Welding is a process that plays an important role in our lives, as its durability creates safe and reliable products.
It is important to mention that the use tends to have high investments. However, the generation of profit is proportional to this investment.
Other benefits that welding brings to our life are:
- Quality union of various metals.
- Secondary use in repairs of parts, elements or even machines.
- Modification of parts and assemblies of metallic structures.
- Reduction and reuse of waste.
- efficient use of energy.
With a good welding you can have an excellent value for money, since it gives you high quality end products, resistant, durable, and of course, according to the image of efficiency that this industry requires.
X-ray Weld inspection: Non-Destructive Testing.
Welds are widely used processes for industry. Therefore, making an inspection every so often to keep quality control is important.
Non-Destructive Testing may release general images to us during weld inspection. These images provide us with information about the condition of the part and possible defects that could cause damage in the future. The importance of the inspection is that thanks to its periodic performance we can ensure that the parts provide a good service.
Below we will present the different techniques that exist, such as Non-Destructive Tests , for the purpose of making welding inspection.
X-ray weld inspection
The radiographic technique is a non-destructive test that allows us to observe discontinuities that are at a level beyond the surface in the welds.
There are different types of radiographic tests:
Liquid Penetrant Welding Inspection
Liquid penetrant welding inspection consists of applying visible liquids or fluorescent liquids to the weld to be inspected that account for discontinuities.
This technique is based on the principle of capillarity. A penetrating liquid is applied first and then a developer ) which is a white powder. The latter helps to enter the penetrating liquid of the discontinuities to be able to observe them.
Ultrasonic Weld Inspection Procedure
Ultrasonic inspection is based on the propagation of sound waves through welds. To perform a weld inspection with this technique, a flaw detector and an angle probe are required.
Equipment inspection of welds by ultrasound generates and captures the waves subject to the laws of reflection. These waves find their path according to the physical properties of the medium in which they propagate. When they are captured, they are analyzed according to the time elapsed from their emission to their reception. This is how we can know the distance traveled, previously establishing the speed.
Discontinuities are reflected in the form of graphs on the screen usually contained in ultrasound inspection equipment. These defects are the product of the trip that makes the sound imperceptible to the human ear through welding.
Visual inspection of welds
This non-destructive technique, as the name implies, consists of making a weld inspection based primarily on the sense of sight. This test is the most commonly used non-destructive testing. Although one of its limitations is that it can only cover the superficial level.
With the proper training of the eye, we can notice discontinuities in the union of the welded parts. However, kits and X ray machines have been developed that allow for this type of review at deeper levels. And they provide more detailed and accurate information on discontinuities.
X-ray welding test
X-ray welding can be used to detect internal discontinuities, such as cracks, porosities, non-fusion in welded joints, castings, and forgings.
It is a type of test that is used to a material in such a way that it does not perpetually change its physical, mechanical, chemical properties, etc.; that is, without applying any damage to this. Basically, X-rays are invisible electromagnetic radiation, which has the ability to pass through opaque bodies, with a wavelength of 10 -8 m (10nm) to 10 -13 m (10 -4 nm).
An example of X ray welding
Refrigeration system of the Pacific Freeze-Drying Company, which uses ammonia as a refrigerant, we find a condenser, which cools the ammonia. This condenser does not come to be, but an exchanger, which presented leakage in its main plate, producing a mixture of water with ammonia. which presented leakage between some tubes and the steel plate.
Being an excellent means of X ray inspection. A visual image of the interior of the material is obtained and a permanent record of the inspection is obtained, which allows to discover welding and manufacturing errors and helps to establish the corresponding corrective actions.
For its application, fixed equipment and portable equipment are available for the industry, to be chosen according to the characteristics of the machinery under analysis. In its use, as in all good industrial practices, strict safety measures must be followed (lead booth, suits, etc.). It also requires special facilities such as: the exhibition area, security equipment and a dark room for the development process.
Conclusions
It is concluded that non-destructive tests are an effective and efficient inspection tool, which allow diagnosing the state of equipment without deteriorating them, and can be applied during the different manufacturing, assembly and operation stages of industrial equipment with affordable x ray machines price. The different techniques that involve non-destructive tests, applied conveniently and in a timely manner, prevent failures that protect human life, environmental pollution and savings in the conservation of assets.
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