Values of Hammer Testing Steel Tanks and Vessels

[chicopee]

As a former NB inspector, I was trained in the 60's by boiler inspectors and former merchant marine and navy firemen to take sound tests with a 10 ounce ball peen hammer of rivet heads and plate material (shells, heads, nozle and piping). The object of sounding the rivet heads was to listen for muffled sound that would incur from fractured rivet shanks. As far as the steel plates,you would again listen for unsual sound emission and to break away any formation of barnacles to examine depths of pits and for signs of weepage thru thin metal.
For over twenty years, I have abandoned inspection work but I am still called upon to review inspection findings and I am still surprised about field reports indicating that hammer tests are still being conducted on welded AST's and pressure vessels.
My question is what is the position of the industry about hammer test and weather or not such test still has values?
Comments are appreciated

 

[JoeTank]

While I have heard of hammer testing, I have never seen it used in field. My inspection-related activities began in 1987.

Joe Tank

 

[BUTCHCWIQAM]

I started building tanks in 1981 and the only time I can remember using the hammer test was on making repairs to very old vessels but this only happened a half a dozen times early in my career I had not heard of it again until today I guess there are still some old timers still out there God bless the hearts

 

[caluna]

There are questions on the API 653 exam on hammer testing but whether anyone actually does it any more, I don't know...

 

[JStephen]

The API-653 "Tank Out of Service Inspection Checklist" in C-9 includes hammer testing or ultrasonically testing a some items- C.2.2b, C2.3k, etc.

 

[retthib]

We use hammers these days more to clean loose scale and for a general soundness check on different items, i.e., trays, other internal equipment, valves, flanges. Not used to determine a thickness of metal. But all inspectors should use their hammer when testing nuts and bolts where a tap would show looseness.