CFM56-7B Engine Fan Blade Inspection – GE Approved Glycerol Supplier
Echo Ultrasonics is approved by GE as a supplier of Glycerol batch # 205 for the inspection of CFM56-7B engine fan blades in accordance with SB 72-1033.
Echo’s GE approved Glycerol Echo Lot 205 is available in 16-oz / 500 ml bottles for overnight delivery worldwide. Contact: Echo Direct 24/7 at 360-671-9121 or sales@echoultrasonics.com. Part number GLY-16, batch # 205.
According to the NTSB May 3rd investigative update, “On April 20, 2018, CFM International issued Service Bulletin 72-1033 applicable to CFM International CFM 56-7B-series engines recommending ultrasonic inspections of all fan blades on engines that have accumulated 20,000 engine cycles and subsequently at intervals not to exceed 3,000 engine cycles.”
Contact Echo Ultrasonics for more information and orders:
360-671-9121
marian@echoultrasonics.com
www.echoultrasonics.com
Mixing UT powder couplant doesn’t need to be complicated
EchoMix Single is a unique one-part powder ultrasonic testing couplant that easily mixes in cold water in 5 minutes. It is less expensive to ship than pre-mixed couplants, and it includes a special component to ensure uniform mixing.
Here’s more on what makes EchoMix Single stand out:
- Its simple mixing process reduces errors. EchoMix Single takes the mixing error out of two-part powder packets by eliminating the chance that an inspector uses only one of two packets or reverses the packet mixing sequence. The easy-open packet requires no tools – no scissors, knives or attempted tearing of a sealed plastic bag. What’s more, EchoMix Single reduces waste by eliminating two extra plastic bags.
- Low-cost couplants don’t need to have a high shipping expense. Why pay to ship water across the country when you can receive only the powder and add water yourself? EchoMix Single pre-measured packets give you the ability to mix 1 or 5 gallons of prepared couplant per packet. Even better, you can adjust the viscosity to get the exact thickness you prefer.
- Worried about uniform mixing? Don’t be. EchoMix Single incorporates a food-grade blue pigment to insure complete mixing. The blue color is a visual marker to encourage thorough mixing and ensure uniform distribution of the corrosion inhibitor. EchoMix Single contains a mild corrosion inhibitor and a preservative, affording a five-year shelf life to the unopened packets.
The standard operating range for EchoMix Single is 32° F to 120° F (0° C to 50° C) in standard tap water. If you are working in cold environments, EchoMix Single can be winterized to -28° F (-33° C) by adding propylene glycol-based antifreeze.
EchoMix Single provides an economical solution for travel, remote-access inspections and storage limitations. It is a cost-effective, concentrated powder that can be mixed on the jobsite, and the compact and lightweight packet is easy to transport and store. EchoMix Single also is ideal to keep on hand as an emergency couplant for unanticipated shortages.
EchoMix Single benefits at a glance:
- Accurate, one-packet, one-step mixing
- Blue color tracer to insure complete mixing
- Ferrous corrosion inhibition and preservative
- Provides a strong, continuous coupling film that adheres well to vertical and overhead surfaces without dripping
- Reduced surface tension; provides good wetting characteristics
- Salt-resistant formulation; no loss in viscosity on corroded surfaces, marine parts or on boilers with salt cake
- Low environmental impact; contains no phosphates or formaldehyde and doesn’t produce a strong odor or eye irritant from off-gassing
- Compact for shipping and storage
Solving issues with wedge and part coupling failure in phased array inspections
During phased array testing, element dropout can be a problem. Common causes include dead elements in the transducer or a failure of the wedge-to-transducer or wedge-to-inspection-part coupling.
Let’s look at each of these coupling failures in detail before offering some solutions for each of these PA testing issues.
Wedge-to-transducer coupling failure is often partial and typically involves multiple adjacent elements. While minimal phased array element dropout at the edges of the array can often be tolerated, failure of transducer coupling where multiple adjacent elements are not coupled into the wedge, particularly away from the array edge, will impact inspection quality, reproducibility and reliability. This dropout is often not detected, and the technician continues scanning unaware of increased side lobes (or grating lobes) and altered beam steering characteristics.
The couplant used between the transducer and the wedge is critical to reproducible inspections. When the couplant is exposed to water or to the couplant used on the parts being inspected, leaching of the wedge couplant can occur. Heating and cooling can cause thermal expansion and contraction of the couplant, tearing apart sections of the wedge coupling film. Some wedge couplants can partially evaporate over time, resulting in progressive failure of the coupling film.
To prevent problems with transducer-to-wedge coupling in phased array inspections, you need a wedge couplant with the following properties:
- impervious to water and other couplants, to prevent leaching of the wedge couplant around the perimeter;
- strong film former, to prevent isolated air pockets due to localized coupling film separation;
- high viscosity (over 3,000 cps), to ensure uniform coating and thickness independent of the surface and the mating characteristics of the wedge and transducer;
- resistant to evaporation or vaporization over the temperature range in which the PA transducer will be used and stored;
- thermal stability to prevent expansion and then contraction of the coupling film, resulting in film separation;
- compatibility with materials used in phased array transducer construction and wedge materials;
- long lasting so that it does not need to be replaced for the life of the wedge; and
- promotes easy replacement of wedges, without sticking or bonding between wedge and transducer, regardless of storage conditions.
Photo courtesy of Sensor Networks, Inc.
Wedge-to-test-object coupling failure caused by couplant film failure results in acoustic reflection into the wedge, generating false reflections and noise. Couplant film failures of this nature are usually partial and continually change in location and configuration as the transducer assembly moves.
