From 2014 ASNT Digital Imaging XVII Paper Summaries, July 2014.
ISBN: 978-1-57117-372-0
Copyright © 2014 by The American Society for Nondestructive Testing, Inc.
No part of this document or its contents may be copied, uploaded to the internet, or stored in any shared retrieval system.
QUALIFICATION OF DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHY
PROCESS IN PRODUCTION LINE
Danilo G. Santos, NDT Analyst, Control and Automation Engineer - TENARIS
Robson P. Manao, NDT Manager, Mechanical Engineer - TENARIS
Edson V. Moreira, NDT Consultant, N3 and PhD in Mechanical Engineering - Vasques & Arroyo Ltd.
Marcelo C. Fritz, Director of Quality, Mechanical Engineer, Post-Grad. Welding Engineer - TENARIS
1. Introduction
The digital radiography technique applied to industry came up with the purpose of generating improvement in
image quality, provide more resources to the inspectors during the report application, reduce the cycle time of inspection
and, consequently, increase the productive efficiency of the mill. Besides the benefits related to quality and productivity,
the digital radiograph also provides advantages for safety and health of inspectors since this system allows the
automation of manual activities and reduction of environmental impact (films and chemical products are eliminated from
the process).
2. Radiographic Inspection on SAWL Pipes
The specification for the manufacture of pipes welded longitudinally by submerged arc process generally
requires inspection on the weld of pipe ends (300mm), because it is considered a critical region when the pipe is
manufactured to be used on lines for oil and gas transport (linepipe).
3. Concepts
3.1. Digital Radiography
The digital radiography is characterizes as a highly automate process, the image is acquired via detectors and it
is processed, in few seconds the inspector can apply the radiograph report which is showed in a monitor. In this
technique, some parameters can be modified after the image acquisition, it can be used for the correction when it suffers
a over or an insufficient exposition. The adjustment of contrast and grey levels, some filters application, and other tools
provided by the software developed for the digital radiograph are resources that make this technique more advantageous
when compared to the conventional method.
The main difference between this system and the conventional technique , is that the digital films are replaced
by sensors that pick up signals of the radiation and convert it into a digital image which can be analyzed directly on a
monitor of high resolution, therefore eliminating the use of industrial light box, revealing machines and chemicals
products applied to film revelation.
3.2. Flat Panels
The flat panel is considered an efficient solution to be used on digital radiograph y due to the high acquisition
speed of the images and good resolution, that allow to be obtained high quality of images and a high level of
productivity for this kind of inspection. In industrial area, the most common type is the digital detector of matrix or
DDA (digital detector array).
Application of DDA for inspection of welded pipes has a certain geometric limitation because, unlike the film,
the device where the image is generated is not in direct contact with the weld seam. The Figure 3 shows the disposition
of the panels for inspection of longitudinal weld (3.a) and the difference between the position of the film and the flat
panel (DDA) in relation to the weld (3.b).
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1.b- Difference between position of the film and the
1.a – Detector disposition inside a SAWL pipe
detector in relation to the longitudinal weld
Figura 1: Disposition of detectors for longitudinal weld
4. Quality of Images
4.1. Image Quality Indicators (IQIs)
The quality of the acquired images can be experimentally measured using standardized parts called IQIs. These
reference standards are made with a material similar to the material of the tested specimen/pipe, with simple geometric
shape, such as holes, notches or wires with diameter defined. They are usually placed on the object tested on the side of
the radiation source.
To determine the accuracy of the image quality, manufacturing specifications stipulate the number of the wire, hole or
notch shall be identified in each image, depending on the thickness of the material. In the case of welded pipes, the
thickness to be used as reference must take into consideration the height of the internal and external weld beam. In this
work, the simple wire and double-wire (figures 2.a e 2.b) types of IQIs.
Group of the material (FE
(steel), AL (aluminum) and
Identification number CU(cooper )
of the thinnest wire
7 wires equally
spaced
Encapsulated in
Lead Letter
transparent
EM 462-5
plastic material Hard Plastic
Diameter of the wire (d), equal to
the space between the wires.
Dimensions in mm
(a) (b)
Figure 2- 2.a IQI simple-wire (5) / 2.b IQI double-wire (6).
