🔹 ARTICLE 6 — Liquid Penetrant Examination (PT)

T-610 Scope
 PT is used when required by the referencing Code Section (e.g.,
ASME VIII, I).
 It follows ASTM E165 (SE-165) as the baseline standard.
 Always used together with Article 1 (General Requirements).
 Only detects surface-breaking defects.
 Definitions of terms are found in Article 1.

T-620 General
 PT is effective for surface discontinuities in nonporous metals
and nonmetals.
 Detectable flaws include: cracks, seams, laps, cold shuts,
laminations, porosity.
 Process:
1. Apply penetrant → enters surface flaws.
2. Remove excess penetrant.
3. Dry the surface.
4. Apply developer → acts as blotter + contrasting
background.
5. Observe under correct lighting.
 Penetrants: color contrast (visible) or fluorescent (UV light).

T-621 Written Procedure Requirements

1. T-621.1 – Must be done per a written procedure (WPS equivalent for
NDT). Procedure must include all minimum requirements (Table T-
621.1).
 2. T-621.2 – Essential variables → require requalification of procedure
if changed. Nonessential variables → can be revised without
requalification.
o Example: Type of penetrant is essential; post-cleaning
method is nonessential.
3. T-621.3 – Minimum and maximum step times for each stage (Table
T-621.3).

T-630 Equipment
 Equipment = penetrant, emulsifiers, solvents, cleaning agents,
developers, etc.
 Material classification and description per SE-165 (Article 24).

T-640 Miscellaneous Requirements

T-641 Control of Contaminants
 For nickel alloys, stainless steels, duplex SS, titanium →
penetrant materials must be certified for chloride, fluoride, sulfur
content (avoid stress corrosion).
 Must maintain batch numbers + test records.
T-642 Surface Preparation
 Surface may be used as-welded, cast, forged, rolled.
 Prep needed if roughness masks flaws.
 Surfaces (and 25 mm adjacent) must be dry, clean, free of oil,
grease, paint, flux, spatter, scale.
 Typical cleaning: detergents, organic solvents, descaling, paint
removers, degreasing, ultrasonic.
 Cleaning solvents must meet contamination requirements.
T-643 Drying After Preparation
 Drying = normal evaporation or forced air (hot/cold).
 Minimum time required to ensure surface is dry before applying
penetrant.
T-650 Technique
T-651 Techniques
 Penetrant can be visible or fluorescent.
 Processes:
1. Water washable
2. Post-emulsifiable
3. Solvent removable
 These combine into 6 techniques.
T-652 Standard Temperatures
 Standard test temp: 40–125 °F (5–52 °C).
 Local heating/cooling allowed but must stay in this range.
T-653 Nonstandard Temperatures
 If outside 40–125 °F → must qualify procedure and materials per
Appendix III.
T-654 Technique Restrictions
 Cannot mix fluorescent and color contrast penetrants.
 No mixing different manufacturers’ materials.
 Retesting with water-washable may lose indications (contamination).

T-660 Calibration
 Visible light meters + UV-A meters must be calibrated:
o At least once per year.
o After repairs.
o Before use if unused for a year.

T-670 Examination
T-671 Penetrant Application
 Apply by dip, brush, or spray.
 If spray with compressed air → must filter air to avoid
contamination.
T-672 Penetration (Dwell) Time
 Minimum dwell times given in Table T-672 (usually 5–10 minutes
depending on material).
 Max dwell = 2 hours.
 Penetrant must not dry; if dried, restart from cleaning.
T-673 Excess Penetrant Removal
 Remove excess carefully, method depends on type:
o Water washable → water spray ≤50 psi, ≤43 °C.
o Post-emulsifiable → lipophilic (oil type) or hydrophilic
(detergent type).
o Solvent removable → wipe with cloth + solvent (never flush
with solvent).
T-674 Drying After Excess Removal
 Water washable / post-emulsifiable → dry by blotting or circulating
air (<52 °C).
 Solvent removable → dry by evaporation, blotting, wiping, or forced
air.
T-675 Developer Application
 Apply ASAP after removal (delay not allowed).
 Too thin = poor draw-out; too thick = masks flaws.
 Color contrast → wet developer only.
 Fluorescent → dry or wet developer.
 Dry developer = applied to dry surface.
 Wet developer = aqueous or nonaqueous spray (agitate before use).
 Nonaqueous must be sprayed (brushing allowed only if necessary).
T-675.3 Developing Time
 Time starts after dry developer applied or wet developer dries.

