UT Inspection Techniques for I-82 Tubesheet Weld Overlay
UT Inspection Techniques for I-82 Tubesheet Weld Overlay
(OP)
Calling all UT experts.
We are having issues with high defect rates on our weld overlay process (Inconel 82 on carbon steel, approx. 0.5" thick, GMAW-spray process, 1" oscillation). So far inspection has been by straight probe UT, which I am not totally confident in, but then I am far from being an NDE expert.
What other UT variants might be useful in accurately characterizing lack-of-fusion defects? The continuous vertical columnar nature of the weld overlay is a complicating factor. Also, penetration is not uniform across the width of the bead; it is deeper at the edges than in the middle. This results in the Inconel/base metal interface deviating significantly from horizontal in these regions, which I suspect may be another complicating factor.
We are having issues with high defect rates on our weld overlay process (Inconel 82 on carbon steel, approx. 0.5" thick, GMAW-spray process, 1" oscillation). So far inspection has been by straight probe UT, which I am not totally confident in, but then I am far from being an NDE expert.
What other UT variants might be useful in accurately characterizing lack-of-fusion defects? The continuous vertical columnar nature of the weld overlay is a complicating factor. Also, penetration is not uniform across the width of the bead; it is deeper at the edges than in the middle. This results in the Inconel/base metal interface deviating significantly from horizontal in these regions, which I suspect may be another complicating factor.





RE: UT Inspection Techniques for I-82 Tubesheet Weld Overlay
straight beam is much better than angle beam for this application. But let's see if we can't make the straight beam inspection better. What size and frequency transducer are you using? What are you calibrating on? What is the relative amplitude of the indications being detected?
Straight beam uses longitudinal waves which is much more impervious to columnar grains in Inconel and Stainless buildups.
JR97