NDT Services
Liquid Penetrant Testing
Liquid penetrant testing reveals surface-breaking defects in non-porous materials by applying a liquid that seeps into flaws and is drawn back out by a developer to create visible indications.
The process involves thoroughly cleaning the surface, applying a penetrant (visible dye or fluorescent), allowing dwell time for capillary action to draw penetrant into any surface-breaking discontinuities, removing excess penetrant, and applying a developer that draws trapped penetrant back to the surface creating a visible indication.
We provide both visible (solvent-removable, Type II) and fluorescent (Type I) penetrant systems. Fluorescent penetrant with UV-A lighting offers the highest sensitivity and is preferred for critical aerospace, nuclear, and pressure-retaining components. Visible dye penetrant is practical for field work and general fabrication inspection.
Liquid penetrant testing works on virtually any non-porous material including metals, ceramics, plastics, and glass. Common applications include weld inspection, casting and forging evaluation, machined component verification, and in-service crack detection on aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, and nickel alloys.
Examinations follow ASME Section V, ASTM E1417, ASTM E165, AWS D1.1, and other applicable codes. All penetrant materials meet the requirements of the applicable specification and are certified for use on the materials being examined.
Revealing surface-breaking defects through capillary action.