13ME929

NON DESTRUCTIVE TESTING

By
Prof. S.SENTHIL MURUGAN,
Assistant Professor,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,

Mepco Schlenk Engineering College (Autonomous), Sivakasi

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 UNIT-2
Magnetic Particle Inspection
• MPI is a method for locating surface and
subsurface discontinuities in ferromagnetic
materials.
• Leakage field: when the material or part under
test is magnetized, magnetic discontinuities that
lie in a direction generally transverse to the
direction of magnetic field will cause a leakage
field to be formed at and above the surface of
part.
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How?
• Presence of this leakage field, and therefore
the presence of the discontinuity, is detected
by the use of finely divided ferromagnetic
particles applied over the surface. Some of the
particles being gathered and held by the
leakage field.
• This magnetically held collection of particles
forms an outline of the discontinuity and
generally indicates its location, size, shape and
extent.

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• Magnetic particles are applied over a surface as
dry particles, or as wet particles in a liquid
carrier such as water or oil.
• Materials: ferromagnetic materials include
most of the iron, nickel, and cobalt alloys.
Many of the precipitation- hardnening steels,
such as 17-4 PH, 17-7 PH, and 15-4 PH stainless
steels, are magnetic after aging.
These materials lose their ferromagnetic
properties above a characteristic temperature
called the Curie point. (for most 760° C)
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Limitation:
• Non ferromagnetic materials can not be
inspected by this method.( AL, Mg, Cu, PB, Ti,
and austenitic stainless steel)
Theory of magnetism:
• Ability of a ferromagnetic material to attract
other ferromagnetic materials is called
magnetism and the pieces with this ability are
called magnets.
• Magnets- permanent or temporary
Temporary= retains magnetic qualities only as
long as a magnetizing force is being applied.
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• Materials into three types: 1. diamagnetic-
which are freely repelled by a strong magnet.
2. paramagnetic- that can be magnetized but
only weakly, 3. ferromagnetic – those which
can be strongly magnetized and are suitable for
magnetic particle inspection.
• Ferromagnetic materials are not magnetized in
direct proportion to the applied magnetizing
force. There is a limit, called saturation point,
beyond which a part cannot be made more
magnetic.
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• Magnetic lines of force existing in a magnetic
field are called magnetic flux.
• Magnetizing force H is that force which tends to
set up magnetic flux in a materials. Unit of
magnetic force is Maxwell.
• Flux density B is the flux per unit area. Unit of
flux measurement is Gauss.
• Reluctance is the resistance of material to the
establishment of a magnetic field. The
reluctance of a material determines the
magnitude of flux produced. Reluctance can be
compared to electrical resistance. 8
• Permeability is the ease with which a material
can be magnetized. It can be expressed
numerically as B/H.
• Material with high permeability has low
reluctance and vice versa.
• By exposing an unmagnetised piece of
material to magnetizing current, we can plot
the flux density B of the field induced by
applied magnetizing force H, and the resultant
curve is called hysteresis loop.

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Principle of MPT:
• When a specimen is magnetized, and magnetic
lines of force (magnetic flux) are predominantly
inside the ferromagnetic materials. Magnetic
field introduced into the specimen.
• Wherever there is a flaw which interrupts the
flow of magnetic lines of force, some of these
lines must exit and re-enter the specimen.
• These points of exit and re-entry form opposite
magnetic poles.

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• When minute magnetic particles are sprinkled
onto the specimen, these particles are
attracted by these magnetic poles to create a
visual indication approx. the size and shape of
flaw.
• Magnetic particles can be applied as powder
or commonly as liquid suspension, usually
magnetic link.
• For max. sensitivity, flux density should be
oriented 90° to the discontinuity.

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 Magnetizing techniques
Magnetisation using an electromagnet:
• More refined method of producing magnetic
flux flow is to use an electromagnet with a
variable flux path.
• In this method, energising DC current can be
varied so as to provide a wide range of induced
flux density.
• For components of simple form and reasonably
regular section, this method is most satisfactory
and gives high sensitivity.
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The coil method:
• If a component is placed longitudinally within
a coil carrying the current, the flux will be
generated in the component, giving north and
south poles at its ends.
• The defects revealed will
be oriented basically at
right angles to the flux
and therefore in the
transverse direction to
the length of part.

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Induced current flow:
• It is very difficult to detect radial defects in large
rings because they have unfavorable shapes
and do not respond well to the testing using
coil.

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• Induced current flow method overcomes this
by the use of a special transformer.
• A core which can be demounted so that the
ring may be threaded onto it to become a
single turn secondary winding.
• Defects will be found with circumferential
current flow i.e. circumferential defects.

