FAQs from Masterclass
We’re helping service providers to invest in the quality of their measurements and the safety of their inspectors. Our High Temperature Masterclass is equipping NDT inspection teams with the skills they need to meet the high temperature demands of their customers for on-stream asset integrity data. Having provided several courses to date, we thought it would be helpful to share some the questions and answers that are frequently discussed.
I haven’t had any high temperature training in the past can I still attend?
Yes! There is a gap in most of the inspector’s and technician’s knowledge when it comes to high temperatures because it is not covered in the main syllabus of conventional level 1 / 2 UT courses.
How much training is involved?
The course is delivered with your busy schedules in mind and takes only half a day, including a practical session. The training is split between theory and practical with lots of discussion in between with lots of time for questions, which we actively encourage! It’s the perfect time to ask an experienced member of our team!
How hot can the probe get?
Ionix inspection probes are true high temperature probes they can be left in an asset ≥ 350°C / 660 °F indefinitely, without cooling, which is great for corrosion mapping as you only need one probe for the job. A 50% 20s duty cycle (20s on, 20s off) should be used for temperatures from 350 °C / 660 °F to 500 °C / 932 °F and we can offer specific advice if you want to go even hotter!
Do my procedures need to be altered to include high temperature measurements?
All training will be tailored to your current procedures for inspection, it’s a good opportunity to go through procedures in detail, it’s usually the case that high temperature inspection is already covered.
Can I use my current flaw detector and or thickness gauge?
Yes, the practical part of the training is showing you how to work with your current ultrasonic gauges to make accurate and repeatable measurements at high temperatures. Ionix inspection probes are designed to be compatible with industry standard equipment including Flaw detectors and Thickness gauges and cables.
How do I set my zero off set at high temperature?
Due to the unique design of Ionix probes, before we zero the probe off-set we teach you to heat the probe up to the temperature of the asset, once we have thermal stability, we can set an accurate zero which will be stable for multiple thickness measurements. You will be shown how to set the offset in line with you procedures to give the most robust measurements. This is covered in detail in the course.
How do I adjust my measurement for the effect of temperature?
You will be introduced to the different methods used to manual compensate for the effect of temperature on the speed of sound within a material which in turn effects the thickness. We will also show you how to use any automatic features your UT thickness gauge/ flaw detector has. The class will also cover others sources of error introduced when making measurements at high temperatures.
Won’t my couplant dry out and smoke at high temperatures?
Regular couplant would. The correct couplant is a vital component when taking high temperature measurement, the course goes into detail selecting the correct couplant for the application.
What type of probes are the HS582i?
Dual element 5 MHz 8mm dia.
Dual element probes are best suited for detecting a wider range of damage mechanisms from uniform wall loss through to pitting and are the prefers choice for high temperature inspection.
Ionix also offers 5MHz 12mm probes for scanning and 2.5MHz 12mm probes for thick or cast samples.
Do Ionix provide other inspection equipment?
Ionix provide dual probes for thickness, corrosion and erosion surveys as well as high temperature TOFD probes for weld inspection. Additionally, Ionix also provide installed probes and automated data collection systems for monitoring.