Magnetic Particle Inspection Non-Destructive Testing Procedure

[SystemsQualityGuy]

This is a rush job. I just find out this morning that our company will be starting a new Magnetic particle non-destructive testing process. There is pressure to get it ready as soon as possible as we may be in a race against one of our competitors.:mg:

My company will be getting an MT-Tech Grainer, Magnetic Particle Inspection Machine within a day or two. We need to get it up and running very soon. Specifically we need to create procedures and work instructions and start training workers for the machine.

Unfortunately the company that made it is out of business so getting the user manual is a long shot. I have found general procedures for magnetic particle testing online but I would like to have something more specific for this machine.

We could also use some information for setting it up. Will we need any other equipment? What are the safety considerations?

The machine specs are:

Magnetic Particle Inspection Machine

Brand: MT-tech Granier
Country of Manufacture:United States

Stock No. 6635-01-218-4884
Model: 43100
Serial No. 05069601

Magnetizing Intermittent Output Current: 4000 DC - 3000 AC AMPS MAXIMUM
[FONT=&quot]Duty Cyle at 4000 AMPS: 1/2 sec. ON, 24 sec. OFF[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Size: 54 inches[/FONT]

Any information would be a great help.

 

[hogheavenfarm]

Re: Non-Destructive Testing Procedure

Do you have someone trained in MP testing? This is not quite something you could simply set up and read a measurement. If I remember correctly, it takes about 400 hours of experience to be a class 2 certified NDT in this.
I have a MP procedure for our machine, you can PM me. Ours is a probe-light model Y.

 

[SystemsQualityGuy]

Re: Non-Destructive Testing Procedure

Do you have someone trained in MP testing? This is not quite something you could simply set up and read a measurement. If I remember correctly, it takes about 400 hours of experience to be a class 2 certified NDT in this.
I have a MP procedure for our machine, you can PM me. Ours is a probe-light model Y.

I am personally very inexperienced with MP NDT. However, it is my understanding that we will be using it to find cracks/discontinuities in parts. If it does require that much training then we've got some problems ahead.

I'm curious about the machine at your company. What type of parts is the machine used to test?

 

[GoKats78]

Re: Non-Destructive Testing Procedure

Read ASNT-TC-1A and ASTM E1444

Been almost 30 years since I was certified..but those are the document numbers I remember..also Mil-STD 1949

 

[hogheavenfarm]

Re: Non-Destructive Testing Procedure

We use it mainly on forgings, looking for cold laps, fissures, things of that nature. Can also be used on welds occasionally. It took some practice to interpret the results, best learned with some defective parts to see how the patterns develop. I have always found it somewhat subjective on the things we check, so I prefer DP testing, which is a bit messier but easier to administer and interpret. Ultrasound (UT) is another option, but again, will require some training. Even visual (VT) is not an 'out of the box' technique. We initially qualified some of our guys using Worldspec online, then they put in the hours.GoKats is correct, there is a milspec it is taken from, but I do not have it with me at the moment. Search "NDT testing mil spec" and you should turn that up.
You will need to pass a Jager eye test as well and have that documented (for all types).

 

[johnson.tan]

before you start you need to get all equipment ready and only having the main unit is not enough, you will need:

1) a dark room
2) operation procedure certifited by Level 3
3) burmer Castrol (I hope I spell correctly)
4)goss gauge
5)level 2 operator

 

[hogheavenfarm]

Ok, at work now - our training plan contains this reference -

"1.1.1. This Training and Certification Plan developed as per instructions in SNT-TC-1A, and Mil.Std.410E."

 

[SystemsQualityGuy]

before you start you need to get all equipment ready and only having the main unit is not enough, you will need:

1) a dark room
2) operation procedure certifited by Level 3
3) burmer Castrol (I hope I spell correctly)
4)goss gauge
5)level 2 operator

"Burmer Castrol"-Do you mean the oil burmah Castrol. What is the goss gauge used for? I assume the dark room is necessary so the fluorescent powder stands out. Are there manuals or instructions I can find online that shows how to set all this up?

 

[hogheavenfarm]

Gauss gage is used to check the magnetic field and to eliminate the residual field after use. I do not use one since residual magnetism is not a concern for us. You can use a blacklight as a portable fluorescence source, although we only use that for DP, not MP. for MP we use Parker Research Magnetic inspection powder (red) under ambient lighting.
https://www.worldspec.org/ndt-training/ (worldspec site - note I am not affiliated)

 

[GoKats78]

Are you requirements for Wet or dry particle inspection?

If dry, no need for darkroom. It is typically a red powder.
if wet, you will need a UV light source (black light) that meets the requirements. We didnt always do the inspection in a darkened area..it depended on the requirements.