A Brief Overview of Magnetic Particle Inspection

Posted by NDT Consultancy Services Inc on August 25th, 2017

Magnetic particle testing or magnetic particle inspection is a non-destructive testing method that is used to find discontinuities or defects in ferromagnetic metals - nickel, iron, cobalt, steel, etc. The technique is very efficient in detecting crack on or near the surface of the metals. Magnetic particle inspection or any other NDT technique for that matter is used in industrial applications to prevent failures, damages, and accidents. Some of the industrial applications magnetic particle testing is used in include oil industry, steel industry, aerospace industry, nuclear industry, petrochemical and refinery industry, and shipbuilding industry amongst others. For instance, if we talk about its use in the oil industry, it is very helpful in testing the metal materials of oil pipelines as well as oil machinery components that are made of metal.

If you are willing to acquire NDT certification in magnetic particle inspection, knowing about its industrial applications is not enough, you will also have to understand how it works? On the contrary to popular belief that say that all NDT methods are very tough to understand as well as conduct, the concept of magnetic particle testing is relatively simple. Let us understand this in some detail. It is a fact that a magnetized metal is a surrounded by a magnetic field that is invisible. Now, in case there is a defect in the metal object - a hole or a crack - there will be a disruption in the invisible magnetic field that surrounds the metal object. This is where magnetic particle inspection comes into the picture. It helps you in identifying this disruption, thus allowing you to detect the defect as well.

After getting NDT certification in magnetic particle testing from a reputed institute, you will be able to conduct the following process. The first thing you will do is magnetize the metal object being tested. Anything from a horizontal MT machine to a magnetic yoke can be used to magnetize the metal object. Then iron particles need to be applied to the metal object. The area where there is a disruption in the magnetic field will attract all the iron particles. This will reveal the defected area. As visual inspection is a big part of the entire process, the choice of metal particles has to be done very carefully. This decision usually depends on the darkness or color of the metal object being tested. Iron particles and red/yellow iron oxide particles are amongst the most commonly used metal particles in magnetic particle testing.


Author’s Bio: The author is a blogger. This article is about magnetic particle testing.

Source by: https://medium.com/@mathewjohn640/a-brief-overview-of-magnetic-particle-inspection-dbe3f52e6ea5

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NDT Consultancy Services Inc
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