5 Experimental Procedure
5.1 Materials
Were used 6 samples, fabricated using carbon steel plates API - 5L X60 and X70 grades , material that is
commonly used in the manufacture of welded pipe . The thicknesses used were of 6.4; 9.67 ; 19.2 ; 25.5 ; 32.3 and 39
mm , these were welded and some discontinuities were intentionally inserted in the samples .
5.2 Method
The exposure technique applied for the tests was the single wall single view (SW-SV), and the configuration of
the distances varied according to the thickness of the specimen (plate thickness + height of the weld bead). The main
objective to test the samples at different distances for each thickness, was to portray the critical conditions which the
digital radiography equipment will be subject depending on the diameter and thickness of the manufactured pipes.
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6 Results
6.1 Integration Time
A very important factor to be taken into consideration for these tests, is that all the results obtained by analyzing
the images were without applying filters.
W.T. Contraste IQI Duplex IQI SNRn
Parent
Espessura with
Espessura Tempo de
Integratio
Specimen Metal reinforce- Test
Amostra Metal n time
[Link] c/ Reforço
ment Number
Required Achieved Required
Requeri do Ati ngi do Requeri do
Achieved Required Achieved
Ati ngi do Requeri do Ati ngi do
Integração
(mm) (mm) (s)
(s)
(mm) (mm)
6 6,4 9,9 06a W13 W14 D9 D9 ≥70 ≥100 8
7 9,6 15 7b W11 W13 D9 D9 ≥70 ≥100 16
API - 5L
17 19,2 22,7 17a W10 W12 D8 D9 ≥70 ≥100 8
13 25,3 25,3 13a W9 W13 D7 D9 ≥70 ≥100 16
8 32,3 36 8a W8 W11 D7 D9 ≥70 ≥100 32
26 39 45 26a W7 W10 D7 D9 ≥70 ≥100 32
6 6,4 9,9 06a W15 W18 D12 D9 ≥100 ≥100 16
DNV-OS-F101
7 9,6 15 7c W14 W16 D11 D9 ≥100 ≥100 24
17 19,2 22,7 17d W13 W14 D10 D9 ≥100 ≥100 16
13 25,3 25,3 13c W12 W13 D10 D9 ≥100 ≥100 16
8 32,3 36 8c W11 W11 D10 D10 ≥100 ≥100 16
26 39 45 26a W10 W11 D10 D9 ≥100 ≥100 64
Table 1 - Results achieved in accordance with the requirements of manufacturing specifications (7, 10, 12).
Note: For the requirement related to the duplex IQI wire it was used a technique of compensation for contrast sensitivity,
predicted by the standard ISO10893-7 (7) .
Exposure Time (Conventional Technique x Digital)
API-5L Standard
Conventional Radiography
Digital Radiography
W.T of Parental Metal
Graphic 1 – Comparison between Digital Radigraphy and Conventional Radiography Exposure Time
6.2 Defect Detectability
In order to evaluate the detectability of real defects, were compared images obtained using the conventional
technique and digital..
C B A
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(a) Conventional Radiography
C B A
(b) Digital Radiography
C
B
A
(c) Detail (Conventional)
(b) Digital
Radiography
B C
A
(b) Digital
Radiography (
b
)
(d) Detail (Digital) D
Figure 3: W.T Range >8 to 12 i
*Figures are mirrorred due to the specimen position on the moment of the test
g
it
a
l
R
A B a
d
i
o
g
(a) Conventional Radiography r
a
59
p
h
y
A B
(b) Digital Radiography Flat Panel 2520
A B B
(c ) Conventional Radiography
A B
(d) Digital Radiography Flat Panel 2520
Figura 4: Thickness Range >30 to 35
7 Conclusion
The digital radiography achieves the quality requirements set by the specifications of welded pipes manufacturing,
even when applied on an industrial scale.
Even with the geometrical limitations of the flat pannels available in the market, digital radiography has many
advantages in image quality and productivity when compared to the conventional technique;
Through the studies, requirements of the standards and knowledge of manufacturing welded pipe process, it is
possible to determine the characteristics of a detector (geometry, size of useful area, pixel size, the protective device to
the electronics) efficient and thus optimize the maximum welded pipes radiographic inspection, with the goal of
increasing the quality level of inspection and reduce production costs.
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