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StepsforLiquidPI

StepsforLiquidPI
BasicProcessingStepsofaLiquidPenetrantInspection
1.SurfacePreparation:Oneofthemostcriticalstepsofaliquidpenetrantinspectionisthesurface
preparation.Thesurfacemustbefreeofoil,grease,water,orothercontaminantsthatmayprevent
penetrantfromenteringflaws.Thesamplemayalsorequireetchingifmechanicaloperationssuchas
machining,sanding,orgritblastinghavebeenperformed.Theseandothermechanicaloperations
cansmearmetalovertheflawopeningandpreventthepenetrantfromentering.

2.PenetrantApplication:Oncethesurfacehasbeenthoroughlycleanedanddried,thepenetrant
materialisappliedbyspraying,brushing,orimmersingthepartinapenetrantbath.
3.PenetrantDwell:Thepenetrantisleftonthesurfaceforasufficienttimetoallowasmuchpenetrant
aspossibletobedrawnfromortoseepintoadefect.Penetrantdwelltimeisthetotaltimethatthe
penetrantisincontactwiththepartsurface.Dwelltimesareusuallyrecommendedbythepenetrant
producersorrequiredbythespecificationbeingfollowed.Thetimesvarydependingonthe
application,penetrantmaterialsused,thematerial,theformofthematerialbeinginspected,andthe
typeofdefectbeinginspectedfor.Minimumdwelltimestypicallyrangefromfiveto60minutes.
Generally,thereisnoharminusingalongerpenetrantdwelltimeaslongasthepenetrantisnot
allowedtodry.Theidealdwelltimeisoftendeterminedbyexperimentationandmaybeveryspecific
toaparticularapplication.

4.ExcessPenetrantRemoval:Thisisthemostdelicatepartoftheinspectionprocedurebecausethe
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excesspenetrantmustberemovedfromthesurfaceofthesamplewhileremovingaslittlepenetrant
aspossiblefromdefects.Dependingonthepenetrantsystemused,thisstepmayinvolvecleaning
withasolvent,directrinsingwithwater,orfirsttreatingthepartwithanemulsifierandthenrinsing
withwater.

5.DeveloperApplication:Athinlayerofdeveloperisthenappliedtothesampletodrawpenetrant
trappedinflawsbacktothesurfacewhereitwillbevisible.Developerscomeinavarietyofformsthat
maybeappliedbydusting(drypowdered),dipping,orspraying(wetdevelopers).
6.IndicationDevelopment:Thedeveloperisallowedtostandonthepartsurfaceforaperiodoftime
sufficienttopermittheextractionofthetrappedpenetrantoutofanysurfaceflaws.Thisdevelopment
timeisusuallyaminimumof10minutes.Significantlylongertimesmaybenecessaryfortight
cracks.
7.Inspection:Inspectionisthenperformedunderappropriatelightingtodetectindicationsfromany
flawswhichmaybepresent.
8.CleanSurface:Thefinalstepintheprocessistothoroughlycleanthepartsurfacetoremovethe
developerfromthepartsthatwerefoundtobeacceptable.
Nowyoutryit!

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