T-676 Interpretation
 Final interpretation: 10–60 minutes after developer application.
 Large surfaces can be examined in increments.
Color Contrast PT
 Developer → white background.
 Indications = deep red.
 Light pink = over-cleaning.
 Excessive background = under-cleaning.
  Must use ≥100 foot-candles (1076 lux) white light.
Fluorescent PT
 Examined under UV-A (365 nm peak) in darkened area.
 Ambient light ≤ 2 fc (21.5 lux).
 Eye adaptation = 5 minutes.
 UV-A intensity ≥1000 µW/cm².
 Lenses/filters must be clean, intact.
 UV-A lamps can be mercury vapor or LED (must meet ASTM
standards).

T-677 Post-Examination Cleaning

 If required, clean part after exam without harming surface.

T-680 Evaluation
 Compare all indications with acceptance criteria of referencing
Code.
 Relevant = bleed-out from flaws.
 Nonrelevant = machining marks, geometry.
 Excess background that hides flaws = unacceptable → re-clean and
re-examine.

T-690 Documentation
T-691 Recording of Indications
 Nonrejectable indications: record only if required by referencing
Code.
 Rejectable: record type (linear/rounded), location, size/extent.
T-692 Examination Records must include:
 Article 1 requirements (examiner, date, etc.).
 Penetrant type (visible/fluorescent).
 Batch/type of all materials (penetrant, remover, developer,
emulsifier).
 Indication map/record.
 Material and thickness.
 Lighting equipment used.
🔹 Mandatory Appendix II – Control of Contaminants
II-610 Scope
 Sets requirements for controlling contaminant content in
penetrant materials.
 Applies when testing nickel alloys, austenitic stainless steels,
duplex SS, and titanium.

II-640 Requirements
II-641 Nickel Base Alloys
  Each penetrant material must be analyzed for sulfur content.
 Testing methods:
o ASTM SE-165 Annex 4, OR
o Decomposition per SD-129, analysis per SD-516.
 Limit: Sulfur ≤ 0.1% by weight.
II-642 Austenitic / Duplex Stainless Steels & Titanium
 Each penetrant material must be analyzed for chlorine and
fluorine content.
 Testing methods:
o ASTM SE-165 Annex 4, OR
o Decomposition & analysis:
 Chlorine → SD-808 or SE-165 Annex 2.
 Fluorine → SE-165 Annex 3.
 Limit: Total chlorine + fluorine ≤ 0.1% by weight.
II-643 Water
 (a) If potable water is used (drinking, bottled, distilled, deionized) →
no analysis needed.
 (b) If other water is used → must be tested for:
o Chlorine (ASTM D1253).
o Sulfur (SD-516).
 Limits: Chlorine ≤ 0.1% by weight, Sulfur ≤ 0.1% by weight.

II-690 Documentation
 Certification records must include:
o Batch numbers of penetrant materials.
o Test results of contaminant analysis.
 Records maintained as required by the referencing Code Section.

✅ In short: Appendix II ensures sulfur, chlorine, fluorine, and water

quality are controlled to prevent stress corrosion cracking in sensitive
alloys.

🔹 Mandatory Appendix III – Qualification at Nonstandard

Temperatures
III-610 Scope
 Used when penetrant examination is outside the standard 40–
125 °F (5–52 °C).
 Provides method to qualify procedures at low or high temperatures.

III-630 Materials
 Requires liquid penetrant comparator blocks made from:
o Aluminum ASTM B209 Type 2024, thickness 3/8 in. (10
mm).
 o Face dimensions: ~2 × 3 in. (50 × 75 mm).
 Procedure:
1. Mark 1 in. (25 mm) diameter area with 950 °F (510 °C) temp-
indicating crayon/paint.
2. Heat to 950–975 °F (510–524 °C).
3. Immediately quench in cold water → creates fine crack
network.
4. Dry at ~300 °F (149 °C), cool.
5. Cut into halves: Block A and Block B (or prepare two
separate blocks).

III-640 Requirements
III-641 Comparator Application
 III-641.1 – Temps < 40 °F (5 °C):
o Apply test procedure to Block B at proposed low temp.
o Apply standard procedure to Block A at 40–125 °F.
o Compare crack indications.
o If results are the same → procedure qualified for that low temp
up to 40 °F.
 III-641.2 – Temps > 125 °F (52 °C):
o Hold Block B at proposed high temp.
o Block A remains at 40–125 °F.
o Compare results.
o Qualified range = 40 °F to that high temp.
o Example: If qualified at 200 °F → usable from 40 °F to 200 °F.
o For high-temp penetrants (not used in 40–125 °F range), must
qualify at both lower & upper limits.
  III-641.3 – Alternate for Color Contrast Penetrants:
o Can use one comparator block with photography.
o Steps:
1. Process at nonstandard temp → photograph.
2. Thoroughly clean.
3. Process at standard temp → photograph.
4. Compare photos of crack indications.
o Same acceptance criteria as III-641.1.
o Must use identical photographic methods.

✅ In short: Appendix III ensures PT works outside normal temperature

ranges by comparing crack detection performance on special
comparator blocks.