Ultrasonic Testing Standards—Overview

Ultrasonic testing is used extensively for flaw detection, thickness measurement, and determining material properties. Now, as the field reaches maturity, there is a greater need to obtain quantitative data from the test itself. This need, in turn, has been followed by an implied need for standardization.

The goal of standardization, for whatever reasons, is laudable. In ultrasonics it covers three possible areas of interest which will be discussed in detail in the following papers. These include: the instrumentation itself, including probes, and the possible standardization of performance characteristics; reference standards including test blocks and other techniques for setting rejection limits; and finally standarization of application techniques.

Our challenge is first to determine what should be standardized within each area. Then, under what conditions should such standards be applied. The developers of these standards should also clearly understand the complex relationship between the significance of the parameters being standardized, the performance flexibility of the equipment, and the overall cost/benefits involved.

This presentation attempts to put some of these factors into proper perspective, so that realistic standardization may benefit all parties concerned.