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www.olympus-ims.com

Comprehensive Weld Inspection Solutions

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Olympus offers a wide range of innovative testing products to meet all

require

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following technologies and inspection techniques:

pulse-echo (PE), TOFD, combined TOFD/PE, phased array UT, linear scans, and

sectorial scans.

Solutions

Ultrasound / Eddy Current / Phased Array

X-Ray Fluoresce

nce / XRD Analysis

Microscope Imaging / Optical Metrology

Remote Visual Inspection / Videoscopes

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Guided Bend Testing

Using Borescopes

PMI Q&A

Understanding

Caulking

Guided Bend Testing

Using Borescopes

PMI Q&A

Understanding

Caulking

www.aws.org www.aws.org

AUGUST 2015 / Vol. 18/ No. 3

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Guided Bend Testing

Using Borescopes

PMI Q&A

Understanding

Caulking

Guided Bend Testing

Using Borescopes

PMI Q&A

Understanding

Caulking

www.aws.org www.aws.org

AUGUST 2015 / Vol. 18/ No. 3

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New OmniScan Solution for

Weld Inspections

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q New Member q Renewal

q Mr. q Ms. q Mrs. q Dr. Please print • Duplicate this page as needed

Last Name:_______________________________________________________________________________ First Name:___________________________________________________________________ M.I:_______ Birthdate: _____________________________ E-Mail:____________________________________________ Cell Phone ( )__________________________ Secondary Phone ( )______________________ Were you ever an AWS Member?q YES q NO If “YES,” give year________ and Member #:____________________ Company (if applicable):______________________________________________________________ _____ Address:________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ City:_____________________________________State/Province:__________________________________ Zip/PostalCode:_____________________Country:______________________________________________

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FAX (305) 4 43-5647

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August 2015 Vol. 18 / No. 3

Features

A Guided Bend Testing Primer

by Albert J. Moore Jr. / Here’s a comprehensive look at guided bend testing /17

Internal Weld Inspection Using Borescopes

by Douglas S. Kindred / These tips will help you select the right borescope for your application / 22

Tips for Better Positive Material Identification

by Alex Thurston / This Q&A offers insight into alloy material verification with X-ray fluorescence analyzers /24

Understanding Caulking

by Brent E. Boling / What caulking is, where it comes from, and how it applies to structural steel work today is explained / 26

Departments

Editor’s Note...6

News Bulletins ...8

Mail Bag ...12

Print and Product Showcase ...14

Just the Facts...30

The Answer Is ...32

Mark Your Calendar...36

Certification Schedule...38

Red Hots ...40

Logos ...42

Classifieds...44

Advertiser Index ...44

Cover photo: Internal orbital weld inspection at Kreisler Industries using a Hawkeye rigid borescope and video system. (Photo courtesy of Gradient Lens Corp., Rochester, N.Y.)

INSPECTION TRENDS(ISSN 1523-7168) is published quarterly by the American Welding

Society. Editorial and advertising offices are located at 8669 NW 36th St., Suite 130, Miami, FL 33166; telephone (305) 443-9353. Printed by R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co., Senatobia, Miss. Subscriptions $30.00 per year for noncertified, nonmembers in the United States and its

possessions; $50.00 per year in foreign countries; $20.00 per year for noncertified members and students; $10.00 single issue for nonmembers and $7.00 single issue for members. American Welding Society is located at 8669 NW 36th St., Suite 130, Miami, FL 33166; telephone (305) 443-9353. Periodicals postage paid in Miami, Fla., and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Inspection Trends c/o American Welding Society, 8669 NW 36th St., Suite 130, Miami, FL 33166.

Readers of Inspection Trends may make copies of articles for personal, archival, educational, or research purposes, and which are not for sale or resale. Permission is granted to quote from articles, provided customary acknowledgment of authors

and sources is made. Starred (∗) items excluded from copyright.

AWS MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the American Welding Society is to advance the science, technology, and application of welding and allied joining

processes woldwide, including brazing, soldering, and thermal spraying.

Inspection Trends / Summer 2015

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Editor’s Note

American

Welding

S

Inspection Trends / August 2015

By Mary Ruth Johnsen

Dear Readers,

I’ve mentioned this before, but when I joined the staff of the Welding Jour-nal more than 26 years ago — Inspection Trends hadn’t even been thought of back then — the full extent of my welding knowledge was that it was used to join two pieces of metal together. Since then, I’ve

learned a lot about welding and I’m adding to my inspection knowledge as well. And I’ve tried my hand at welding enough times that I know for certain that I am lousy at it. My awareness of my own lack of ability has made me truly appreciate the people who are really good at it.

Still, after not only researching and writing many articles for both publications, but certainly in proofreading everything that goes into the

magazines all these years, I would have thought I’d read something on every possible welding- and inspection-related topic out there. Goes to show me not to get too full of myself, because there’s still plenty I don’t know.

This issue proves my point. I had never heard the term “caulking” associated with welding before. I knew what caulk was and what it meant to caulk something, that caulk is used to seal things such as around windows or bathtubs and showers to keep water from getting where it shouldn’t. But I never connected caulking with welding.

Brent Boling has written an article for this issue to help you under-stand when and where caulking can or cannot be used. I found the his-torical background Brent provided very interesting, and think you will too.

There’s lots of other good stuff in this issue as well. Al Moore gives a thorough explanation of guided bend testing. There’s a Q&A related to positive material identification using X-ray fluorescence analyzers, and

another feature article offers tips for selecting the right borescope for your internal weld inspection application.

If you like these articles or have ideas for topics you’d like to see covered in Inspection Trends, please call me at (800) 443-9353 ext. 238 or send me an e-mail to [email protected] . I look forward to hearing from you.

