ASTM E164-97

NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: E 164 – 97
Standard Practice for
Ultrasonic Contact Examination of Weldments
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 164; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope the Contact Method
E 1316 Terminology for Nondestructive Examinations
1.1 This practice covers techniques for the ultrasonic A-scan
2.2 ASNT Standard:
examination of specific weld configurations joining wrought
Practice SNT-TC-1A Personnel Qualification and Certifica-
ferrous or aluminum alloy materials to detect weld disconti-
tion in Nondestructive Testing
nuities (Note 1). The reflection method using pulsed waves is
specified. Manual techniques are described employing contact
3. Significance and Use
of the search unit through a couplant film or water column.
3.1 The techniques for ultrasonic examination of welds
1.2 This practice utilizes angle beams or straight beams, or
described in this practice are intended to provide a means of
both, depending upon the specific weld configurations. Prac-
weld examination for both internal and surface discontinuities
tices for special geometries such as fillet welds and spot welds
within the weld and the heat-affected zone. The practice is
are not included. The practice is intended to be used on
limited to the examination of specific weld geometries in
thicknesses of 0.250 to 8 in. (6.4 to 203 mm).
wrought or forged material.
NOTE 1—This practice is based on experience with ferrous and alumi-
3.2 The techniques provide a practical method of weld
num alloys. Other metallic materials can be examined using this practice
examination for internal and surface discontinuities and are
provided reference standards can be developed that demonstrate that the
well suited to the task of in-process quality control. The
particular material and weld can be successfully penetrated by an
practice is especially suited to the detection of discontinuities
ultrasonic beam.
that present planar surfaces perpendicular to the sound beam.
NOTE 2—For additional pertinent information see Practice E 317,
Terminology E 1316, and Practice E 587.
Other nondestructive tests may be used when porosity and slag
inclusions must be critically evaluated.
1.3 Values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as
3.3 When ultrasonic examination is used as a basis of
the standard. SI units are given for information only.
acceptance of welds, there should be agreement between the
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
manufacturer and the purchaser as to the specific reference
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
standards and limits to be used. Examples of reference stan-
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
dards are given in Section 6. A detailed procedure for weld
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
examination describing allowable discontinuity limits should
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
be written and agreed upon.
2. Referenced Documents
3.4 Personnel Qualification—In order to meet the intent of
this recommended practice, it is essential that evaluation be
2.1 ASTM Standards:
performed by properly trained and qualified testing personnel.
E 317 Practice for Evaluating Performance Characteristics
The user is referred to Practice SNT-TC-1A published by
of Ultrasonic Pulse-Echo Testing Systems Without the Use
American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) or other
of Electronic Measurement Instruments
equivalent programs.
E 543 Practice for Evaluating Agencies that Perform Non-
3.5 Nondestructive Testing Agency Evaluation—Use of an
destructive Testing
NDT agency (as defined in Practice E 543) to perform the
E 587 Practice for Ultrasonic Angle-Beam Examination by
examination may be agreed upon by the using parties. If a
systematic assessment of the capability of the agency is
specified, a documented procedure such as Practice E 543 shall
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E-7 on Nonde-
structive Testing and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E07.06 on be used as the basis for evaluation.
Ultrasonic Method.
Current edition approved Dec. 10, 1997. Published February 1998. Originally
published as E 164 – 60 T. Last previous edition E 164 – 94a. Available from American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT), 4153
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 03.03. Arlingate Plaza, Caller #28518, Columbus, OH 43228-0518.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
E164–97
4. Search Units 6.1.3 The term IIW Block Type I should be used only to
describe blocks meeting the standard cited. The term IIW Block
4.1 Angle-Beam requirements for angle-beam search units
Type II is reserved for the miniature angle-beam block recog-
are determined by the test variables. The inspection procedure
nized by ISO.
should be established by taking into consideration variables
6.1.4 All other blocks derived from the basic ISO 2400
such as weld thickness, available test surface, maximum
configuration, but not fully meeting all its requirements should
allowable flaw size, flaw orientation, and the acoustic proper-
be referred to as IIW-Type blocks.
