NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING

Non-Destructive Testing involves a number of established processes to identify conforming and nonconforming parts. Our Non-destructive Testing Department specializes in evaluating your material, and assists in troubleshooting the root cause of defects. This aspect is very important and differentiates us from other NDT facilities that merely perform an "accept / reject" function. Our lab will provide a support group for your company, with in-depth analysis and consultations with highly qualified metallurgical professionals. Our NDT Team includes qualified and certified technicians to execute your testing requirements. NDT tests can be performed in-house, and some NDT tests can be conducted at the customer's location. Consultations are available for Level III services, test procedure development, and classroom training.

TESTING SERVICES

Liquid Penetrant

Liquid Penetrant Inspection is a testing method which locates flaws (discontinuities) such as cracks, laps, or seams which are open to the surface of the material under test. Testing is accomplished by applying a dye which, through capillary action, penetrates into these flaws. When the excess penetrant is rinsed off, a developer is applied that reverses the capillary action, permitting the inspector to locate the discontinuities with a black light.

Magnetic Particle

Magnetic Particle Testing is based on the knowledge that a magnetic field is always perpendicular to electric current flowing in a particular direction. This field allows technicians to find surface or near surface flaws in ferromagnetic material. A part is magnetized in accordance with the governing specification. A leakage field will exist at the discontinuity location. This leakage field will attract iron particles. Those particles contain fluorescent dye, which allows the technician to view the discontinuity under a black light.

Cabinet Radiography

Radiographic Testing involves the use of penetrating x-rays to view internal features such as casting defects, welding defects, positioning of internal features, and qualification of welders. Ionizing radiation is passed through the test specimen exposing film. After the film is processed, A-Lab's technicians view the film and use either national standards or proprietary standards to rate the severity of the discontinuities.

Vault/Gamma

A-Lab Corp. offers gamma radiation testing with Ir-192 and state of the art high-density concrete vaults.

Computed radiography

A-lab Corp. offers computed radiography which uses imaging plates instead of x-ray film. A specialized machine, or scanner is used to read the latent image from the plate. The light is then detected by a highly sensitive analog device known as a photomultiplier and converted to a digital signal. The digital x-ray image can then be viewed on a computer monitor and evaluated.

Ultrasonic

Ultrasonic Testing involves the generation of sound waves using different frequency transducers. Sound travels very predictably through materials. When sound bounces off of an air interface such as a gas hole or porosity, the sound wave will return earlier than the sound that travels through the entire thickness of the part under test. The screen presentation will show the discontinuity and, like all methods of NDT, the technicians will interpret the information against codes or standards.