Publisher

Andrew Cullison, [email protected]

Editorial

Editor

Mary Ruth Johnsen, [email protected]

Associate Editor

Kristin Campbell, [email protected]

Assistant Editors

Melissa Gomez, [email protected] Annik Babinski, [email protected]

Design and Production

Production Editor

Zaida Chavez, [email protected]

Senior Production Coordinator

Brenda Flores, [email protected]

Manager of International Periodicals and Electronic Media

Carlos Guzman, [email protected]

Advertising

Manager of Sales Operations

Lea Paneca, [email protected]

Senior Advertising Sales Executives

Sandra Jorgensen, [email protected] Annette Delagrange, [email protected]

Senior Advertising Production Manager

Frank Wilson, [email protected]

Subscriptions Representative

Evelyn Andino, [email protected]

American Welding Society

8669 NW 36th St., #130 Miami, FL 33166-6672 (800/305) 443-9353

Copyright

Copyright © 2015 by American Welding Society in both printed and electronic formats. The Society is not responsi-ble for any statement made or opinion expressed herein. Data and information developed by the authors of specific articles are for informational purposes only and are not intended for use without independent, substantiating investigation on the part of potential users.

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News Bulletins

Inspection Trends / August 2015

Coldwater Machine Opens Weld Evaluation

and Testing Lab

Coldwater Machine Co.’s Solid State Joining Center re-cently opened a materials evaluation and testing lab for weld inspection.

This on-site service provides prompt verification of weld integrity, which will help the company shorten development time for laser, solid-state, and arc welding customers.

The company has invested in a new abrasive cut-off saw, metallurgical microscope with digital imaging, and a

grinding/polishing station for the lab in order to provide mi-crostructural evaluation in addition to its mechanical testing capability for weld tensile strength and hardness.

Customers can bring in their weld samples for evaluation by contacting the lab at (419) 678-4877 or e-mailing

[email protected] .

AWS Certification Dept. Seeks Exam

Questions

The American Welding Society’s (AWS) Certification Dept. is asking students and experienced Certified Welding

Inspectors (CWIs) and Senior Certified Welding Inspectors (SCWIs) to submit questions they think would be a valuable addition to the CWI Fundamentals exam, which is an open book exam. Submissions should include the question text,

five answer choices, indication of the correct answer, and the corresponding specific reference information.

Questions must be developed utilizing one of the follow-ing references:

• AWS A1.1, Metric Practice Guide for the Welding Industry • AWS B2.1, Specification for Welding Procedure and Per- formance Qualification

• AWS B4.0, Standard Methods for Mechanical Testing of Welds.

Also, questions should come from the following subject areas:

• Welding processes

• Heat control and metallurgy (carbon and low-alloy steel) • Weld examination

• Welding performance

• Definitions and terminology • Symbols — welding and NDE • Test methods — NDE

• Reports and records

For info go to www.aws.org/ad-index For info go to www.aws.org/ad-index

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Inspection Trends / Summer 2015

9 • Duties and responsibilities

• Safety

• Destructive tests • Cutting

• Brazing • Soldering.

To submit your question(s) and to see guidelines for writ-ing good questions, visit www.aws.org/submit-questions.html . You will also be asked for your contact information and be giv-en the opportunity to win a $100 AWS voucher.

YXLON Partners with Racing Team

YXLON International, Hamburg, Germany, a producer of X-ray and computed tomography systems, recently joined the British Lotus F1 Team as a technical partner.

The company will provide its Y.MU2000-D X-ray sys-tem in a special configuration that includes variofocus tube and computed tomography. The team intends to carry out most of its inspection tasks with this system in the future.

ASQ Awards Scholarship to Education

Company VP

The American Society for Quality (ASQ) recently awarded the first Paul Borawski Scholar-ship to Katie Berman, vice presi-dent of Curriculum Advantage, Inc., an education technology company. With the scholarship award, Berman will be part of a 21-member cohort in the ASQ Emerging Quality Leaders Pro-gram, which will include corpo-rate visits, leadership seminars, virtual coursework, mentor support, and team projects.

The scholarship is named af-ter Paul Borawski, who retired in 2014 after 27 years at ASQ. He was CEO of the organiza-tion at the time of his retirement.

Pennsylvania Company Offers NDE Classes

Aerial Energy Resources, LLC (AER), Smithton, Pa., is of-fering nondestructive examination (NDE) training courses in Belle Vernon, Pa. Courses will be conducted over a six-week period and potential attendees can sign up for one or more

courses.

For info go to www.aws.org/ad-index

YXLON recently became a partner of the Lotus F1 racing team and has provided the team with a computed tomography inspection system.

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All cour ses are taught by professionals utilizing hands-on learning techniques with traditional elements, and AER pro-vides all the equipment needed. All courses are in compliance with ASNT SNT-TC-1A and CP-189 requirements. The in-structor is an ASNT Level III in the method with mor e than 20,000 hours of field experience with phased array ultrasonic testing.

Courses available are phased array basic, phased array ad-vanced, phased array — advanced crack sizing, magnetic parti-cle testing Level I and II, dye penetrant testing Level I and II, ultrasonic testing Level II, and visual inspection Level II.

The schedule and additional information is available on the company’s website at www.aertesting.com. AER is a test-ing and research and development laboratory with a strong focus on advanced applications.

System One Acquires AECOM’s Quality

Programs Business

System One, Pittsburgh, Pa., recently acquired the Quality Programs business from AECOM. It will be integrated into System One’s Quality Solutions business to provide a full slate of work force solutions and quality engineering, product assur-ance, asset integrity, ins pection, and testing services.

Now known as Quality Programs, the oper ation previ-ously was part of URS Corp., which joined AECOM in Octo- ber 2014.

