The ST700 5k features 5,000 μW/cm² maximum UV-A intensity at 38cm for aerospace applications that require a lower intensity than the standard ST700 unit.

The ST700 projects an ultra-wide, even beam of UV-A light straight onto the inspection area, allowing for quick examination of parts with minimal part handling. The high intensity beam makes indications stand out bright and clear, speeding up the inspection process. The ST700 is certified to NDT standards for LED UV lamps and certified for Aerospace Prime and OEM specifications for emission spectrum and beam profile.

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Carrier II is a high-purity NDT-approved suspension vehicle developed specifically for wet method magnetic particle testing.

This petroleum distillate carrier oil provides excellent particle mobility, good suspension stability and enhanced corrosion protection for reliable, spec-compliant mag particle inspections.

Carrier II is made with highly refined petroleum oil with virtually no odor for improved operator comfort, while the high flash point and low toxicity reduce EHS concerns.

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The liquid penetrant method of nondestructive testing has been used since the 1940’s. But even after being used by generations of NDT professionals, there are still some common areas of confusion or misunderstanding.

Here we set the record straight on 10 misperceptions we’ve seen in the field in recent years.

1. The highest sensitivity penetrant is the best penetrant for my application

The best penetrant for an application is the one that finds the right indications with the least amount of money and time. Sometimes this means not using the highest sensitivity penetrant.

While it is true that a higher sensitivity penetrant will produce indications for very small discontinuities, a higher sensitivity penetrant will probably not give you the best inspection results if you only need to find medium discontinuities since you will see far more indications than are relevant to the inspection.

To start selecting a penetrant, review any governing specifications and work procedures for required sensitivity levels.

Take into consideration the surface finish and configuration of the part.

A high sensitivity level fluorescent penetrant is appropriate for smooth, highly machined surfaces. However, a high sensitivity level fluorescent penetrant may leave excessive fluorescent background on a rough cast part, making inspection difficult. 

A lower sensitivity fluorescent penetrant is a better choice for rough surfaces.

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Magnaflux is pleased to announce the new QB2-Plus Quick Break Test & Shot Timer to our line of mag particle testing meters. The QB2-Plus will help you check and measure the performance of your magnetic bench, electromagnetic current generator or other magnetizing equipment as part of your regular system performance checks.

The QB2-Plus provides a quantitative measure of Quick Break performance for three-phase FWDC equipment, and it can be used with all coil sizes. But unlike the previous model, the QB2-Plus is also capable of measuring the shot time for any magnetic particle equipment including AC, half-wave DC, single- and three-phase full-wave DC, and multi-directional units.

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Aluminum oxide tiles coated in ZL-19 fluorescent penetrant and viewed under a UV light. The white spots on the left-hand tile indicate cracks and flaws.

Customer
Our customer is an armor solutions provider based in the UK and they were looking to use a fluorescent penetrant to inspect for cracks in aluminum oxide tiles used for armor protection.

Challenge
The issue with aluminum oxide tiles is that they are semi-porous. It had been suggested that they use ZL-67B but our customer was concerned that, as a level 3 sensitivity penetrant, it would fill up all the surface pores and be difficult to remove.

Solution
After speaking with the customer, we established that the use of a lower sensitivity penetrant would be better for them as it would be easier to remove. We recommended ZL-19, a level 1 sensitivity, water-washable fluorescent penetrant.

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The general lighting industry has embraced LEDs as the preferred technology of choice over incandescent and fluorescent bulbs due to higher flexibility and fewer safety concerns. However, the nondestructive testing community has trailed in adoption of LEDs due to the special lighting requirements and challenges posed by fluorescent methods such as liquid penetrant testing or magnetic particle inspections.

With regulatory exemptions for NDT expiring in recent years and advancements in LED technology and manufacturing, high-intensity LED UV-A light sources are now the go-to solution for NDT professionals.

While flexibility is one of the main advantages to LED technology brings to NDT, it also means more details are required to specify the right performance for nondestructive testing. For a lamp to be useful in fluorescent penetrant or magnetic particle inspection, many factors must be considered.

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