ASTM E1209-18

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: E1209 − 10 E1209 − 18
Standard Practice for
Fluorescent Liquid Penetrant Testing Using the Water-
Washable Process
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1209; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope Scope*
1.1 This practice covers procedures for water-washable fluorescent penetrant examinationtesting of materials. It is a
nondestructive testing method for detecting discontinuities that are open to the surface such as cracks, seams, laps, cold shuts,
laminations, isolated porosity, through leaks, or lack of porosity and is applicable to in-process, final, and maintenance
examination. It can be effectively used in the examination of nonporous, metallic materials, both ferrous and nonferrous, and of
nonmetallic materials such as glazed or fully densified ceramics and certain nonporous plastics and glass.
1.2 This practice also provides a reference:
1.2.1 By which a fluorescent penetrant examinationtesting method using the water-washable process recommended or required
by individual organizations can be reviewed to ascertain its applicability and completeness.
1.2.2 For use in the preparation of process specifications dealing with the water-washable fluorescent penetrant examination of
materials and parts. Agreement by the purchaser and the manufacturer regarding specific techniques is strongly recommended.
1.2.3 For use in the organization of the facilities and personnel concerned with the liquid penetrant examination.testing.
1.3 This practice does not indicate or suggest standards for evaluation of the indications obtained. It should be pointed out,
however, that indications must be interpreted or classified and then evaluated. For this purpose there must be a separate code or
specification or a specific agreement to define the type, size, location, and direction of indications considered acceptable, and those
considered unacceptable.
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. SI unitsThe values given in parentheses are for
information only.mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
1.5 All areas of this document may be open to agreement between the cognizant engineering organization and the supplier, or
specific direction from the cognizant engineering organization.organization (CEO).
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety safety, health, and healthenvironmental practices and determine the
applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.7 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D129 Test Method for Sulfur in Petroleum Products (General High Pressure Decomposition Device Method)
D516 Test Method for Sulfate Ion in Water
D808 Test Method for Chlorine in New and Used Petroleum Products (High Pressure Decomposition Device Method)
D1552 Test Method for Sulfur in Petroleum Products by High Temperature Combustion and Infrared (IR) Detection or Thermal
Conductivity Detection (TCD)
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E07 on Nondestructive Testing and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E07.03 on Liquid Penetrant
and Magnetic Particle Methods.
Current edition approved Feb. 15, 2010Nov. 1, 2018. Published March 2010December 2018. Originally approved in 1987. Last previous edition approved in 20052010
as E1209 - 05.E1209-10. DOI: 10.1520/E1209-10.10.1520/E1209-18.
For ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code applications see related Test Method SE-1209 in Section II of that Code.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
E1209 − 18
E165E165/E165M Practice for Liquid Penetrant Examination for General Industry
E433 Reference Photographs for Liquid Penetrant Inspection
E543 Specification for Agencies Performing Nondestructive Testing
E1219 Practice for Fluorescent Liquid Penetrant Testing Using the Solvent-Removable Process
E1316 Terminology for Nondestructive Examinations
E2297 Guide for Use of UV-A and Visible Light Sources and Meters used in the Liquid Penetrant and Magnetic Particle Methods
E3022 Practice for Measurement of Emission Characteristics and Requirements for LED UV-A Lamps Used in Fluorescent
Penetrant and Magnetic Particle Testing
2.2 ASNT Documents:
Recommended Practice SNT-TC-1A Personnel Qualification and Certification in Nondestructive Testing
ANSI/ASNT-CP-189 Qualification and Certification of NDT Personnel
2.3 MilitaryISO Standard:
MIL-STD-410ISO 9712 NondestructiveNon-destructive Testing Personnel– Qualification and Certification of NDT Personnel
2.4 AMS Standard:
AMS 2644 Inspection Material, Penetrant
2.5 AIA Standard:
NAS 410 Certification and Qualification of Nondestructive Test Personnel
2.6 Department of Defense (DoD) Contracts—Unless otherwise specified, the issue of the documents that are DoD adopted are
those listed in the issue of the DoDISS (Department of Defense Index of Specifications and Standards) cited in the solicitation.
2.7 Order of Precedence—In the event of conflict between the text of this practice and the references cited herein, the text of
this practice takes precedence.
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions—definitions relating to liquid penetrant examination, which appear in Terminology E1316, shall apply to the
terms used in this practice.
3.1 Definitions—definitions relating to liquid penetrant testing, which appear in Terminology E1316, shall apply to the terms
used in this practice.
NOTE 1—Throughout this practice, the term blacklight has been changed to UV-A to conform with the latest terminology in Terminology E1316.