“Quality Programs brings a wealth of knowledge, experi-ences, and best practices to the table,” said Troy Gregory,

System One president and CEO. “As a combined national en-tity, we will offer our clients significant value and expertise on ensuring compliance with regulated industry qu ality guidelines.”

Jeff Sengenberger, Quality Programs director, will assume the role of vice president, Quality Solutions, at System One.

Spectronics Selects Global Customer Service

Manager

Spectronics Corp., West- bury, N.Y., recently promoted

Debra Hammond to Global Customer Service Manager . She has been with the company more than 20 years. In her new position, Hammond will be re-sponsible for streamlining the daily work flow of both the in-ternational and domestic cus-tomer service departments, which will be referred to as the Global Customer Service Dept. in the future.

OMS Launches Inspection Service

Optical Metrology Services (OMS) recently began an in-spection service to analyze the critical internal girth feature s

Debra Hammond

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of oil and gas pipeline welds in the firing line.

The service, named Auga, combines high-resolution video camera technologies with laser scanning capabilities to gather detailed 360-deg pipe geometry data from within the entire girth weld. It can be attached directly to an internal line-up clamp and configured to report on a wide variety of attributes. Additionally, traditional weld inspection processes may take up to an hour to complete, but Auga collects the data in minutes.

The equipment can be integrated with OMS’s Weld-Analysis software, which is designed to capture, analyze, and report the results.

Laboratory Testing Expands and Renews

Nadcap Accreditation

Laboratory Testing, Inc. (LTI), Hatfield, Pa., recently renewed and significantly expanded the scope of its Nadcap accreditation in materials testing for the aero-space industry. Nadcap is the Per-formance Review Institute’s aero-space industry accreditation program.

The lab has achieved accredi-tation for broader mechanical testing specimen preparation, metallurgical evaluation of welds,

microstructure examination, and elemental analysis. In ad-dition, compression testing, high cycle fatigue, creep test-ing, crack propagation/crack growth testtest-ing, evaluation of welds for GE Aviation and Pratt & Whitney, and more was added to the lab’s list of previously approved mechanical, metallurgical, chemical, and specimen preparation services.

The company has been Nadcap accredited in materials testing since 1994.

In other news, the company recently added John

Malack of Quakertown, Pa., as a customer service represen-tative. Malack will service new and existing customers who place orders for materials testing, nondestructive testing,

and calibration services.

Inspection Trends / Summer 2015

11

John Malack

For info go to www.aws.org/ad-index

T R E N D S

 

                                                                                                 

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Mail Bag

Inspection Trends / August 2015

Reader Concerned about Lack of

Documentation

I am a CWI who has been certified for 12 years. I have 40 years of experience in welding, fabrication, and erection.

The issue that concerns me on the majority of the job sites where I am requested to perform an inspection is the lack of compliance with the AWS code requirements when they are in the job specifications. When the general contractors are re-quired to hire an erection/welding contractor to perform weld-ing in accordance to AWS D1.1, etc., they fail to ensure that the welders’ certifications are up to date and on site when I arrive to perform the inspection. The welders may or may not have the proper documentation required to perform the work in

accor-dance with the applicable code; the welder certification papers are out of date, not properly filled out by the company qualifier or the CWI who performed the test; and the companies do not know they are required to have a WPS for review, or even know what a WPS is. The problem is when I bring this to their attention, the arguments begin: “Well the other inspector never asked for this,” or “this is the way we have always done it, why are you being hard on us,” etc.

As an inspector, I try to keep my cool and explain to them that these are necessary to ensure the work is being performed as required by the Engineer of Record, job specifications, and applicable code requirements. I try to help everyone as much as I am allowed to without causing a conflict of interest. Some-times I just want to throw my hands up and find another career or retire altogether, but I have been doing this so long and it’s

all that I know. I keep on going and try to educate as many as I can on the importance of having their documents in order to do the job right.

I enjoy the Inspection Trends magazine and the articles are very informative.

Charles (Sandy) Arendsen AWS CWI and NDE Level II Apex Geoscience, Inc.

Making Welding Procedure Specifications

More Useful

Regarding “The Answer Is,” on pages 24 and 25 of the Win-ter 2015 Inspection Trends. Some ideas advanced in the codes have merit that never penetrates through the clouds to touch the earth. Welding Procedure Specifications rarely have an impact on commercial work in the San Francisco Bay area. There are many problems and Albert Moore put his finger on one of them. His solution needs a little detail in the manner of working it up from each manufacturer’s data. Then the manufacturer should provide the chart on each spool.

( Inspection Trends) brings practical, useful information re- peatedly. Articles as valuable as this one should be accumulated

on a website and accessed by teachers and trainers. Thanks. Keep up the good work.

Thomas Troy

AWS CWI, ASNT Level II — UT

www.aws.org

American Welding Society®

BRING BRAND AWARENESS

TO YOUR COMPANY

By placing your product video on the AWS website.

Contact AWS for more information at 800-443-9353

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Print and Product Showcase

Inspection Trends / August 2015

Borescopes Offer

Annotation Feature

Users of Hawkeye® _{V2 video}

borescopes can now add notations to the still images and video footage they cap-ture. Through use of the annotation fea-ture, inspectors can now document their

notes as well as the date of an inspection on their inspection images. The video borescopes feature flexible, durable,

tungsten sheaths and come with an LED light source that is 1.45 times brighter than its predecessor in the 4-mm-diame-ter version and 2.1 times brigh4-mm-diame-ter in the 6-mm V2 version. The borescopes also offer four-way articulation.

Gradient Lens Corp. www.gradientlens.com

Ultrasound Camera

Upgraded

The company recently released a hardware upgrade to its DolphiCam ul-trasound camera and accompanying Dol- phiCam Expert software. It now offers a

12-dB signal-to-noise ratio. The soft-ware offers new functions including a new tablet mode with an improved user interface, multiview support, and a new drilled hole inspection tool that makes it easy to size and measure interlaminate defects in drilled holes. The software up-date is available free of charge to exist-ing customers.

