Editing Notes
Objective of this page A paragraph summary of each NDT service offered.
Ultrasonic testing and ultrasonic inspection are used interchangably? Is there are preferred
To add
– Eddy current testing, UT of bolts
Draft Lighting Column Inspection
Focus On Quality
What is Non-Destructive Testing?
“Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) covers a range of techniques that assess the quality of a component without causing damage to the part”. [Ref TWI]
NDT is key requirement for Risked Based Inspection (RBI). RBI is the process of identifying, classifying and and assessing risks associated with each defect. Attention and resources can then be focused on defects that have the highest risk of occurrence and mostly severe consequence.
Caspian NDT offer a range of NDT techniques including; Ultrasonic Testing (UT), magnetic particle testing (MPI), Dye Penetrant Inspection (DPI), Eddy-current testing and structural testing of lighting columns.
For a full breakdown of these techniques, head to our Services page.
Ultrasonic Testing
(Ultrasonic Inspection)
Ultrasonic Testing (Inspection) , is used to:
- Detect internal flaws in materials and welds.
- Detect internal flaws and cracks in mechanical components
- Measure and locate fatigue cracking and corrosion in threaded fasteners and anchor bolts.
- Measure material thickness and corrosion loss.
Ultrasonic Testing (UT) uses sound waves to detect defects. UT can be used on a variety of homogeneous materials, steels, metals and alloys.
Ultrasonic Inspection – Forgings
Forged bars and plates undergo tremendous levels of stress and as such it’s incredibly important to make sure they are up to the required standards for continued use. Our technicians are qualified to PCN Level 2 to inspect plates, bars, billets and general forgings.
Magnetic Particle Inspection
Magnetic particle inspection (MPI) is used to identify both surface and near sub-subsurface defects on ferromagnetic welds and base materials.
Dye Penetrant Inspection
(Also referred to as Liquid Penetrant Inspection LPI, Penetrant Testing PT).
Dye penetrant testing (DPI) is used to detect surface breaking flaws including those not visible to the naked eye. DPI can be used for crack detection in both magnetic and non-magnetic materials.
DPI can be applied on a wide range of non-porous materials including stainless steel, aluminium and various cast components. (See Wikipedia for more general information).
Flaws that can be detected using DPI include hairline cracks, surface porosity and fatigue cracks both during manufacturing and in-service.
DPI requires that the surfaces being tested are both clean, rust free and smooth. Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI) is less dependent that DPI on surface quality. MPI might be used as an alternative for magnetic materials for site inspections or when the surface treatment is impractical or prohibitively expensive.
Visual Inspection
Visual inspections by trained NDT technicians are a useful and often neglected technique.
For inaccessible areas, our technicians deploy boroscopes to inspect enclosed locations from small access points.
Structural Testing of Lighting Columns
Structural Testing of Lighting Columns
Caspian NDT have been hired by many local authorities and contractors across the UK for our lighting column inspections. We carry out structural testing of of both concrete and steel lighting columns.
Testing services include
- Detailed structural inspections.
- Loss of section (wall thickness) monitoring both below and above the ground.
- Assessment of hot swaged joints (an inherent defect in many existing lighting columns).
- Ultrasonic testing to confirm wall thickness.
- Eddy current testing to detect below ground corrosion of planted (rooted) columns.
- Magnetic particle inspection to check for cracks and material defects.
- Load testing of anchor bolts to confirm embedment strength.
- Ultrasonic Testing of anchor bolts to check for corrosion and fatigue cracking.
See further details on the Inspection of lighting columns