Blacklight can mean a broad range of ultraviolet radiation; fluorescent penetrant testing only uses the UV-A range.
4. Summary of Practice
4.1 A liquid penetrant is applied evenly over the surface being testedexamined and allowed to enter open discontinuities. After
a suitable dwell time, the excess surface penetrant is removed with water and the surface is dried prior to the application of a dry
or nonaqueous developer. A developer is then applied, drawing the entrapped penetrant out of the discontinuity and staining the
developer. If an aqueous developer is to be employed, the developer is applied prior to the drying step. The test surface is then
examined visually under black lightUV-A radiation in a darkened area to determine the presence or absence of indications.
(Warning—Fluorescent penetrant examinationtesting shall not follow a visible penetrant examinationtesting unless the procedure
has been qualified in accordance with 9.2, because visible dyes may cause deterioration or quenching of fluorescent dyes.)
NOTE 2—The developer may be omitted by agreement between purchaser and supplier.
4.2 The selection of particular water-washable penetrant process parameters depends upon the nature of the application,
condition under which the examination is to be performed, availability of processing equipment, and type of materials to perform
the examination. (Warning—A controlled method for applying water and disposing of the water is essential.)
4.3 Processing parameters, such as precleaning, penetration time, and wash times, are determined by the specific materials used,
the nature of the part under examination,examination (that is, size, shape, surface condition, alloy)alloy), and type of
discontinuities expected.
5. Significance and Use
5.1 Liquid penetrant examinationtesting methods indicate the presence, location, and, to a limited extent, the nature and
magnitude of the detected discontinuities. This method is normally used for production inspection of large volumes of parts or
Available from The American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT), P.O. Box 28518, 1711 Arlingate Lane, Columbus, OH 43228-0518.
Available from Standardization Documents Order Desk, Bldg. 4 Section D, 700 Robbins Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094, Attn: NPODS.American National Standards
Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St., 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org.
Available from the Aerospace Industries Association of America, Inc., 1250 Eye Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20005.SAE International (SAE), 400 Commonwealth Dr.,
Warrendale, PA 15096, http://www.sae.org.
Available from Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), 1000 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209, http://www.aia-aerospace.org.
E1209 − 18
structures, where emphasis is on productivity. The method enjoys a wide latitude in applicability when extensive and controlled
conditions are available. Multiple levels of sensitivity can be achieved by proper selection of materials and variations in process.
6. Reagents and Materials
6.1 Liquid Fluorescent Penetrant Testing Materials
(see Note 23) for use in the water-washable process consist of a family of fluorescent water-washable penetrants and appropriate
developers and are classified as Type I Fluorescent, Method A—Water-Washable. Penetrants shall conform to AMS 2644 unless
approved by the contract or Level III. Intermixing of materials from various manufacturers is not recommended.
NOTE 3—Refer to 8.1 for special requirements for sulfur, halogen, and alkali metal content. (Warning—While approved penetrant materials will not
adversely affect common metallic materials, some plastics or rubbers may be swollen or stained by certain penetrants.)
6.2 Water-Washable Penetrants are designed to be directly water-washable from the surface of the test part after a suitable
penetrant dwell time. Because the emulsifier is “built-in” to the water-washable penetrant, it is extremely important to exercise
proper process control in removal of excess surface penetrant to assure against overwashing. Water-washable penetrants can be
washed out of discontinuities if the rinsing step is too long or too vigorous. Some penetrants are less resistant to overwashing than
others.
6.3 Developers—Development of penetrant indications is the process of bringing the penetrant out of open discontinuities
through blotting action of the applied developer, thus increasing the visibility of the penetrant indications. Several types of
developers are suitable for use andwith the fluorescent penetrant water-washable process. (Warning—Aqueous developers may
cause stripping of indications if not properly applied and controlled. The procedure shall be qualified in accordance with 9.2.)
6.3.1 Dry Powder Developers are used as supplied (that is, free-flowing, noncaking powder) in accordance with 7.1.7.1(a). Care
should be taken not to contaminate the developer with fluorescent penetrant, as the specks can appear as indications.
6.3.2 Aqueous Developers are normally supplied as dry powder particles to be either suspended or dissolved (soluble) in water.
The concentration, use, and maintenance shall be in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations (see 7.1.7.1(b)).
6.3.3 Nonaqueous, Wet Developers are supplied as suspensions of developer particles in nonaqueous, solvent carriers ready for
use as supplied. Nonaqueous, wet developers form a coating on the surface of the part when dried, which serves as the developing
medium for fluorescent penetrants (see 7.1.7.1(c)). (Warning—This type of developer is intended for application by spray only.)