Failure of the couplant between the wedge and the test piece is most often due to low strength and fragile film formation. One example is gel couplants of the acrylic polymer (Carbopol) type. These polymers, which were originally developed for the hairstyling industry, have weak film-forming characteristics and are subject to collapse of the coupling film when exposed to corrosion or marine salts.
Couplants that have a water component in the formulation also may have weak film-forming properties. While water solubility is a desired feature in many applications, water incorporated into the couplant formulation serves mainly to lower cost. It does not promote coupling film strength. Couplants that contain water also can be subject to film failures from vaporization or the formation of ice crystals on the test site.
Solution:
Echo Ultrasonics offers solutions to problems with both wedge coupling and inspection-object coupling in phased array inspections.
- Forever Wedge Couplant addresses failure in coupling the PA transducer to the wedge. Forever Wedge Couplant will remain in place for the life of the wedge and is impervious to water, other couplants, heat, thermal expansion and contraction, and evaporation. It also can overcome mechanical issues, such as mating or surface roughness of the wedge-to-transducer interface.
- EchoPure is a water-free couplant that provides a strong, uniform coupling film that eliminates dry spots between the wedge and the part being inspected. EchoPure also meets the water-free-couplant requirements for inspecting P91 steel prior to heat treatment.
Free samples of EchoPure and Forever Wedge Couplant are available for your evaluation.
Call or text Marian at 360-510-3503, send an email to marian@echoultrasonics.com, or visit our website to get your free samples.
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.
Echo Ultrasonics Photo Contest – everyone wins
- Submit a photo of an ultrasonic couplant in use. Manual UT, AUT scanners, port inspections, pipes, tanks, ….. if you’re inspecting it, we want to see it.
- Describe the application, including the couplant (operating range, what is being tested, anything difficult or unusual about the inspection, environment, material, etc…).
- Submit by email to marian@echoultrasonics.com or by text to 360.510.3503
- Submission grants permission to use photos on our website, LinkedIn and Blog posts. Names (personal or corporate) will not be published.
- Everyone who submits a photo will receive:
- The Fisher Space Pen is able to write in zero gravity and works upside down, under water, over grease and in extreme temperatures. This is the pen that was on the Apollo NASA mission in 1968 and it has flown on every manned US space mission since. The refills last 3X longer than most pens.
- Rite in the Rain Top-Spiral Notebook is small enough to fit comfortably in your pocket and tough enough to survive sweat, rain, mud, snow, oil, grease, and the wear-and-tear of daily use in your pocket.
- One grand prize winner will be selected each month to win an Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM Super Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker. Five grand prize winners total.
Echo Ultrasonics Couplant Solutions Center: We are committed to providing the highest-performance, safest couplants and to helping you select the right couplant for every application. We have been the couplant experts for over 50 years. Browse our website today or call or email today for free samples.
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.
ASNT Annual Conference a big success
Thanks to everyone who visited with us at ASNT in Nashville.
Couplant sample requests are being entered and we will be in touch soon. We had many discussions regarding the use and success of EchoPure for Phased Array inspections. EchoPure is the solution for phased array element drop out and the resulting difficulty in reproducing flaw indication. The water-free formulation and strong coupling film of EchoPure provides a continuous film between the part and the transducer and resists “air gap puddling” which is common with couplants containing water.
For more information, visit our EchoPure webpage or download the datasheet from Resources.
Why VersaSonic™ outperforms Sono 600®
Vaporization of VersaSonic™ vs Sono 600®
The above plot is a technical representation of why VersaSonic (top line) outperforms Sono 600 (bottom line). The plot depicts the weight loss of each couplant due to vaporization over time at 200°C (392°F). Sono 600 loses significantly more mass and vaporizes faster than VersaSonic. Vaporization produces gas bubbles which both attenuate and scatter ultrasound as well as degrades the rheology of the product (coupling doesn’t last as long, dries faster and gets sticky or tacky sooner).
While many Echo customers that have switched to VersaSonic from Sono 600 have observed these characteristic in practice, this test demonstrates the technology behind the experience.
VersaSonic is the ideal high temperature ultrasonic couplant when working under 750°F (400°C). The response is instant as there are no plastic polymers in VersaSonic that need to melt before transmission occurs. At higher temperatures (above 350°F / 177°C) its useful service life is longer than competitive couplants. The auto-ignition temperature for VersaSonic is 788°F (420°C). VersaSonic is available in two viscosities:
- High Viscosity – ideal for spot inspections
- Medium Viscosity – best for spreading
For more information, samples and ordering information, click here or call 360.617.9121.
New UT Fluid Couplant Grades
We’ve expanded our line of Echo 8HT fluid UT couplant to include three additional viscosities. Performance of a broad range of AUT and MUT ultrasonic flaw and thickness gaging applications from -50°F to 800°F (-45°C to 425°C) is possible with these four grades, with minimal residue and great signal to noise ratio.
Grade 1 is the lowest viscosity fluid (100 cST) for long or small diameter lines and quick spreading.
Grade 4 is Echo’s standard viscosity fluid (400 cST) and is usually a good compromise between pump ability and run-off at the transducer.
Grade 6 is a higher viscosity fluid (850 cST) that minimizes run-off at the transducer, however, requires system “pump ability” testing.
Grade 10 is a very thick fluid (5,000 cST – honey like) for MUT. It spreads easily over large hot surfaces, stays in place and leaves minimal if any residue.
