BS 1290 PDF
BS 1290 PDF
BS 1290 PDF
15 May 2003
Non-destructive testing
of welds — Magnetic
particle testing of welds
Licensed Copy: Tom Magee, Howden Power, 15 May 2003, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI
ICS 25.160.40
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BS EN 1290:1998
National foreword
This British Standard is the English language version of EN 1290:1998,
including amendment A1:2002.
The start and finish of text introduced or altered by amendment is indicated in
the text by tags !". Tags indicating changes to CEN text carry the number
of the CEN amendment. For example, text altered by CEN amendment A1 is
indicated by !".
As agreed by CEN/TC 121/SC 5 resolution 134/2000 and in accordance with
amendment A1:2002, the term “examination” has been replaced by “testing”
throughout the document.
The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee
WEE/46, Non-destructive examination, which has the responsibility to:
Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, the EN title page,
pages 2 to 15 and a back cover.
The BSI copyright notice displayed in this document indicates when the
document was last issued.
ICS 25.160.40
Descriptors: Welded joints, ferromagnetic materials, quality control, non-destructive tests, detection, weld defects,
magnetic particle testing, surface treatment
English version
CEN
European Committee for Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation
Europäisches Komitee für Normung
© 1998 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CEN national
Members.
Ref. No. EN 1290:1998 + A1:2002 E
EN 1290:1998
Foreword Contents
This European Standard has been prepared by Page
Technical Committee CEN/TC 121, Welding, the Foreword 2
secretariat of which is held by DS.
1 Scope 3
This European Standard shall be given the status of 2 Normative references 3
a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by 3 Definitions 3
August 1998, and conflicting national standards 4 Safety precautions 3
shall be withdrawn at the latest by August 1998. 5 General 3
This European Standard has been prepared under a 5.1 Information 3
mandate given to CEN by the European 5.2 Personnel qualification 4
Commission and the European Free Trade
Association, and supports essential requirements of 5.3 Surface conditions and preparation 4
EU Directive(s). 5.4 Magnetizing 4
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal 5.5 Application techniques 5
Regulations, the national standards organizations 5.6 Detecting media 12
of the following countries are bound to implement 5.7 Viewing conditions 12
this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Czech
5.8 Application of detecting media 12
Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, 5.9 Overall performance test 12
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, 5.10 False indications 12
Licensed Copy: Tom Magee, Howden Power, 15 May 2003, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI
1 Scope
This standard specifies magnetic particle testing techniques for the detection of surface imperfections in
ferromagnetic welds, including the heat-affected zones, using the magnetic method. Techniques
recommended are suitable for most welding processes and joint configurations. Variations to the basic
techniques that will provide a higher or lower testing sensitivity are described in Annex A.
Techniques for testing of welds, with geometries in accordance with those shown in Table 1, Table 2 and
Table 3, can be used directly from this standard.
Acceptance levels for indications are described in EN 1291.
2 Normative references
This European Standard incorporates by dated or undated reference, provisions from other publications.
These normative references are cited at the appropriate places in the text and the publications are listed
hereafter. For dated references, subsequent amendments to or revisions of any of these publications apply
to this European Standard only when incorporated in it by amendment or revision. For undated references
the latest edition of the publication referred to applies.
EN 473, Qualification and certification of NDT personnel — General principles.
EN 1291, Non-destructive testing of welds — Magnetic particle testing of welds — Acceptance levels.
EN 12062, Non-destructive testing of welds — General rules for metallic materials.
Licensed Copy: Tom Magee, Howden Power, 15 May 2003, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI
!EN ISO 3059, Non-destructive testing — Penetrant testing and magnetic particle testing — Viewing
conditions. (ISO 3509:2001)Ñ"
3 Definitions
For the purposes of this standard, the definitions given in EN 12062 apply.
4 Safety precautions
European, national and local safety and environment protection regulations shall be observed at all times.
Special consideration shall be given to toxic flammable and/or volatile materials, electrical safety and
unfiltered UV radiation.
5 General
5.1 Information
5.1.1 !Items to be specified
Before carrying out magnetic particle testing, the following items, if applicable, shall be specified:"
a) specific testing procedure;
b) certification requirements for NDT personnel;
c) extent of coverage;
d) state of manufacture;
e) testing techniques to be used;
f) overall performance test;
g) demagnetization;
h) acceptance level;
i) action necessary for unacceptable indications.
Areas to be tested shall be free from scale, oil, grease, weld spatter, machining marks, dirt, heavy and loose
paint, and any other foreign matter that can affect sensitivity.
It can be necessary to improve the surface condition, e.g. by abrasive paper or local grinding, to permit
accurate interpretation of indications.
Cleaning and preparation of surfaces shall not be detrimental to the material, the surface finish or the
magnetic testing media.
