Ultrasonic test 1

[Klmechpipe]

greetings to all

I am working in a low budget company where we are issuing an order of steel plates API with 15mm thickness

the consultant is insisting on doing an Ultrasonic test of the plates which is not addressed on the RFQ phase

my question
is the UT test required by any code or its subject to the recommendation of the client/PMC

codes are
ASME B31.4, API 1104 ,ASTM SA370

 

[LittleInch]

What does it say in the specification, especially one produced for this piece of work instead of a general spec. "steel plates API" is not a specific terminology.

The requirement for UT testing is normally within a project specific document, but is generally considered a requirement for girth welds and seam welds and 150mm back from them to discover laminations.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[Klmechpipe]

littleinch

thank you for your response and your helpful answer

 

[bimr]

The ultrasonic test is inexpensive and takes just a few minutes withe the handheld ultrasonic tester.

 

[weldstan]

UT requirements for pipe skelp (plate) is the province of the Purchaser or end user (Owner/Engineer). It appears that you have a Change Order coming assuming this "consultant" is the Owner/Engineer representative. Provide the added costs and see if he accepts.

 

[dhengr]

Klmechpipe:
There is no such thing as a “low budget company” if you want to compete as a supplier for a given project, unless you mean cheap; and then you won’t compete for long, except on price, that first time, that one time. You must follow the industry standards, and you must follow/meet the project specific specs. if you want to continue to play, and you better have read and understood them before quoting. As LittleInch mentioned, the project spec. should have spelled out what testing was required beyond that covered by the industry stds., if any. If the spec. doesn’t cover this, then the consultant’s want for UT is, at the very least, negotiable as to extent and extra costs. But, you have to be more specific too, in your question/description of the problem here. Do you (the consultant) mean testing the raw plate before any fab., for defects such as laminations, slag inclusions, etc., or do you mean testing welds or other fab. details and process? When you order the plate, maybe a mill order, you can request UT testing for laminations and the like, at an extra charge, along with mill certs., from your plate supplier. Then you can hire a testing lab for various testing within your own shop if you don’t have those capabilities in house.

 

[Klmechpipe]

bimr

for the size of production where are procuring its not applicable, I am assuming they wil use C-scan which its costly ...

 

[Klmechpipe]

weldstan

based on the previous reply from LittleInch and my search its already submitted and under review

 

[Klmechpipe]

dhengr

when I said low budget its because we cant absorb the increase of the UT test, because it was not specified by the client and I wanted to make sure no code or standard obligates me to do so ..
the UT requested is for the plates before the fabrication of the final product .

 

[rconner]

Further to good response of LI and others I believe "UT testing" can mean different things (i.e. without further description or reference to some applicable codes etc). While it perhaps doesn't mean what the specifier intended here, ultrasonic instruments are even also sometimes used to measure thickness of plates or pipes etc. at remote spots not accessible with available calipers etc.

 

[ABA102]

Is ultrasonic test applicable to both butt and fillet welds?

 

[dik]

My understanding is the UT test should be written into the specs and does not form part of the specifications you noted.

Ask the engineer to provide you with a particular part of the specification where it is stipulated. I'd be surprised if he can. You can, however, provide this as an additional service.

Dik

 

[Klmechpipe]

Rconner
Am really sorry for the late reply i coulndt access the internet for a long time

Aba102
Dik


Dear all we finalize that issue regarding the UT and after many brain storming we get to the points as below
- the plates should be tested for lamination and that's mandotary as per API 5L and Astm A370
- after the rolling and as per general caution descriped in ASTM A370 the mechanical properties of the plates before any rolling or fabrication or any heat input fabrication may not be representative as after the rolling so we had to do the tensile,bending ...etc again
- we agreed upon a percentage and a method to do the lamination test as per code and it's wasn't that costly but it was hard and it took a lot of time.
- and we also did the mechanical tests after the rolling before launching a full production

Thank you all for sharing your knowledge

 

[ABA102]

Dik:

Thank you for your quick reply. It was not actually clear on the gov't specs I referred but it was clarified on the proj specs that UT is for butt partial and full penetration butt welds only.
And thanks also Klmechpipe for opening this topic and for sharing.

 

[dik]

OP:
For next time, your plate supplier should be providing material in accordance with those specs... not normally your issue.

Dik