DolphiTech

www.dolphitech.com

Ring Lights Provide Sectional

Lighting

The Models RL28Q and RL16Q ring lights provide sectional lighting

American Welding Society® STANDARDS

THE 1 KNOWN

THE WORLD OVER

D1.1

TAKING PRE-ORDERS NOW!

visit

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Inspection Trends / Summer 2015

15 control under high magnification for

laboratory and inspection applications. They feature a sealed body with an IP 65 rating, a quadrant controller with a touchpad that transitions the brightness from off to full output. The four quad-rant zones can be individually turned on and off. The compact products offer several mounting options.

Orled

www.orled.com/IT04/28Q

Device Measures Intensity

and Visible Light

The AccuPro™ series of digital ra-diometer/photometers can measure in-tensity and visible light simultaneously. The series includes two models: the stan-dard AccuPro™ (XP-2000) has a dual-wavelength sensor detector that

meas-ures both ultraviolet and visible light. The AccuPro™ Plus (XP-4000) three-in-one multipurpose sensor can measure ul-traviolet, visible, and blue light. They each feature a three-button interface that makes it easy to toggle between meas-urement modes. Overall accuracy is greater than ± 5% per NIST standards. Full-color display settings are available in English, French, German, Chinese, and Spanish. The units comply with ASTM specifications for magnetic parti-cle and fluorescent partiparti-cle inspection. Spectronics Corp.

www.spectroline.com

Software Allows Real-Time

Access to Inspection Data

InspectionWorks Connect provides real-time access to live inspection video and data from anywhere in the world. The secure, encrypted product is embedded in NDE devices without the use of any additional equipment. It is also zero-install, which means users only need a web browser to log in re-motely. It provides live video stream-ing of inspections; collaboration tools,

including two-way chat communica-tion and telestracommunica-tion; cloud-based infra-structure; wireless connectivity; and over-the-air software updates. It is cur-rently available for use with visual in-spections on the GE XLG3 and Mentor Visual IQ videoprobes, as well as the Mentor EM eddy current portable. GE Measurement & Control www.gemeasurement.com

Computed Radiography

System Sets Up Quickly

The HPX-Pro portable computed radiography system can be set up in less than 5 min to produce high-quality digi-tal images for quick analysis and rapid reporting. The scanner weighs 35 lb, in-cludes a replaceable air filter and vent to ensure the air is clean and adequately circulated inside the scanner. It features a fold-up entry and exit door with exten-sions that are held closed by a magnet to keep the scanner dust and dirt free. Carestream Health, Inc.

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Feature

By Albert J. Moore Jr.

A guided bend test is a destructive test used to evaluate a welded coupon. Most welding standards include bend testing as an acceptable method of evaluating the soundness of a welded coupon to ensure it is free of defects such as incomplete fusion, incomplete joint penetration, excessive porosity,

slag inclusions, etc. Alternatives to the guided bend test may include

radiographic examination or, in the case of API 1104, the nick break test. This article will explore what types of guided bend tests can be used, and how the test assembly is prepared, tested, and evaluated.

Hot rolled metals used for welded assemblies have mechanical properties that are anisotropic. That is, the

mechanical properties parallel to the direction of rolling are superior to those perpendicular to the direction of rolling or in the through-thickness

direction. The direction of roll is a factor to

consider when laying out the test assembly that will be welded. The severity of the guided bend test may cause the welded sample to tear and fail to meet the acceptance criteria if the orientation (direction of rolling) is incorrect.

Figures 1 and 2 show the proper relationship between the direction of rolling and the longitudinal axis of the weld.

There are two types of guided bend tests. The one used most often is

the transverse guided bend test, which is used when the test assembly consists of base metals that are the same

specification, grade, or have similar mechanical properties. When dissimilar base metals with different mechanical properties are joined, a longitudinal

guided bend test is performed. A guided bend test deforms the specimen in a way that stretches the

outermost fiber of the convex surface by some specified amount. The

elongation required is a function of the properties of the base metal and/or

filler metal used. The thickness of the test specimen must also be considered when determining the correct diameter of the bend mandrel to use to ensure the required elongation is attained. The welding standard will specify the diameter of the bending mandrel or it will provide an equation used to calculate the appropriate mandrel diameter.

One such equation can be found in the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section IX, Article IV, and AWS B2.1, Specification for Welding

Procedure and Performance

Qualification. Both welding standards use the same equation and require the same bend diameter. NAVSEA S9074-AQ-GIB-010/248, Requirements for Welding and Brazing Procedure and Performance Qualification, also

utilizes the same bend diameters. One must determine the base metal group of

Inspection Trends / Summer 2015

17

A Guided Bend Testing Primer

The types of guided bend tests that can be used, and how test assemblies are prepared,

tested, and evaluated are explained

Fig. 1 — The dashed lines show the orientation of two specimens that are said to be transverse to the longitudinal

axis of the weld. The number of specimens required is specified by the applicable welding standard. Note the

direction of rolling. The properties of elongation as well as tensile strength and yield strength are influenced by the direction of rolling.

Fig. 2 — The dashed lines show the orientation of the specimen relative to the longtitudinal axis of the weld. The

longitudinal specimen may be subdivided into shorter lengths to provide the number of bend specimens required by the applicable welding standard.

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the base metals being evaluated. ASME groups the base metals by P-numbers, AWS B2.1 groups them by

M-numbers, and NAVSEA

S9074-AQ-GIB-010/248 groups the base metals by S-numbers. Likewise,

the filler metals are grouped by F-numbers or by A-F-numbers.

