DYE PENETRANT AND MAGNETIC PARTICLE TESTING - TO IDENTIFY CRACKS

Dye penetrant and magnetic particle testing often supplement a visual examination for cracking. If cracks are suspected or expected based on experience, one or more of these techniques are employed. Austenitic stainless steel components are often dye penetrant inspected while ferritic metallurgies receive a magnetic particle inspection for cracks. Austenitic stainless steel tube welds are often penetrant tested when external PASCC is a concern. Other common locations where either dye penetrant or magnetic particle testing is used depending on the metallurgy include inspecting attachment welds of tube skin thermocouple, tube hangers, and tube supports. Dye penetrant can be used on ferritic steels as well; however, it is more common to magnetic particle test those components since magnetic particle is quicker.