Bad Stuff Out We recently had a request from a customer who wanted to know how he could be sure that our solvent remover contained no chromates, since this seemed to be a requirement of NADCAP. We advised him that one could not have a product listed on the QPL...
Author Archives: metlchek
Reader Response: Penetrant Sensitivity – LCF crack POD panels
Words from the Wise We often remind our readers that the content of this newsletter is largely driven by our readers and the interaction that we have with them. We are pleased to relate the following comments on penetrant system sensitivity that we received from Terry Kessler, which reflect the...
The Dilemma of How to Measure Sensitivity
The thermally cracked aluminum panel was an early method of comparing the sensitivity of one penetrant to another, and was written into the first issue of MIL-I-25135. At that time there was apparently no concept for a specific and identifiable method of quantifying absolute sensitivity, and the panel was solely...
FAQ’s from Met-L-Chek users
While some, or many, of these things can get on one’s nerves, we deal with them as simply part of the business that we are in. With a business-like attitude, we dutifully reply in whatever fashion seems appropriate, sending copies of certifications, explaining what is on our web site, pointing...
False Representations of Met-L-Chek, beware of the salesman.
¿USED CAR SALESMEN? We have all heard the story of the used car salesman who alleged that the wreck that he was selling had belonged to “a little old lady from Pasadena” who only drove it on Sundays to go to church. Well, salesmen and saleswomen sometimes use rhetoric like...
Behind the Scenes, Pen-Chek & Mag-Chek “Problems”
There is a body of research going on at a couple of places that has to do with penetrant inspection. At Sandia laboratories, the following question was investigated: “If a field inspector accidentally used aged penetrant materials, would that reduce the likelihood of detecting fatigue cracks?” To investigate this question,...
Reprocessed Penetrant! Settled in 2005 – No Way!
REPROCESSED PENETRANT We have recently heard about a company that offers to reprocess used water washable penetrant which has failed to meet ASTM E-1417 specifications, and return it to acceptable condition. The reprocessing is said to remove water and particulate matter. The supposed attraction of this is that the price of reconditioning...
NAD Use with Type 1 and Type 2 Penetrants, New Aerosol Package, Electrostatic Penetrant Spray, Film Thickness & De-wetting, A Bit More About UV-A Intensity
NAD Use with Type 1 and Type 2 Penetrants We recently had a question concerning the type of developer to use with fluorescent penetrant. In this particular case, the person with the question was using both visible and fluorescent penetrants. He was using Met-L-Chek D-70 developer with the visible penetrant...
Qualification Documents
Time Flying and Some Perspective on Qualification Documents It is an interesting question – Is penetrant inspection a new technology or an old one? For newcomers, it probably is old. But some old timers can still remember the early days when it was an interesting and promising new inspection method....
OOPS Department, Pratt & Whitney (P&W) Manufacturer, UV Blocking glasses, UV and White Light
A month or so ago, we related an instance that was headed “OOPS” Well, we are not perfect and our last issue touted the January meeting of ASTM Committee E-07. However, we misspoke and identified the meeting as being Committee K of AMS. Several of our astute readers called this...