6.3.4 Liquid Film Developers are solutions or colloidal suspensions of resins/polymer in a suitable carrier. These developers will
form a transparent or translucent coating on the surface of the part. Certain types of film developer will fix indications and may
be stripped from the part and retained for record purposes (see 7.1.7.1(d)).
7. Procedure
7.1 The following general procedure applies to the fluorescent penetrant examinationtesting water-washable method (see Fig.
1).
7.1.1 Temperature Limits—The temperature of the penetrant materials and the surface of the part to be processed should be
between 40° and 125°F (4° and 52°C). Where it is not practical to comply with these temperature limitations, qualify the procedure
at the temperature of intended use as described in 9.2.
7.1.2 Surface Conditioning Prior to Penetrant Inspection—Satisfactory results can usually be obtained on surfaces in the
as-welded, as-rolled, as-cast, or as-forged conditions or for ceramics in the densified condition. The more sensitive penetrants are
generally less easily rinsed away and are therefore less suitable for rougher surfaces. When only loose surface residuals are present,
these may be removed by wiping the surface with clean lint-free cloths. However, precleaning of metals to remove processing
residuals such as oil, graphite, scale, insulating materials, coatings, and so forth, should be done using cleaning solvents, vapor
degreasing, or chemical removing processes. Surface conditioning by grinding, machining, polishing, or etching shall follow shot,
sand, grit, and vapor blasting to remove the peened skin and when penetrant entrapment in surface irregularities might mask the
indications of unacceptable discontinuities or otherwise interfere with the effectiveness of the examination. For metals, unless
otherwise specified, etching shall be performed when evidence exists that previous cleaning, surface treatments, or service usage
have produced a surface condition that degrades the effectiveness of the examination. (See Annex on Mechanical Cleaning and
Surface Conditioning and Annex on Acid Etching in Test Method Parts and Materials in Practice E165E165/E165M for general
precautions relative to surface preparation.)
NOTE 4—When agreed between purchaser and supplier, grit blasting without subsequent etching may be an acceptable cleaning method.
(Warning—Sand or shot blasting may possibly close indications and extreme care should be used with grinding and machining operations.)
NOTE 5—For structural or electronic ceramics, surface preparation by grinding, sand blasting, and etching for penetrant examinationtesting is not
recommended because of the potential for damage.
7.1.3 Removal of Surface Contaminants:
7.1.3.1 Precleaning—The success of any penetrant examinationtesting procedure is greatly dependent upon the surface and
discontinuity being free of any contaminant (solid or liquid) that might interfere with the penetrant process. All parts or areas of
parts to be examined must be clean and dry before the penetrant is applied. If only a section of a part, such as weld including the
heat-affected zone, is to be examined, all contaminants shall be removed from the area being examined as defined by the
contracting parties. “Clean” is intended to mean that the surface must be free of any rust, scale, welding flux, spatter, grease, paint,
E1209 − 18
Incoming Parts
Alkaline Steam Vapor Degrease Solvent Wash Acid Etch
PRECLEAN
(See 7.1.3.1)
Mechanical Paint Stripper Ultrasonic Detergent
DRY
(See 7.1.3.2)
Dry
PENETRANT Apply Water-
APPLICATION Washable
(See 7.1.4) Penetrant
FINAL RINSE
(See 7.1.5)
Water Wash
Spray Dip
DRY DEVELOP Developer
(See 7.1.6) (See 7.1.7) Dry (Aqueous)
DEVELOP DRY Developer,
(See 7.1.7) (See 7.1.6) Dry, Dry
Nonaqueous
or
Liquid Film
EXAMINE
(See 7.1.8)
Examine
Water Rinse Detergent Mechanical
Wash
POST CLEAN
(See 7.1.10 and
Prac-
tice E165, Annex
on
Post Cleaning.)
POST CLEAN
(See 7.1.10 and
Prac-
tice E165/E165M,
Annex on
Post Cleaning.)
Dry
Vapor Degrease Solvent Soak Ultrasonic Clean
Outgoing Parts
FIG. 1 General Procedure Flowsheet for Fluorescent Penetrant ExaminationTesting Using the Water-Washable Process
oily films, dirt, etc., that might interfere with penetration. All of these contaminants can prevent the penetrant from entering
discontinuities. (See Annex on Cleaning of Parts and Materials in Test Method Practice E165E165/E165M for more detailed
cleaning methods.) (Warning—Residues from cleaning processes such as strong alkalies, pickling solutions, and chromates, in
particular, may adversely react with the penetrant and reduce its sensitivity and performance.)
