5/19/2018 ASTM E142.pdf - slide pdf.c om

Designation: E 142 – 92 An American National Standard

Standard Method for

Controlling Quality of Radiographic Testing 1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 142; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of 

original adoption
superscript epsilonor,
(ein the case of
) indicates an revision, the yearsince
editorial change of last revision.
the A number
last revision in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
or reapproval.

This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope E 1316 Terminology for Nondestructive Examinations3

1.1 This method2 covers the radiographic testing of materi-
3. Terminology
als for internal discontinuities, and also the use of film and
other recording media. Requirements expressed in this method 3.1   Definitions— Refer to Terminology E 1316 for other
are intended to control the reliability or quality of the radio- terms used in this method.
graphic images, and are not intended for controlling the
4. Direction of Radiation
acceptability or quality of materials or products.
1.2 The number of areas or parts to be radiographed and the 4.1 When not otherwise specified, the direction of the
acceptance standard to be applied shall be specified in the central beam of radiation shall be perpendicular, wherever
possible, to the surface of the film.
contract, purchase order, product specification, or drawings.
The quality level required for radiography shall be at least 2 % 5. Penetrameters
(2-2T), unless a higher or lower quality is agreed upon by the
purchaser and the supplier. 5.1 The quality of all levels of radiographic testing shall be
determined by a penetrameter that conforms to the require-
NOTE  1—For additional information, refer to Guide E 94, Test Methods ments of Practice E 1025.
E 1030 and E 1032.
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded 6. Placement of Penetrameters
as standard. 6.1 Penetrameters shall be placed on the source side of the
1.4   This standard does not purport to address all of the section being examined and should be placed so that the plane
safety problems, if any, associated with its use. It is the of the penetrameter is normal to the radiation beam. If this is
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- not practicable, placement of the penetrameter on a block is
 priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- acceptable provided the block is of radiographically similar
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. (For specific safety material, is placed as close as possible to the item being
precautionary information see Section 15.) examined, and the resulting radiographic density of the block 
image is within prescribed penetrameter/area of interest density
2. Referenced Documents variation tolerances.
2.1   ASTM Standards: 6.2 When radiographing welds, the penetrameters shall be
E 94 Guide for Radiographic Testing3 placed on the source side adjacent to the weld being radio-
E 1025 Practice for Design, Manufacture, and Material graphed. When weld reinforcement or protruding backing ring
Grouping Classification of Hole-Type Image Quality Indi- is not removed, a shim of the same type of metal as the parent
cators (IQI) Used for Radiology 3 metal shall be placed under the penetrameter to provide the
E 1030 Test Method for Radiographic Examination of Me- same thickness of material under the penetrameter as the
tallic Castings3 average thickness through the weld. Shims shall exceed the
E 1032 Test Method for Radiographic Examination of  penetrameter dimensions such that the outline of at least three
Weldments3 sides of the penetrameter image shall be visible on the
E 1079 Practice for Calibration of Transmission Densitom- radiograph and the shimmed penetrameter shall be placed so as
3

eters not to overlap the backing strip or ring.

6.3 When examining double-walled parts such as piping or
1
This method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E-7 on Nondestruc- duct with a radiation source outside the pipe, the penetrameter
tive Testing and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E07.01 on Radio- shall be placed, where practicable, on the outside of the pipe
graphic Practice and Penetrameters. alongside the weld nearest the source of radiation.
Current edition approved May 15, 1992. Published July 1992. Originally
6.3.1 In cases where placement of the penetrameter on the
published as E 142 – 59 T. Last previous edition E 142 – 86.
2
For ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Applications see Section V, Article source side is impracticable, the penetrameter may be placed
22 of Method SE-142. on the film side if one of the following conditions is met.
3
 Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 03.03.

Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

1
http://slide pdf.c om/re a de r/full/a stm-e 142pdf 1/3
merican Society for Testing and Materials
COPYRIGHT American Materials
Licensed by Information Handling Services
 