Generally, the properties of the filler metal match the elongation of the base metal. There are exceptions, such

as in the case of aluminum alloys. In the case of aluminum, the filler metal F-number must be considered when determining the proper bend mandrel diameter. The applicable welding standard will provide the necessary direction in selecting the proper bend mandrel diameter. AWS D1.2,

Structural Welding Code — Aluminum, takes into consideration the properties of the base metal and the filler metal used. To select the proper bend mandrel diameter, one must know the M-number of the base metal(s) and the F-number of the filler metal. All aluminum test specimens must be machined to ⅛ in. thick prior to bend testing.

The equation provided by ASME Section IX, Article IV, is

where A (in customary units, inches) is the required bend mandrel diameter, T is the thickness of the specimen to be

bent, and x% is the elongation required by the welding standard.

An example is as follows: P/M/S number for carbon steel = 1 (from the applicable welding standard).

The elongation of the base metal is specified as 20% or more (from the applicable welding standard based on the base metal group, i.e., P-number, M-number, etc.)

The thickness of the specimen is ⅜ in.

Once the required bend diameter has been determined, the appropriate guided bend test is selected. If the base metals being joined are the same, a transverse bend test is used. If dissimilar base metals are welded, a longitudinal bend test is used or strongly recommended. Figure 1 depicts the orientation of the test specimen for a transverse guided bend test, and Fig. 2 depicts the orientation for a longitudinal guided bend test.

The dimensions of the guided bend specimens are specified by the

applicable welding standard. Generally, the specimens are 1½ in. wide T , where T is the thickness of the test specimen (when it is no more than ⅜ in. thick). The length must be adequate to fit the bending machine. Typically, 6 to 8 in. in length is sufficient.

The dimensions for guided bend

test specimens and the bend diameter for API 1104 are not consistent with the other welding standards commonly used in the United States. Where ASME, AWS, and NAVSEA require a carbon steel bend specimen to elongate 20%, API 1104 requires a 9%

elongation for a specimen thickness ⅜ in. API uses the same bend diameter regardless of the properties or the thickness of the pipe material. AWS, ASME, and NAVSEA require multiple bend mandrels, whereas API utilizes a

one-size-fits-all approach.

The transverse guided bend test can be a face, root, or side bend. The type is dependent on the thickness of the test coupon. Specimens measuring ⅜ in. thick or less are usually bent as either face or root bend. Specimens ⅜ in. or thicker are usually tested using side bends. Guided face bends are bent in the testing machine so that the face of the weld is stretched (elongated), and the root of the bend is compressed. That is, once the specimen is bent, the face is centered on the convex surface and the root is centered on the concave surface. The guided root bend is bent so that the root of the weld is stretched and is centered on the convex surface 100

(

)

= A T % - x % x% 0.375 100-20 20 0.37580 20 1.5

(

)

= = = A in.

Fig. 3 — Transverse face bend. Fig. 5 — Transverse side bend.

Fig. 6 — Longitudinal face bend. Fig. 7 — Longitudinal root bend. Fig. 8 — The weld is not properly centered on the convex surface of the transverse bend. This is a common problem when testing dissimilar base metals with different properties of elongation. This is an

unacceptable bend specimen. Fig. 4 — Transverse root bend.

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of the bent specimen and the face is centered on the concave surface of the bent specimen. When the test assembly

is thicker than ⅜ in., a transverse side bend can be used to eliminate the need

to machine the specimens to ⅜ in. thick. There is no side bend option when using longitudinal bends.

Longitudinal bends removed from coupons thicker than ⅜ in. must be machined to reduce the thickness to ⅜ in. In the case of a longitudinal face bend, the root surface is removed by

machining to reduce the thickness to ⅜ in. The face surface is machined to reduce the specimen to ⅜ in. thick when a longitudinal root bend is required. Regardless of the type of bend test, the specimens are bent so

that the face surface, root surface, or the full cross section of the weld is elongated.

Figures 3–7 depict the face, root, and side bends, respectively.

In Fig. 3, the transverse face bend elongates the face of the weld so the weld face forms the convex surface. The convex surface is examined and evaluated to determine whether it is in compliance with the acceptance criteria. The acceptance criteria specifies the maximum size of any open discontinuities and the sum of the dimensions of the discontinuities.

The transverse root bend shown in Fig. 4 places the root of the weld in tension. The root of the weld is elongated and forms the convex surface, which is then evaluated to determine if the specimen meets the acceptance criteria of the welding standard. Open discontinuities such as cracks, porosity, incomplete fusion, etc., must be evaluated. The transverse side bend shown in Fig. 5 is used when the thickness of the test assembly is thicker than3_⁄

8in. It eliminates the need

to machine the specimens to _⁄3 8in.

thick.

In all cases, the convex surface is visually examined for open

discontinuities. Cracks on the ends of the bent specimen are not part of the evaluation. Open discontinuities on the convex surface are evaluated and compared to the acceptance criteria of the applicable welding standard. This is where the differences between the welding standards come into play. The acceptance criteria of ASME is not the same as AWS D1.1 or API 1104, etc. The acceptance criteria of AWS D1.1 is different from API 1104. The

acceptance criteria for guided bend tests in AWS D1.1 and NAVSEA S9074-GIB-AQ-010/248 are the same.

It is important to note the

differences in the acceptance criteria and the mechanics of the bend tests. The differences in acceptance criteria mean that a guided bend test that meets API 1104 does not meet the

requirements of ASME Section XI, AWS D1.1, or NAVSEA S9074-AQ-GIB-010/248. A guided bend test that meets ASME Section IX does not meet AWS D1.1 or NAVSEA, but one that meets AWS D1.1 or NAVSEA does meet ASME Section IX. These differences should be noted when accepting WPSs or welders qualified to an alternate welding standard.

