Liquid Penetrant Inspection

Abstract

Liquid penetrant inspection is a technique which can be used to detect defects in a wide range of components, provided that the defect breaks the surface of the material. The principle of the technique is that a liquid is drawn by capillary attraction into the defect and, after subsequent development, any surface-breaking defects may be rendered visible to the human eye. In order to achieve good defect visibility, the penetrating liquid will either be coloured with a bright and persistent dye or else contain a fluorescent compound. In the former type the dye is generally red and the developed surface can be viewed in natural or artificial light, but in the latter case the component must be viewed under ultra-violet light if indications of defects are to be seen.