The
Penetrant
A Few More Thoughts On
The Evolution of
Penetrant Specifications
The past two issues of the PEN-
ETRANT PROFESSOR have con-
centrated on the historical path of
the relevant qualifying documents
and the journey to develop a method
of measuring absolute sensitivity.
While these have been extremely
important in the creation of a uni-
form system of qualification, prog-
ress was also being made in other
areas besides sensitivity measure-
ment.
We previously pointed out that an
important contribution to the mea-
surement of sensitivity was the de-
velopment of the spotmeter. While
this found its place measuring sen-
sitivity, it also became important in
the measurement of background flu-
orescence. The first edition of the
MILSPEC merely stated that after
water washing, the penetrants “shall
leave no residual fluorescence”. The
test relied upon sandblasted panels
and eyeball examination. Now, of
course, the test is still carried out on
sandblasted panels, but the residual
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from
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the submission of an MSDS for
each product.
Water tolerance of water washable
penetrants was added to the list of
fluorescence is measured with the
qualification requirements.
spotmeter.
The ability of emulsifiers to con-
Originally, the flash point of prod-
tinue to perform after they had been
ucts was merely required to be test-
contaminated with penetrant was
ed and reported. Since then, OSHA
added.
and other regulations have limited
the flash point of materials to be
Water suspendible and water sol-
used in open tanks to 200°F.
uble developers appeared upon
the scene, and bioresistance crite-
Corrosion tests were initially only
ria were added to the qualification
performed on magnesium and
specification. Hydrophilic emulsi-
aluminum at relatively low tem-
fiers were developed and added to
perature. Now steel, titanium, and
the specification.
nickel have been added to the list,
and the temperature range has been
Black light intensity criteria were
extended, reflecting the demands on
added, and penetrants were required
the materials used in modern jet en-
to have stable indications under
gines.
conditions of temperature and also
exposure to UV-A.
Toxicity has always been an impor-
tant subject, and the initial testing
was not insignificant. This morphed
into a system whereby manufactur-
ers were required to submit their
formulations to the Air Force for
toxicological approval. Later this
requirement was changed to require

Chlorinated solvent removers came
and then went, as they were found
to be ozone depleting substances.
So, to sort of put it in context, initial-
ly one could qualify a penetrant if a
cracked aluminum block showed in-
dications under black light illumina-
tion with unmeasured intensity, and
the indications were judged to be
adequate in intensity and contrast.
Now, the test is performed on low
cycle fatigue cracked specimens,
the indications are measured with
a spotmeter under controlled black
light intensity, and the background
is also measured and held to a high
standard. One is also assured that
the indications will not fade in the
drying oven or under prolonged ex-
posure to the black light, that the
materials are non corrosive, not
ozone depleting, and have reason-
able bioresistance. And it has only
taken a bit more than 50 years!
PENETRANT PROFESSOR
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Beverly Clarke.
ASTM Spring Meeting
The annual Spring meeting of
ASTM Committee E-07 was held
in Plantation, Florida, and the main
subject continued to be UV-A (or
black light) sources.
Questions about the use of new
LED powered lights had surfaced in
the past meetings, and these discus- 2011
sions continued. At the core of the
discussions is the fact that while the perhaps plus or minus up to 5 nano-
conventional mercury bulbs have an meters. The Fall meeting of the
output that is a function of the mer- committee will continue this dis-
cury, and therefore varies little from cussion.
the prescribed 365 nanometer wave
length, LEDs can be made to pro-
duce outputs with wave lengths that
are different.
The question that is being addressed
is how to be assured that the output
from an LED source provides ad- Occasionally, we at Met-L-Chek
equate excitation of penetrant indi- like to brag a bit about who is us-
cations for inspection. Two sugges- ing our products. We are happy to
tions are under consideration. The add Tesla Motors to that list. Tesla
first is that the wavelength of the is making a fully electric car that is
LED lights needs to be checked for very fast. Here in Los Angeles we
a value that will be specified as sat- occasionally see one. They are qui-
isfactory, and the second is that the et, quick, and it is easy to mistake
output strength needs to be checked one for a Lotus, because the basic
against the specification. In the dis- body and structural design is that of
cussions, the question of whether or a Lotus.
not the present mercury bulb lights
also needed to have their wave
lengths checked, or whether such
a requirement would be limited to
LED lights. Because of the phys-
ics governing the wave length of the
mercury lights, the suggestion is to
limit the frequency check to LED
lights.
The Penetrant
In the meantime, some laboratory Professor
work is underway to test the effect
of wavelengths close to, but not
identical to 365 nanometers. It is
likely that a spread will be allowed,