Figures 6 and 7 show how

longitudinal bends are used when two dissimilar metals are welded. The longitudinal guided bend test eliminates the possibility of the specimen shifting in the fixture when the bending load is applied. A

transverse specimen (consisting of

dissimilar metals) will often slip toward the more ductile base metal, thus the convex surface is properly centered and the sample cannot be evaluated properly.

Longitudinal bends are permitted by some welding standards for thin sheet metal thicknesses that would require a small bend diameter. It is nearly impossible to keep the weld properly centered when the transverse bend test requires a small bend diameter — Fig. 8. The longitudinal bend test eliminates that problem. A drill of the proper diameter can be gripped in a shop vise and the longitudinal specimen bent around the drill.

The test specimens must be

properly prepared prior to bending. The face reinforcement, backing if used, or root reinforcement must be removed flush with the surface of the specimen. The exception is when qualifying to the requirements of NAVSEA S9074-AQ-GIB-010/248. In that case, if the weld joint is welded as a complete-joint- penetration groove weld, without backing, melt-through is left intact for

the transverse root bend.

Grinding the specimen with a disk grinder is commonly how specimens are prepared for bending — Fig. 9. The extent of grinding must be limited when removing weld reinforcement, backing bars, and surface

discontinuities such as undercut,

porosity, incomplete fusion, incomplete joint penetration, etc., so the thickness

of the weld and HAZ are not below the surfaces of the adjacent base metal. Scratches from grinding must be aligned along the long axis of the bend specimen so they are perpendicular to the axis of the bend. Scratches that are parallel to the bend axis tend to act as

stress risers and initiate cracks that must be evaluated. The longitudinal edges can be rounded with a grinder or file to mitigate the probability of a

Inspection Trends / Summer 2015

19 Fig. 9 — Preparing the bend

specimen.

Fig. 10 — Plunger and die bending machine. A transverse side bend is in position and ready to bend.

Fig. 11 — Schematic of a wrap-around bending machine.

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corner tear. Once again, the appropriate welding standard must be reviewed to determine the maximum allowable corner radius.

The bending operation can proceed once the specimens are prepared. There are two common bending machines used for this purpose. The most common is the plunger and die type.

Figure 10 shows a plunger and die bending machine that has been in use

for more than thirty years. The diameter of the plunger and die are fixed. Different plunger and die sets are required for different properties of elongation and each test thickness. A common mistake is to use the same plunger and die for all types of base

metals without regard for the specimen thickness or elongation.

Another type of bending machine

is the wrap-around machine — Fig. 11. The wrap-around machine is easier to adapt to different base metals.

Different diameter mandrels can be used to bend materials with different properties of elongation and/or

thicknesses. This is handy when testing dissimilar metals or pipe having

different wall thicknesses. It is a “must” when testing heat-treatable aluminum alloys that tend to

concentrate the bend in the HAZ that has been softened by overaging.

While it has not been mentioned previously, all the welded samples

must pass the applicable visual acceptance criteria before being cut and prepared for bending. Welded assemblies that fail to pass the visual examination are not subjected to a guided bend test. Proper evaluation of the convex surface after the specimen has been bent is the next step in the process. Only the “as bent” convex

surface is evaluated. That is, no further grinding or sanding of the convex surface is permitted before the final evaluation. Cracks or tears initiating on the ends of the specimen are typically disregarded unless there is clear evidence of incomplete fusion, slag inclusions, incomplete joint

penetrations, etc. The applicable

welding standard must be reviewed to determine what acceptance criteria is applied. AWS D1.1 has the most stringent criteria when compared to ASME Section IX or API 1104, whereas API 1104 has the least stringent criteria.

Figure 11 shows a schematic of the wrap-around-style bending machine. It shows the sample loaded and the handle in the starting position (solid lines). The handle is wrapped around the central mandrel so the cam follower forces the specimen against and around the required mandrel diameter. Once the handle is moved to the final

position (dashed lines), the specimen is bent through a full 180-deg arc. The

convex surface is then compared to the acceptance criteria provided by the welding standard and either accepted or rejected.

The acceptance criteria for most of the welding standards are similar, but have minor variations. Generally, with the exception of corner cracks, any open discontinuity larger than ⅛ in. in any direction is rejected. AWS D1.1 goes a step further and states that the sum of all open discontinuities larger than1_⁄

32in., but less than ⅛ in., must be

less than or equal to ⅜ in. The standard width of the specimen is typically 1½ in. Narrower bend specimens are permitted for small-diameter pipe and

API 1104. ASME does not limit the number of ⅛-in. open discontinuities, as long as they are not more than ⅛ in. This is not a subtle difference between ASME Section IX and AWS D1.1. It is a factor that should be considered carefully by the engineer when

entertaining the thought of allowing the welder and WPSs to be qualified to an alternative welding standard.

Figure 12 depicts a longitudinal guided bend specimen with a crack that resulted from incomplete fusion

between the weld and the adjacent Monel®_{base metal. This is a dissimilar}

joint between HY80 and Monel. The weld displays a mottled appearance due to differences in the hardness of the grains in the weld deposit. The sample failed because the length of the open defect is more than ⅛ in.

Figure 13 shows a double V-groove that failed the side bend. The open tears are due to incomplete fusion between weld beads and the groove

face. Each tear is less than ⅛ in., but the sum exceeds ⅜ in. The transverse side bend is used when the welded Fig. 13 — Transverse side bend,

double-V groove.

Fig. 16 — A specimen removed from a pipe assembly and subjected to a transverse face bend test.

Fig. 14 — Transverse root bend with corner tears.

Fig. 12 — Longitudinal guided bend specimen with a failure due to

incomplete fusion.

Fig. 15 — Transverse root bend with piping porosity.

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assembly is thicker than ⅜ in.

