The Evaluation of the TOFD Technique on Heavy Section Test Block
S. Nose, Pressure Vessel Technology Kobe Steel Ltd., Kobe, Japan; Y. Watase, H. Ohizumi, Shinko Inspection & Service Co. Ltd. , Kobe, Japan
ABSTRACT
A 350 mm thick test block was provided to qualify TOFD technique. The test block has various types of flaws such as typical welding defects as well as artificial flaws. Sizes and locations of all flaws are carefully controlled during manufacturing the test block so that sizes and locations can be precisely decided without cutting the test block. By use of the test block, TOFD technique was evaluated to manual and automatic pulse echo UT and RT. It is verified that TOFD is superior than pulse echo UT and RT in probability of flaw detection and accurate flaw sizing and flaw location measurement.
TOFD has been successfully applied to the pressure vessels and other steel structures.
Publication Source: First International Conference on NDE in Relation to Structural Integrity for Nuclear and Pressurised Components , 20 - 22 October 1998, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Held by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. Publisher:Woodhead Publishing Limited