AUT Fluids
VersaSonic is a leading high temperature couplant, but … read how Caterpillar and power generation equipment manufacturers are using it.
VersaSonic, the most versatile ultrasonic testing couplant available, will now be used in even more environments after recent developments.
Caterpillar Inc., the well-known equipment and engine manufacturer, has approved VersaSonic for use on its CAT equipment. Caterpillar is distributing VersaSonic through its dealers worldwide for UT thickness gauge inspections in harsh environments, from sub-zero to very hot conditions. VersaSonic is being distributed as Caterpillar part number 545-8721.
Power generation equipment manufacturers have approved VersaSonic for its compatibility with electrical wiring insulation for use in their power generation rotor inspections. VersaSonic does not contain water, is non-corrosive and is low in toxicity.
Acuren, Team Industrial Services, Mistras, IRIS NDT and many other inspection companies select VersaSonic for its high temperature properties and two viscosities:
- high-viscosity VersaSonic for hot piping over 350° F (177° C) and for direct placement on the transducer, and
- medium-viscosity VersaSonic for spreading on parts and at temperatures under 350° F and as low as -10° F.
The nondestructive testing industry chooses VersaSonic for its technical performance. VersaSonic has a lower rate of vaporization and evaporation above 350° F than competitive couplants, resulting in longer inspection windows and less need for reapplication of the couplant. Tests of weight loss from evaporation over time have shown that VersaSonic loses less than 1 percent of its original weight by the time the product has reached 392° F, while competing products can lose twice that amount.
VersaSonic is plant-based and biodegradable. It does not contain peanut oils, tree nut oils or silicones. Additionally, VersaSonic provides excellent corrosion inhibition for steel and cast iron and it can be left in place providing it won’t interfere with subsequent operations such as painting or electroplating. VersaSonic can be removed with a wipe from a rag or cloth; for complete removal, dish detergent and water or Echo 4HT can be used.
To learn more about VersaSonic’s incredible versatility, contact Echo Ultrasonics or request your free sample today.
New Fluids for NDT can eliminate fire, smoke and residue
Echo Ultrasonics has recently become the exclusive distributor of SpectrumGlide AUT-NDT Fluid Couplant in the U.S. and Canada.
Photo courtesy of Dave Bajula, Advanced NDT Services, ACUREN
SpectrumGlide, developed by Eclipse Scientific, has a viscosity formulated to reduce runoff and provide longer dwell time at temperatures from -50° F to 730° F (-45° C to 387° C).
The addition of SpectrumGlide gives Echo Ultrasonics a full range of automated ultrasonic testing fluids, with viscosities ranging from 125 to 5000 cps and covering temperatures from -70° F to 1200° F (-57° C to 649° C).
SpectrumGlide’s formulation results in faster and more efficient testing by allowing it to remain on pipes, tanks and other surfaces longer without draining off. Because it can be used in testing environments up to 780°F (415°C), it’s a versatile fluid for high-temperature AUT applications.
To learn more about SpectrumGlide, or to give it a trial in your testing, contact us. Free samples are available for evaluation; just fill out this short form online.
AUT uses automatic equipment to run a variety of inspections in numerous industries, from corrosion mapping to thickness gauging to weld inspection. For example, AUT is an efficient and accurate method for analyzing the integrity of pipeline welds in the oil and gas industry.
50 years of developing and manufacturing the world’s leading NDT ultrasonic couplants enable Echo Ultrasonics to provide customers with the most cost-effective, highest-performance and safest couplants for each application. Let us recommend and provide samples of the right couplant with today’s technology for your specific needs.
Looking for the right fluid for your AUT Inspections?
Echo’s automated ultrasonic testing fluids offer solutions for those who’ve encountered problems with other fluids. Often, fluids are too thick to pump, run off too fast, smoke too much, auto-ignite, freeze or vaporize so quickly that there’s no time to conduct the inspection.
With AUT fluids in multiple viscosities (thicknesses) spanning a broad range of temperatures, Echo has solutions to each of these problems. Several Echo AUT fluids are water-soluble, too, so they don’t leave a film on water when used at sea.
Echo AUT fluids have viscosities ranging from 125 to 5000 cps and covering temperatures from -70° F to 1250° F (-57° C to 675° C).