Figure 14 shows a pipe specimen subjected to a transverse root bend. The corner tears were probably the result of improper specimen preparation. Notice the test specimen did not have the corners rounded. Had the sample been prepared properly, it may have passed

without the corner tears. The root of the weld, harder than the base metal, is pushed out slightly during the bending

operation.

The specimen curls up slightly at the ends of the weld, a telltale

indication this is the root bend in a pipe sample.

Figure 15 shows a transverse root bend that failed due to piping porosity.

The test assembly was welded using an E7018 electrode that was stored in an electrode oven. However, the oven was not plugged in because the contractor said he was trying to save money by not wasting electricity.

Figure 16 shows a specimen taken from a welded pipe. The specimen is a transverse face bend. Other than a few scratches, there are no open

discontinuities. The specimen passed even though the corners were not rounded as permitted by the applicable welding standard.

Summary

Guided bend testing is one of the most widely used methods of

evaluating welded test assemblies. While it takes time and effort to prepare the test specimens properly, it

can be less expensive than radiographic examination, and it can provide quicker results when the facilities needed to perform radiography are not close at

hand. Some welding standards require welder performance qualification coupons welded with the short circuiting transfer mode of gas metal arc welding (GMAW-S) to be

evaluated using guided bend tests. Radiographic testing is not an acceptable method of qualifying a welder who welded the test assembly using GMAW-S.

Once welders pass their

performance qualification tests, it is not uncommon for them to save the bend samples as visual evidence they passed the test. Passing the first performance test is a proud moment in a welder’s career.

The inspector is responsible for performing visual examination of the

welded assembly, removing, preparing, testing, and evaluating the test assembly as directed by the applicable welding standard. Every welding standard has unique requirements that must be understood in order to properly perform the test and to evaluate the specimen once it is bent. Time spent reviewing the welding standard to verify the proper mandrel diameter is being used and the specimen is properly prepared and identified is time well spent.

Inspection Trends / Summer 2015

21

ALBERT J. MOORE JR.

([email protected]) is vice presi-dent, Marion Testing & Inspection, Can-ton, Conn. He is an AWS Senior Certified

Welding Inspector and an ASNT ACCP NDT Level III in RT, UT, MT, and PT. He

is also a member of the AWS Certification Committee and the Committee on

Meth-ods of Inspection of Welds.

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Feature

By

Inspection Trends / August 2015

By Douglas S. Kindred

Quality assurance professionals and weld inspectors often need to inspect internal welds — welds that are often deep inside a part or assembly, or are in some way not easily accessible. In these situations, borescopes are invaluable remote visual inspection tools, allowing you to get “your eye inside” the part.

Borescopes are essentially the same as medical endoscopes, but are intended for industrial use to inspect any type of bore. They allow production or quality

control personnel to look inside small and complex parts and to visually inspect with great detail. Borescope diameters range from about 0.5 up to 10 mm, and lengths range from about 2 in. to more than 50 ft. There are three basic types: rigid borescopes, flexible fiber-optic borescopes, and flexible and rigid video borescopes — Fig. 1.

Rigid borescopes use a series of relay lenses to relay the image down a

long, narrow tube. They are always the best option if you have a straight path to

inspect. Rigid borescopes have the highest image quality, lowest price, and are more durable. Some can be used both for straight ahead (0 deg) and

90-deg viewing of the welds. These scopes can be used either by eye or they can be attached to a video camera. In a factory-type setting, a video camera is the way to go.

Flexible fiber-optic borescopes use a bundle of optical fibers to relay the image down a long, flexible tube. They are necessary when the tubes are bent or you just have to get around some type of a bend or obstruction. They have lower resolution due to the use of fiber optics rather than conventional lenses. Fiber-optic scopes are higher priced and are typically more fragile, but they will get you around the bend if that is what you need to do. Many hydraulic, fuel, and

pharmaceutical applications utilize bent tubes with welded fittings. These

flexible scopes are just the ticket for that type of inspection.

Video borescopes incorporate the latest technology. Rather than using the relay lens systems used in rigid

borescopes, or a fiber-optic image guide as in fiber scopes, video

borescopes have a micro video camera at the tip of the scope. This gives the user a flexible scope with much better resolution, displayed directly onto a video monitor, handheld or desktop device, or laptop or desktop computer. Video borescopes deliver the quality of a rigid scope, but with a flexible shaft. They often have two- or four-way articulation allowing the user to literally steer the scope around bends. These systems offer convenience and portability. They feature everything

you need to conduct a remote visual inspection, and the ability to capture still images or video, all in one small, lightweight, handheld package.

One of the most common applications of borescopes is the inspection of orbital welds inside stainless steel tubes and fittings. These tubes are used in a variety of fields, including aircraft fuel systems (see lead photo), power generation, hydraulic

systems for aviation (Fig. 2) and heavy equipment, pharmaceutical

manufacturing, food processing, chemical processing, and oil and gas equipment. Borescopic inspection is often the only way to look inside these difficult-to-reach parts and systems.

In most cases, operators employ orbital welding with an integral filler metal, machined directly into a fitting. Inspectors examine each weld to ensure there’s no lack of penetration of the weld bead through the base metal, which

typically is titanium, nickel, or stainless steel. For instance, the key factor in

Internal Weld Inspection Using Borescopes

The key to proper borescope inspection is choosing the right scope for your particular

application

Inspection of internal orbital welds in an aircraft fuel system using a Hawkeye rigid borescope and video system.

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Inspection Trends / Summer 2015

23 making high-quality welds in titanium is

cleanliness. Thus, inspectors look for weld porosity or contamination.

Performing a borescopic

inspection on the first workpiece gives the welder or welding operator

immediate feedback on whether the penetration is acceptable without

waiting for X-ray results. Doing so provides immediate feedback, reduces

the cost of rework, and decreases the likelihood of a nonconforming part ever reaching the customer. This allows the operator to change welding

parameters as necessary to ensure a conforming part.