5.4 Magnetizing
5.4.1 Magnetizing equipment
Unless otherwise agreed, the following types of alternating-current magnetizing equipment shall be used:
a) electromagnetic yokes;
b) current flow equipment with prods;
c) adjacent or threading conductors, or coil techniques.
Direct-current magnetization or permanent magnets !may be used if specified".
The magnetizing equipment used shall comply with the requirements of relevant European Standards.
Prior to the publication of European Standards related to the subject, the corresponding national standards
may be used.
Where prods are used, precautions shall be taken to minimize overheating, burning or arcing at the contact
tips. Removal of arc burns shall be carried out where necessary. The affected area shall be tested by a
suitable method to ensure the integrity of the surface.
approximately perpendicular to each other with a maximum deviation of 30°. This can be achieved using
one or more magnetization methods.
!Testing in only one field direction may be carried out if specified."
When testing involves the use of yokes or prods, there will be an area of the component, in the vicinity of
each pole piece or tip, that will be impossible to test due to excessive magnetic field strength, usually shown
by furring of particles.
Care shall be taken to ensure adequate overlap of the testing areas as shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3.
5.5.2 Typical magnetic testing techniques
Applications of magnetic particle testing techniques to common weld joint configurations are shown
in Table 1, Table 2 and Table 3. Values are given for guidance purposes only. Where possible, the same
directions of magnetization, and field overlaps, should be used for other weld geometries to be tested. The
dimension, d, the flux current path in the material, shall be greater than or equal to the width of the weld
and the heat-affected zone +50 mm, and in all cases the weld and the heat-affected zone shall be included
in the effective area. The approximate !direction" of magnetization related to the weld direction shall
be specified.
µ is the angle between the magnetic field and the direction of the imperfection
µmin is the minimum angle for imperfection detection
µi is an example of imperfection orientation
Figure 1 — Directions of detectable imperfections
Dimensions in millimetres
Licensed Copy: Tom Magee, Howden Power, 15 May 2003, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI
Figure 2 — Examples of effective testing area (shaded) for magnetizing with yokes and prods
1 Effective area
2 Overlap
Figure 3 — Overlap of effective areas
d1 U 75
b1 k d1/2
b2 k d2 p 50
d2 U 75
Licensed Copy: Tom Magee, Howden Power, 15 May 2003, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI
d1 U 75
d2 > 75
b1 k d1/2
b2 k d2 p 50
d1 U 75
d2 U 75
b1 k d1/2
b2 k d2 p 50
d U 75
b k d/2
Licensed Copy: Tom Magee, Howden Power, 15 May 2003, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI
d U 75
b k d/2
d U 75
b k d/2
20 k a k 50
NI U 8D
1) For metal-cutting processes, a typical residual field strength value of H u 0,4 kA/m is recommended.
Annex A (informative)
Sensitivity aspects
A.1 Surface conditions and preparation
The maximum testing sensitivity that can be achieved by any magnetic testing method is dependent on
many variables but can be seriously affected by the surface roughness of the object and any irregularities
present. In some cases it can be necessary to:
— dress undercut and surface irregularities by grinding;
— remove or reduce the weld reinforcement.
Surfaces covered with a thin non-magnetic paint, e.g. a primer may also be tested, provided that the paint
surface is unbroken and the thickness of the coating does not exceed 50 4m. Above this thickness, the
sensitivity of the method decreases and can be specifically determined before proceeding with the testing.
A.2 Magnetizing equipment characteristics
The use of alternating current gives the best sensitivity for detecting surface imperfections.
Yokes produce an adequate magnetic field in simple butt-welds, but where the flux is reduced by gaps or
the path is excessive through the object, as in T-joints, a reduction of sensitivity can occur.
For complex joint configurations, e.g. !branch connections" with an inclined angle of less than 90°,
testing using yokes might be inadequate. In these cases, prods or cable wrapping with current flow will
prove more suitable.
Licensed Copy: Tom Magee, Howden Power, 15 May 2003, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI
Annex ZA (informative)
Clauses of this European Standard addressing essential requirements or other
provisions of EU directives
This European Standard has been prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European Commission
and the European Free Trade Association and supports essential requirements of EU 97/23/EC of the
European Parliament and the Council of 29 May 1997 on the approximation of the laws of the Member
States concerning pressure equipment.
WARNING Other requirements and other EU Directives may be applicable to the product(s) falling within
the scope of this standard.
The following clauses of this standard as detailed in Table ZA.1 and Table ZA.2, are likely to support
requirements of the Directives 97/23/EC, and 87/404/EEC.
Compliance with these clauses of this standard provides one with means of conforming to the specific
essential requirements of the Directives concerned and associated EFTA regulations.
Table ZA.1 — Correspondence between this European Standard and Directive 97/23/EC
Table ZA.2 — Correspondence between this European Standard and Directive 87/404/EC
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