5/19/2018 ASTM E142.pdf - slide pdf.c om

E 142
6.3.2 The radiographic technique shall be demonstrated NOTE   2—Radiographic densities may be measured by Practice E 1079.
with the applicable penetrameter placed on the source side and When films are exposed simultaneously in one film holder, density
variations should be determined on the single or superimposed films,
a continuous series of penetrameters placed on the film side of 
referred to the manner in which they are interpreted.
a like pipe section. The series of penetrameters shall range in NOTE  3—For parts of irregular geometry or widely varying thickness, it
thickness from 2 % to 0.5 % of the material thickness. If the may be necessary to radiograph the first unit of a given design to
penetrameter on the source side indicates the required sensi- determine proper placement of penetrameters for subsequent radiography.
tivity, the image of the smallest penetrameter hole visible on
8. Location of Markers
the film side shall be used to determine the penetrameter and
penetrameter hole which shall be used on production radio- 8.1 The image of the location markers for the coordination
graphs. of the part with the film shall appear on the film, without
6.3.3 When radiographing welds in which only the portion interfering with the interpretation, with such an arrangement
of the weld next to the film is viewed, the radiographic that it is evident that complete coverage was obtained. These
technique shall be demonstrated on a similar pipe section with marker positions shall be marked on the part, and the position
the applicable penetrameters placed on the inside along the root of the markers shall be maintained on the part during radiog-
of the weld, and a series of penetrameters, chosen as in 6.3.2, raphy.
placed on the film side. If the penetrameter on the source side
indicates the required sensitivity, the image of the smallest 9. Identification of Radiograph
penetrameter hole visible on the film side shall be used to 9.1 A system of positive identification of the film shall be
determine the penetrameter and penetrameter holes which shall provided. Any or all of the following may appear: the name of 
be used on production radiographs. the inspecting laboratory, the date, the part number, the view,
6.4 In the inspection of irregular objects, the penetrameter
shall be placed on the part of the object farthest from the film. and whether original or subsequent exposure.
6.5 When shims are used with penetrameters in the radiog- 10. Multiple Film Techniques
raphy of welds, or when the penetrameters are placed on 10.1 Film techniques with two or more films of equal or
separate blocks, the shims or blocks may be made of any different speeds in the same holder will be permitted provided
material in the pertinent materials group. For materials not that the appropriate penetrameter sensitivity for a specific area
categorized, the shims or blocks may be made of the penet- is demonstrated.
rameter material or of material of similar specification analysis
as the material being radiographed. 11. Non-Film Techniques
6.6 It is the intent of the foregoing stipulations for shims and 11.1 The use of non-film imaging techniques will be per-
separate blocks that wrought materials may be used for these mitted provided that the applicable penetrameter sensitivity is
items when castings or welds are being radiographed. This is to demonstrated in the resultant image.
permit equitable evaluation of the penetrameter where diffrac-
tion effects may be encountered in the radiography of some 12. Image Quality
cast or weld deposit materials. 12.1 The radiographic image shall be free of blemishes
7. Number of Penetrameters which interfere with its interpretation.
7.1 One penetrameter shall represent an area within which
13. Source-Film Distance
radiographic densities do not vary more than − 15 % or + 30 %
(Note 2). At least one penetrameter per radiograph, exposed 13.1 Any source-film distance will be satisfactory provided
simultaneously with the specimen, shall be used except as that the required quality level is attained.
noted in 7.1.1 and 7.1.2 (Note 3). The radiographic density of 
14. Records
the penetrameter shall be measured through the body of the
penetrameter. 14.1 Complete records of the technique details shall accom-
7.1.1 When film density varies more than − 15 % or + 30 % pany the radiographs and shall be maintained by the inspecting
from that through to the penetrameter, two penetrameters used laboratory.
in the following manner will be satisfactory. If one penetram-
15. Safety Precautions
eter shows an acceptable sensitivity at the most dense portion
of the radiograph and the second penetrameter, placed in 15.1 Radiographic procedure shall be carried out under
accordance with Section 6, shows an acceptable sensitivity at protected conditions so that the radiographer will not receive a
the least dense portion of the radiograph, these two penetram- maximum whole body radiation dosage exceeding that permit-
eters will serve to qualify the radiograph. ted by city, state, or national codes.
7.1.2  Simultaneous Exposures—When a part or parts of the
same design are exposed simultaneously under the same 16. Keywords
geometrical conditions in a 360° radiation beam, a minimum of  16.1 penetrameters (IQI’s); radiographic examination; radi-
one penetrameter shall be required in each quadrant. ography; quality level

2
http://slide pdf.c om/re a de r/full/a stm-e 142pdf 2/3
COPYRIGHT American
merican Society for Testing and Materials
Materials
Licensed by Information Handling Services
 

5/19/2018 ASTM E142.pdf - slide pdf.c om

E 142
The American Society for Testing and Materials takes no position respecting the validity of any patent rights asserted in connection 
with any item mentioned in this standard. Users of this standard are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any such 
patent rights, and the risk of infringement of such rights, are entirely their own responsibility.

This standard is subject to revision at any time by the responsible technical committee and must be reviewed every five years and 
if not revised, either reapproved or withdrawn. Your comments are invited either for revision of this standard or for additional standards 
and should be addressed to ASTM Headquarters. Your comments will receive careful consideration at a meeting of the responsible 
technical committee, which you may attend. If you feel that your comments have not received a fair hearing you should make your 
views known to the ASTM Committee on Standards, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428.

This standard is copyrighted by ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States. Individual 
reprints (single or multiple copies) of this standard may be obtained by contacting ASTM at the above address or at 610-832-9585 
(phone), 610-832-9555 (fax), or [email protected] (e-mail); or through the ASTM website (http://www.astm.org).

3
http://slide pdf.c om/re a de r/full/a stm-e 142pdf 3/3
COPYRIGHT American
merican Society for Testing and Materials
Materials
Licensed by Information Handling Services