ties of the material. Consideration should also be given to the
6.1.5 Suppliers and users of such blocks should identify the
desirability of using comparable wave lengths within the test
specifications which are met, or provide detailed documenta-
materials where both a longitudinal-wave test and an angle-
tion.
beam shear-wave test are employed. This can be accomplished
6.1.6 Because of the possible differences noted, not all
by conducting the straight-beam (longitudinal-wave) examina-
IIW-type blocks may be suited for every application for which
tion at approximately two times the frequency of the angle-
qualified ISO 2400 blocks may be acceptable.
beam (shear-wave) examination.
6.1.7 Unless the blocks have also been checked by pre-
4.2 Frequencies of 1.0 to 5 MHz are generally employed for
scribed ultrasonic procedures, they may also produce non-
angle-beam (shear-wave) and for straight-beam (longitudinal-
uniform or misleading test results.
wave) testing.
6.2 Distance Calibration:
4.3 Transducer sizes recommended for weld testing range
1 1 6.2.1 An equal-radius reflecting surface subtending an arc
from a minimum of ⁄4-in. (6.4-mm) diameter or ⁄4-in. square
1 of 90° is recommended for distance calibration because it is
to 1 in. (25.4 mm) square or 1 ⁄8-in. (28.6-mm) diameter.
equally responsive to all beam angles. Other reflector configu-
5. Calibration
rations may be used. Equal-radius reflecting surfaces are
incorporated into IIW-Type Blocks and several other reference
5.1 Two methods of angle-beam calibration are in general
blocks (see Annex A1) (Note 3). Distance calibration on a
use: the polar, and the rectangular, coordinate methods.
square-notch corner reflector with a depth of 1 to 3 % of
5.1.1 The polar coordinate method requires measurements
thickness may be used. However, full beam reflections from
of the beam centerline at the search unit/work interface and the
the square corner of the block will produce erroneous results
beam angle in a test block, and the instrument sweep is
when calibrating angle beams near 60°, due to mode conver-
calibrated along the beam line. Test information is graphically
sion. The square corner of the block should not be used for
converted into position and depth coordinates for reflector
distance calibration.
location. The polar method is detailed in Annex A1.
5.1.2 The rectangular coordinate method requires measure-
NOTE 4—Small errors of beam index location are indigenous to the
ment of the position of the reflector from the front of the search
calibration procedure using the an IIW-Type Block. Where extremely
unit, and the instrument sweep is calibrated for depth to the
accurate calibration is necessary, a procedure such as that outlined in 6.2.2
should be used.
reflector as it is moved to different positions in the beam
providing a distance-amplitude curve. Test information is read
6.2.2 For testing of welds, a side-drilled hole may be used
directly for position and depth to the reflector. The rectangular
for distance, amplitude, position, and depth calibration. An
coordinate method is detailed in Annex A2.
example is shown in Fig. 1. Move the reflector through the
1 3 5 7 9
beam to ⁄8 , ⁄8 , ⁄8 , ⁄8 , and ⁄8 of the Vee path. Adjust the delay
6. Reference Standards
to place indication 1 at sweep division 1. Adjust the range to
6.1 IIW-type test blocks are a class of reference blocks for
place indication 9 at sweep division 9. Since these controls
checking and calibrating ultrasonic testing instrumentation,
interact, repeat the delay and range adjustments until indica-
which meet the basic geometrical configuration described in
tions 1 and 9 are placed at sweep divisions 1 and 9. Adjust
ISO 2400 but which may deviate in such aspects as non-metric
sensitivity to provide an 80 %-of-full-screen indication from
dimensioning, alternate materials, additional reflectors, and
the highest of the 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9 indications. At this sensitivity,
differences of scale details. IIW-type blocks are primarily
intended for characterizing and calibrating angle-beam test
systems, but also provide features for such uses as straight-
beam resolution and sensitivity checks.
NOTE 3—Discussion of the differences among various versions of
“IIW-Type” calibration blocks, illustrations of typical configurations and
an extensive bibliography can be found in a published reference.