The five AUT fluids listed below are arranged by increasing Operating Range:
Echo 4HT is a water-soluble fluid with an operating range of -70° F to 450° F (-56° C to 230° C). It has low toxicity and good surface wetting. Echo 4HT is slow drying and is compatible with a broad range of materials, including most metals, plastics and composites.
VersaSonic fluid is a plant-based, biodegradable fluid with low toxicity and an operating range of -10° F to 700° F (-23° C to 371° C). Above 400° F (200° C), VersaSonic works best when sprayed or pumped (discharged) at the point of use.
Echo 8HT features minimal residue in a broad range of AUT and MUT ultrasonic flaw- and thickness-gaging applications, from -50° F to 800° F (-45° C to 425° C). The Echo 8HT line is compatible with all metals and most plastics. Echo 8 HT is available in three viscosities: grades 1, 4 and 10.
SpectrumGlide, a high-performance fluid for high-temperature testing, has a viscosity formulated to reduce runoff and provide longer dwell time at temperatures from -50° F to 730° F (-45° C to 387° C). SpectrumGlide was developed by Eclipse Scientific and is distributed under license by Echo.
EchoTherm Extreme fluid is the highest-temperature fluid couplant available. EchoTherm Extreme is a high-viscosity fluid that produces less smoke and minimal residue. It has the broadest operating range, from -40° F to 1250° F, and its auto-ignition point is above 1300° F (704° C).
No matter the testing environment or application, it’s likely that Echo Ultrasonics has — or can develop — just the right couplant. Give the Echo experts a call to find the right couplant for your needs or to request a sample.
Ultrasonic Fluid Couplants
Echo Ultrasonics has developed a family of five fluid ultrasonic couplants for automated crawlers, pumping systems and point of use squirting. This product line covers an operating range from -70° to 950° F (-56° to 510° C) with viscosities ranging from 400 to 15,000 cSt. The fluid offering includes products that are water-soluble, minimal residue and low-toxicity. For detailed information, click here. We’ve got the right couplant for your next job. Call or e-mail sales@echoultrasonics.com for samples.
Open top, rigid 1-gallon pail
We now offer our couplants in a 1-gallon, open top rigid pail. Ideal for applications where couplant is painted on a part. Metal handle on the pail for convenient carrying. UltraSoniX, EchoTrack, SoniX and VersaSonic now available. Call or e-mail for more information and pricing. (360) 6719121, sales@echoultrasonics.com.
Echo 8ZH™ couplant for flow metering
Echo 8ZH™ is a thick paste couplant that is ideal for flow metering and liquid level sensing. Echo 8ZH maintains its paste like viscosity throughout the operating range of 0 to 800°F for thickness gauging and from 0 to 600°F for long term monitoring . Echo 8ZH is immediately available in 2-oz tubes. Call (360) 510-3503 or e-mail marian@echoultrasonics.com for pricing.
Explore the new Echo Ultrasonics® website to learn more about our line of industrial ultrasonic couplants with superior performance and fair pricing.
We have been developing and manufacturing ultrasonic couplants for over 50 years. Our founder has formulated most of the NDT couplants commercially available in the United States, including Exosen®, Ultragel II®, Echogel®, Pyrogel®, Sonotrace®, SoundSafe®, SoundClear®, Humex®, UT-30®, UT-X®, Sono® 600, Sono® 950, and Sono® 1100.
Our industrial ultrasonic couplant history began in Pennsylvania in the early 1960s. A lot has changed over the years, including information about operator and environmental safety as well as the availability of new, safer chemicals. With each company, founder Gene Larson has focused on optimizing product performance, improving the chemical safety profile and increasing the operating limits.
Echo Ultrasonics® offers custom formulations and packaging options as well as metallurgical and physical testing. If you have an application that isn’t being met with your current couplant, or you are looking for a superior product at a fair price, call us.
At Echo Ultrasonics, we take pride in the quality, safety and performance of our couplants. Our goal is to exceed your expectations!
Exosen is a registered trademark of GE Inspection Technologies. Ultragel II, Echogel, Pyrogel, Sonotrace, SoundSafe, SoundClear, Humex, UT-30, UT-X and Sono 600, 900 and 1100 are registered trademarks of Magnaflux.
