁄4 in. [19.05 mm]. The fluted drill bit, or another of the same
size, is carefully ground to remove the point and square the tip.
An optical comparator or tool maker’s microscope is useful to
determine when the point has been completely removed and
the drill bit end is flat and square.
8.2.1 The flattened drill bit is then used to carefully flatten
the bottom of the drilled hole. This operation normally requires
great care to avoid drill breakage while still ensuring that the
hole bottom is flat. A physician’s ear examination microscope
with a tip of the proper diameter is helpful in determining when
the hole bottom is truly flat.
8.2.2 If the ultrasonic examination is to be conducted with
the product (and therefore the reference block) immersed in a
liquid, it is considered good practice to plug the flat-bottom
holes in the reference block. Before plugging the holes it is
important that the holes be free of debris and totally dry.
Moisture, metal shavings, or both, can influence the ultrasonic
response from the hole bottom.
NOTE 1—The finish and fitup of the mating surfaces strongly influence 8.2.3 When using metal plugs, counterbores are machined
the success of the bond. in the block to seat the plugs. An alternative method is to use
FIG. 5 Typical Example of a Diffusion Bonded Reference Block
plastic or rubber type sealant forced a short distance into the
for Small Diameter Round Bars
holes and allowed to harden.
8.3 Diffusion Bonding Method—The diffusion bonding
technique offers an alternative method of reference block
manufacture. With this method it is possible to fabricate
reference blocks containing flat disc-shaped ultrasonic reflec-
tors instead of flat-bottom holes. In many cases this permits the
examination of the reference block from more than one
direction thus enhancing the utility of the block.
8.3.1 A typical example is shown in Fig. 5. A diffusion-
bonded reference block for small diameter rounds could be
fabricated as shown. A section is removed from one of the
NOTE 1—The shape of the curve may differ as discussed in 10.1.
round bars to be examined. The bar section is split lengthwise
FIG. 6 Typical Distance-Amplitude Ultrasonic Response Curve
and both split surfaces are carefully ground. An endmill of the
desired diameter is used to mill a shallow (typically 1⁄2 the hole
diameter in depth) flat-bottom hole in one of the split sections.
The sections are then bonded back together using the diffusion
bonding process. (The application of heat and pressure on the
two sections for a period of time results in a sound diffusion
bond which is indistinguishable metallographically or ultra-
sonically from the normal structure.) (See Note 2.) The result
is a reference standard that can be examined from either of 2
sides.
FIG. 7 Typical Area-Amplitude Ultrasonic Response Curve NOTE 2—The time, temperature, and pressure requirements for a
diffusion bond are both material and configuration dependent and there-
fore are beyond the scope of this guide. The American Welding Society4
8. Fabrication Procedure can furnish information on the subject.
8.1 Specific fabricating procedures are dependent upon the
8.3.2 With developed skills, all of the reference blocks
configuration of the reference block, the block composition, the
shown in Figs. 1-4 along with many more types can be
examination criticality, and even the skill of the machinists.
successfully fabricated using the diffusion bonding technique.
Some general guidelines are given in 8.2 through 8.3.2.
8.2 Flat-Bottom Holes—Flat-bottom holes (FBH’S) should
be drilled such that the hole bottom is perpendicular to the
examining sound beam. For the fabrication of reference stan- 4
Available from The American Welding Society (AWS), 550 NW LeJeune Rd.,
dards of the types shown in Figs. 1-4, a common procedure Miami, FL 33126.