6.1.1 Only blocks fully meeting all the requirements of ISO
2400 should be referred to as IIW reference blocks.
6.1.2 Blocks qualified to certain other national standards
may also satisfy all the requirements of ISO 2400 but have
additional features.
Hotchkiss, F.H.C., “Guide to designs of IIW-type blocks”, NDT International,
Vol. 23, n. 6, December 1990, pp. 319-331. FIG. 1 Side-Drilled Hole
NOTICE: This standard has either been superceded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
E164–97
mark the maximum amplitudes on the screen from the reflector nation results, but their detection is not necessarily a basis for
at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. Connect these points for the distance rejection of the base material.
amplitude curve (DA Curve). Corner reflections from the hole 7.2 Couplant:
to the surface may be observed at 4 and 8 divisions on the 7.2.1 A couplant, usually a liquid or semi-liquid, is required
sweep; these indications will not be used in the DA Curve. between the face of the search unit and the test surface to
Measure the position of the reflector on the surface from the permit transmission of the acoustic energy from the search unit
front of the search unit to the surface projection of the hole to the material under test. The couplant should wet the surfaces
centerline. Since the depth to the hole is known, the calibration of the search unit and the test piece, and eliminate any air space
provides means for estimating the position, depth, and relative between the two. Typical couplants include water, oil, grease,
size of an unknown reflector. glycerin, and cellulose gum. The couplant used should not be
6.3 Sensitivity-Amplitude Calibration: injurious to the material to be tested, should form a thin film,
6.3.1 Reference standards for sensitivity-amplitude calibra- and, with the exception of water, should be used sparingly.
tion should be designed so that sensitivity does not vary with When glycerin is used, a small amount of wetting agent is often
beam angle when angle-beam testing is used. Sensitivity- added, such as an aerosol, to improve the coupling properties.
amplitude calibration standards that accomplish this end are When water is used, it should be clean and air-free. Inhibitors
side-drilled holes parallel to the major surfaces of the plate and or wetting agents, or both, may be used.
perpendicular to the sound path, flat-bottomed holes drilled at 7.2.2 The coupling medium should be selected so that its
the testing angle, and equal-radius reflectors. Surface notches viscosity is appropriate for the surface finish of the material to
can also accomplish this end under some circumstances. These be inspected. The following table is presented as a guide:
reference reflectors are described in Table 1.
Roughness Average Equivalent Couplant
(Ra μin.) Viscosity
6.3.2 Under certain circumstances, sensitivity-amplitude
calibration must be corrected for coupling variations (Section
5 to 100 SAE 10 wt. motor oil
7) and distance amplitude effects (Section 8).
50 to 200 SAE 20 wt. motor oil
80 to 600 glycerin
100 to 400 SAE 30 wt. motor oil
7. Coupling Conditions
7.2.3 In performing the examination, it is important that the
7.1 Preparation:
same couplant, at the same temperature, be used for comparing
7.1.1 Where accessible, prepare the surface of the deposited
the responses between the calibration blocks and the produc-
weld metal so that it merges into the surfaces of the adjacent
tion material. Attenuation in couplants and wedge materials
base materials; however, the weld may be examined in the
varies with temperature so that a calibration performed in a
as-welded condition, provided the surface condition does not
comfortable room is not valid for examination of either hotter
interfere with valid interpretation of indications.
or colder materials.
7.1.2 Free the scanning surfaces on the base material of
weld spatter, scale, dirt, rust, and any extreme roughness on
8. Distance-Amplitude Correction
each side of the weld for a distance equal to several times the
thickness of the production material, this distance to be 8.1 Use calibration blocks of similar surface finish, nominal
governed by the size of the search unit and refracted angle of thickness and metallurgically similar in terms of alloy and
the sound beam. Where scanning is to be performed along the thermal treatment to the weldment.
top or across this weld, the weld reinforcement may be ground 8.2 Alternative methods of correction may be used provided
to provide a flat scanning surface. It is important
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