Detecting surface breaks on a non-porous material is not easy, especially if you are using naked eyes. That is where equipment such as bespoke NDT equipment and a fluorescent penetrant system come in handy. The methods are used to detect various defects such as cracks and leaks on products made of ceramics, metals and also plastics. Here are the steps you have to take for you to detect defects on any non-porous material.

Initial cleaning

Pre-cleaning or initial cleaning of the material is the first and mandatory step when doing fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI). What this step does is that it ensures the removal of any liquid, oils, grease and paints to leave the surface exposed. That way, there are no impurities to flaw the results. It also makes it easy for you to identify the defect on the surface.

Penetrant application

Once the material is clean and ready, the application of the penetrant commences. The dipping of the surface is carefully done and then left in the penetrant for some time. The period depends on the type of material being used, and the type of defect you suspect might be on the surface. Any NDT equipment supplier will also conquer that the exposure of the material to the penetrant adequately often leads to great results.

Removal of excess penetrant

The next step is to remove the excess penetrant in a controlled environment. That is to ensure every penetrant on the surface is removed, and the only penetrant that remains is on the suspected defects. If you don’t eradicate the excess penetrant, you are likely to end up having defects.

Developer application

After the material is free from excess penetrant, a thin coating is applied on the surface evenly. That is what you call the developer. Its work is to give a perfect indication or visibility by distinguishing between the penetrant and the defect. Coloured stains will show the suspected defects.

Inspection of the surface

The last step when using the bespoke penetrant system is to inspect the surface. You should do this after ten minutes. That is enough time for the surface to undergo bloating and ensure excellent results. If you wait for too long, the results may be inaccurate. So make sure you are precise with the timing. The inspection is done with appropriate equipment which includes long candles, light with low ambient, and UV radiation. With those, you will be able to see the defects clearly.

Those are so far the five essential steps that you need to take when performing the fluorescent penetrant system. Each step should be carefully done for accurate and easy to read results. Any mistake made can end up leading to noises which often makes it hard to notice the defects.