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 E 1158 – 04
9. Verification of Reflector Acceptability reference block set may yield an ultrasonic response curve
9.1 It is often desirable or required by specification, or both, similar to that shown in Fig. 6. The shape of the curve may
that the flat-bottom holes be proven to be of the proper size and differ significantly with any change of test frequency, search
flatness. A hole replication method is often used to measure unit diameter, couplant method or water path length. The
these hole characteristics. This method, more often used for procedure used to obtain distance-amplitude curves for flat-
holes of 3⁄64 in. [1.19 mm] or greater diameter, involves forcing entry-surface cylindrical FBH reference blocks is described in
a liquid rubber or plastic compound into the clean, dry hole, Practice E 428. A comparable ASTM procedure for curved-
removing all entrapped air. When the material hardens it can be entry-surface reference blocks is not yet available.
removed in the form of a plug or replica. This plug or hole 10.2 An area-amplitude block set should yield a plot similar
replica can then be examined for the proper size and flatness. to that shown in Fig. 7. The shape of the curve may differ
The removal of the hardened plug is facilitated if a small wire significantly and depends on examination frequency, search
or other object is inserted into the hole while the replicating unit diameter, couplant method, and water path length. The
material is still liquid. When the replicating material solidifies procedure for obtaining this curve for flat-entry-surface cylin-
the wire serves as a handle permitting easy removal of the plug.
drical FBH reference blocks is also presented in Practice
9.2 Replication of the disc-shaped reflector in diffusion
E 428. A comparable ASTM procedure for curved-entry-
bonded reference blocks is not possible. An alternative method
surface reference blocks is not yet available.
of determining whether the reflector has been distorted by the
bonding process is to fabricate a second block under identical
conditions for destructive examination at the conclusion of the 11. Keywords
process. 11.1 area-amplitude; diffusion bonding; distance-amplitude;
flat-bottom hole; material selection; nondestructive testing;
10. Ultrasonic Response Characteristics
reference block; response curve; ultrasonic examination;
10.1 If the fabrication procedure, either drilling or diffusion ultrasound
bonding, was sufficiently accurate, then the distance amplitude

ANNEX

A1. ALTERNATE METHOD FOR FABRICATION OF DEEP FLAT- BOTTOM HOLES

A1.1 Introduction A1.2.2 The size of a typical pilot hole used for this purpose
A1.1.1 This annex describes a method for fabricating deep is 9.53 mm [0.375 in.]. The pilot hole is typically drilled to
flat-bottom holes that can be simpler, faster and less expensive within approximately 12.7 mm [0.50 in.] of the final desired
than those used to fabricate the blocks shown in Figs. 1-5. This flat-bottom hole depth. After the flat-bottom hole is drilled,
alternate method also results in an added advantage for cleaned and verified the entrance to the pilot hole must be
mechanical examination of moving material by allowing sig- sealed to prevent the entry of couplant or other foreign
nals from the reference block to be more easily evaluated material.
dynamically as the block is moved at the maximum scanning
rate. A1.3 Use on Cylindrical Material
A1.3.1 Fig. A1.1 shows cross sectional views of a flat-
A1.2 Description of Method
bottom hole placed in the center of a round bar by this method.
A1.2.1 The alternate method is simply to use a larger pilot
A1.3.2 For standardization of a system for examination of
drill to produce a hole to within a short distance of the depth of
the flat-bottom hole. The body and bottoming drills for the cylindrical material the bottom of the flat-bottom hole fabri-
flat-bottom hole are then successively mounted in a holder of cated in accordance with this procedure at any depth in the
the same diameter as the pilot drill for the final drilling and material may be used for “static” standardization (that is, with
flattening operations. This helps to insure that the flat bottom of no relative motion between standard and search unit). “Dy-
the final hole will be parallel to a tangent of the top surface at namic” standardization is performed with rotary and transla-
a point immediately above the hole. This is due to the increased tional motion between standard and search unit at the maxi-
stiffness of the pilot drill and the holder being much greater mum speeds to be used for the final examination. In this case
than that of the smaller final drills. That prevents skewing of the instrument alarm gate may be set to be activated by the
the final holes that could result from deep drilling of a small signal from any flat-bottom hole drilled to a depth of less than
hole due to excess drilling speed or pressure or to grain a radius of the material while not responding to signals from
anomalies or small hardness variations in the material that the sides of the pilot or flat-bottom hole drills as they enter the
might deflect smaller drills if used for the total distance. beam from the search unit.

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 E 1158 – 04

FIG. A1.1 Flat-Bottom Hole Placed at the Center of a Round Bar by This Method

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