7.1.3.2 Drying After Cleaning—It is essential that the surfaces be thoroughly dry after cleaning, since any liquid residue will
hinder the entrance of the penetrant. Drying may be accomplished by warming the parts in drying ovens, with infrared lamps,
forced hot or cold air, or by exposure to ambient temperature.
7.1.4 Penetrant Application—After the part has been cleaned, dried, and is within the specified temperature range, apply the
penetrant to the surface to be inspectedexamined so that the entire part or area under examination is completely covered with
penetrant.
7.1.4.1 Modes of Application—There are various modes of effective application of penetrant such as dipping, brushing, flooding,
or spraying. Small parts are quite often placed in suitable baskets and dipped into a tank of penetrant. On larger parts, and those
with complex geometries, penetrant can be applied effectively by brushing or spraying. Both conventional and electrostatic spray
guns are effective means of applying liquid penetrants to the part surfaces. Electrostatic spray application can eliminate excess
liquid buildup of penetrant on the surface, minimize overspray, and minimize the amount of penetrant entering hollow-cored
passages which might serve as penetrant reservoirs, causing severe bleedout problems during examination. Aerosol sprays are
conveniently portable and suitable for local application. (Warning—Not all penetrant materials are suitable for electrostatic spray
applications.) (Warning—With spray applications, it is important that there be proper ventilation. This is generally accomplished
through the use of a properly designed spray booth and exhaust system.)
NOTE 6—For some specific applications in structural ceramics (for example, detecting parting lines in slip-cast material), the required penetrant dwell
time should be determined experimentally and may be longer than that shown in Table 1 and its notes.
7.1.4.2 Penetrant Dwell Time—After application, allow excess penetrant to drain from the part (care should be taken to prevent
pools of penetrant on the part), while allowing for proper penetrant dwell time (see Table 1). The length of time the penetrant must
E1209 − 18
TABLE 1 Recommended Minimum Dwell Times
A
Dwell Times
(minutes) (min)
Type of
Material Form
Discontinuity Pene- Devel-
B C
trant oper
Aluminum, castings and cold shuts, 5 10
magnesium, steel, welds porosity,
brass and bronze, lack of fusion,
titanium and cracks (all forms)
high-temperature
alloys
wrought- laps, cracks (all 10 10
materials— forms)
extrusions,
forgings, plate
Carbide-tipped tools lack of fusion, 5 10
porosity, cracks
Plastic all forms cracks 5 10
Glass all forms cracks 5 10
Ceramic all forms cracks, porosity 5 10
A
For temperature range from 40° to 120°F125°F (4° to 49°C).52°C).
B
Maximum penetrant dwell time 60 min in accordance with 7.1.4.2.
C
Development time begins as soon as wet developer coating has dried on surface
of parts (recommended minimum). Maximum development time in accordance
with 7.1.7.2.
remain on the part to allow proper penetration should be as recommended by the penetrant manufacturer. Table 1, however,
provides a guide for selection of penetrant dwell times for a variety of materials, forms, and types of discontinuity. Unless
otherwise specified, the dwell time shall not exceed the maximum recommended by the manufacturer.
7.1.5 Removal of Excess Penetrant—After the required penetration time, the excess penetrant on the surface being examined
must be removed with water, usually a washing operation. It can be washed off manually, by the use of automatic or semiautomatic
water-spray equipment, or by immersion. Accumulation of water in pockets or recesses of the surface must be avoided. If
over-removal is suspected, dry (see 7.1.6) and reclean the part, then reapply the penetrant for the prescribed dwell time.
(Warning—Avoid overwashing. Excessive washing can cause penetrant to be washed out of discontinuities. Perform the rinsing
operation under black lightUV-A radiation so that it can be determined when the surface penetrant has been adequately removed.)
The CEO may specify maximum wash times.
7.1.5.1 Immersion Rinsing—For immersion rinsing, parts are completely immersed in the water bath with air or mechanical
agitation. EffectiveFinal rinsing of water-washable, fluorescent penetrants by spray application can be accomplished by either
manual or automatic water spray rinsing of the parts.
(a) Rinse time—Maximum should be specified by part or material specification.specification with consideration to prevent the
washing out of penetrant from discontinuities.
(b) The temperature of the water should be relatively constant and should be maintained within the range of 50° to 100°F (10°
to 38°C).
(c) Spray rinse water pressure should not be greater than 40 psi (275 kPa).
7.1.5.2 Spray Rinsing—For spray rinsing, parts can be rinsed by either manual or automatic water spray rinsing as follows:
(a) Manual spray rinse water pressure should not be greater than 40 psi (275 kPa).
(b) Rinse time—Rinse time should be kept to a minimum to prevent over rinsing.
(c) The temperature of the water should be
...