There is also a big benefit to adding video capability to the inspection

process with the addition of a video system attached to the borescope. Video

systems provide blown-up views, so they give inspectors an enhanced picture of welded joints. Welders can just lay down a tube and twirl the scope around to easily and quickly inspect their work. The video system is also a great tool for welder training on visual requirements.

By using a borescope, the inspector can get a great view of the heat-affected zone (HAZ), and can clearly see slag and voids in an imperfect weld.

Another application for borescopic inspection is the manufacture of the tubing itself. The majority of stainless steel tubing is manufactured using the “welded and drawn” method — Fig. 3. Borescopes can be used to inspect the longitudinal weld joint inside these tubes as part of the quality control process. This is particularly important

in medical tubing.

Borescopes are used to inspect internal welds and braze joints in all kinds of assemblies in automotive, aviation, and heavy equipment. Typical examples include inspecting welds inside large aircraft oil coolers, radiators, and other heat exchangers. Structural welds that are difficult to access can be inspected as well.

A wide variety of miniature medical products are manufactured using

microwelds. Medical products such as endoscopes and endoscope accessories, microvalves, and arterial stents are a few examples — Fig. 4. Very small-diameter borescopes allow visual inspection of

these critical components.

Video borescopes are also very useful for inspection of welds in

structural steel in buildings, bridges, etc., in situations where you simply are not in a position to get a good look with the naked eye. The videoscope allows you to see the problem, capture the image, or video the entire inspection.

The key to proper borescope

inspection is choosing the right scope for your particular application. Inspectors sometimes want one tool to do it all. That’s a nice concept, but it doesn’t always work. If the path is straight, use a high-quality rigid scope. If the path is bent or extra long, you’ll either need a

fiberscope or a flexible video borescope. The right high-quality borescope makes all the difference.

Fig. 2 — A weld inside an aircraft hydraulic line. The HAZ and slag are evident.

Fig. 1 — Examples of rigid, flexible, and video borescopes.

Fig. 4 — Shown are broken weld joints detected during inspection of an

arterial stent with a rigid borescope. Fig. 3 — Longitudinal weld inside a

welded and drawn stainless steel tube.

DOUGLAS S. KINDRED is president and chief scientist, Gradient Lens Corp., maker of Hawkeye

precision borescopes, Rochester, N.Y., www.gradientlens.com .

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Feature

By

Inspection Trends / August 2015

By Alex Thurston

In the world of alloy fabrication, material inspection, and plant piping system maintenance, handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzers, with their simple point and shoot functional-ity, have become the standard choice for quickly identifying material mix-ups and improving material control.

Recently, George Fairbanks, own-er of Fairbanks Inspection & Testing, was interviewed regarding his positive material identification (PMI) tricks of the trade. Fairbanks has more than 30 years of experience with PMI and is a long-time user of the X-ray tube-based XRFs commonly used today. A long-time member of the American Welding Society (AWS), Fairbanks served eight years as the District 9 Director.

Q

: Can you tell us how field instru-mentation has changed since the 1980s?

A

: When I was introduced to positive material identification, our

instrumenta-tion filled a 16-ft room. In the early ‘90s, we purchased a portable optical emission spectrometry (OES) instrument the size of a desk. While these early OES analyz-ers were large, they provided a level of accuracy that made me feel comfortable putting my name on a report. In the

mid-’80s, I had my first experience with field-portable XRF. They were isotope- based systems in those days.

It was not until 2005 that I actually purchased my first X-ray tube-based

handheld analyzer. This first analyzer was great at testing 300 and 400 series stainless, nickel alloys, titanium, cobalt, and some copper alloys.

While XRF analyzers are not able to detect carbon content, they are still a valuable tool for evaluation. For example, XRF can identify a whole host of

al-loys with reasonable accuracy. Also, XRF can differentiate increasing chromi-um levels between carbon steel, carbon ½ Mo and 1¼ Cr up to the specifications of the 13 Cr in 400 series stainless steel (SS) grades. The individual element

analysis accuracy of XRF can detect sig-nificant deviations in specified chemistry and alert the user to potential problems or the need for laboratory analysis.

Q

: As someone heavily involved in PMI testing, what are the main bene-fits you see for welding-related appli-cations?

A

: X-ray flourescence allows for a quick and accurate verification of ma-terials prior to the start of fabrication, during fabrication, and at the comple-tion. It is beneficial to precheck carbon steel, SS, Cr, Ni, Al, Ti, Cu, and Co grades. This includes both base metals and filler metals. Oftentimes, not all of the materials being repaired or replaced have paperwork on the original materi-als used in fabrication. X-ray floures-cence can determine what type of ma-terial will be welded or used to replace the current material. We see this a lot with equipment made not only in the USA but also by foreign manufactur-ers. A good set of reference books is in-valuable for verification of foreign or proprietary materials to compare

crite-ria or find the closest match.

X-ray fluorescence is a great aid for checking flux cored arc welding filler metal to American Society of Mechani-cal Engineers (ASME) requirements for Mn maximum limits based on the A numbers in iron-based specifications.

A small breach in a quality system can result in a catastrophic failure. X-ray flourescence is successful in detecting wrong filler metals by looking at the ac-tual chemistry compared to looking for a grade. For example, on a 9 Cr fabrica-tion, an analysis determined that the base metals met the 9 Cr requirements, but several of the weld chemistries fell be-tween 1.5 and 3% Cr, and were also low in Mo content. These weld chemistries were too low as a result of incorrectly using ER70S-2 filler metal.

Tips for Better Positive Material Identification

An experienced inspector discusses alloy material verification with X-ray fluorescence

analyzers

A handheld XRF analyzer being used for positive material identification of a weld in a metal beam.