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 Testing Procedure -MPT
• Surface preparation of component before
testing.
• Initial demagnetization
• Degreasing and cleaning
• Magnetisation of the component
• Application of magnetic particles
• Viewing
• Marking of defects
• Demagnetisation
• Removal of ink from the component. 16
Surface preparation of component before testing:
• loose rust and scale should be removed from the
component to prevent contamination of the link.
• On painted parts, paint should be removed so as
to provide adequate contact areas for current
flow.
Initial demagnetisation:
• Components which have been machined on
magnetic chucks or handled in the vicinity of
magnetic field could have been magnetised. It is
advisable to remove residual magnetism to avoid
false indications. 17
Degreasing and cleaning:
• Component thoroughly cleaned before testing.
• Because adhering grease and dirt can mask
defects and also contaminate the ink.
• Degreasing carried out by means of spirit or
trichloreethylene bath.
• When a component is to be tested, cleaning is
accomplished by a clean rag or cotton waste
moistened with a suitable solvent (spirit or
paraffin).

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Magnetisation:
• It is necessary to choose suitable operating
values of electrical parameters to obtain
optimum magnetisation of the part being
inspected.
• AC, DC, HWAC
• DC:- primary advantages: used for detection of
both surface and subsurface discontinuities-- it
is possible to obtain full penetration of flux into
the object permitting detection of subsurface
discontinuities.
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• Disadvantages: requirement of battery
maintenance– difficult to demagnetise – fixed
voltage.
• AC:- used for detection of surface
discontinuities – provides maximum flux density
on the surface for obtaining best sensitivity in
detecting surface discontinuities—particle
mobility is better under AC--relatively easy to
demagnetize– shallow penetration of flux makes
AC ineffective for subsurface discontinuities.
• Half wave rectification (HWAC):- higher flux
density for same average current.
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• Full penetration of flux into object permits
detection of subsurface discontinuities.
• HWAC obtained from same test equipment as AC
by addition of rectifier and a switch.
• Relatively difficult to demagnetize.
Application of magnetic particles:
• Magnetic particles depending on carrying agents.
• Wet method: liquid; particles (2% by volume)
suspended in oil or water.
Particles must be carefully dispersed in a liquid
bath of proper consistency.
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• Magnetic particles for the wet method are
available in black or red color and fluorescent.
• Dry powder method: since dry particles
depend on air to carry them to the surface of
the part, care must be taken to apply them
correctly.
Light and even distribution of the
magnetic powder is best type of coating
because heavy coating will impede particle
movement towards leakage field.
• Choice of colour and particle size (6 micron) –
better result.
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Viewing:
• Black or red paste or powder indications are
viewed under proper illumination (500 lux at
surface).
• Fluorescent paste or powder particles must be
viewed under “black light” and the inspection
area must be darkened with a booth or curtain
to cut off normal light. (lighting must be
reduced to 10 lux)

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Marking of defects:
• All relevant indication should be marked
• For permanent record, apart from television
recording and photography, the area under
inspection covered with a transparent
adhesive film.
Demagnetisation methods
• All ferromagnetic materials retain some
residual magnetism after MPI.
• Demagnetisation only be accomplished totally
when material is heated to approx. 1033 K.
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Need for demagnetisation:
• In industry, demagnetisation means reducing
degree of magnetisation to an acceptable level,
because complete demagnetisation is usually
impractical.
• If component is to be subsequently machined, a
residual magnetic field may cause chips to collect
on tool and adversely affect cutting action.
• It would affect surface finish. Hence,
components, which are to be subsequently
machined, should undergo demagnetisation
operation.
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• If the component is to be used in locations
near sensitive instrumentations, high residual
magnetic field may affect operation of
instruments.
Ex:- even slightly magnetised aircraft parts may
cause magnetic compass [Compass based on an
indicator (as a magnetic needle) that points to the magnetic north]
of an aeroplane to read erroneously. Hence in
such cases, demagnetisation is a must.
• In arc welding operation, presence of residual
magnetic field is undesirable because this may
deflect (prevent) the arc.
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• Strong magnetic fields are source of excessive
friction between moving parts – Ex; piston and
cylinder wall.
• Due to residual field on specimen which is MPI
tested, chips, iron-filings, particles, chips etc…
keep adhering to the surface while spray
cleaning is going on.
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 Residual Magnetism
What is residual magnetism?
• Some of the components retain an appreciable
magnetic field after inspection.
 does not affect the mechanical properties of
component and will not be detrimental to
subsequent usage.
 in some cases, this is undesirable and one is
required to demagnetize component to get rid
of this residual magnetism.

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 whenever possible, magnetic particles should
be applied while magnetisation continues.
 it is called continuous method- which provides
better indications as compared to the method
in which the magnetic particles are sprayed
after the component has been magnetised.
 residual method:
• based on residual magnetism and effectiveness
of residual method depends on the strength of
magnetizing force and also on the magnetic
characteristics of materials of component.
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 residual magnetism depends on geometry of
component and direction of magnetisation
 residual method should only be used in those
cases where continuous method cannot be
employed.
 Also, D.C. current should be preferred over A.C.
current for residual magnetism.

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