Cold Weather UT Testing? Echo Ultrasonics Has You Covered
Cold Weather UT Testing
Performing ultrasonic testing (UT) in cold weather comes with some unique issues and challenges you won’t find in more temperate climates. When performing ultrasonic testing in cold environments, several factors need to be considered because cold temperatures can impact sound transmission, couplant performance, and equipment reliability.
These factors include:
- Freezing of couplants/fluids: Standard water-based couplants can freeze below 0°C, forming frost crystals and losing their ability to transmit ultrasonic waves effectively.
- Viscosity changes: Even before freezing, couplants can become thicker, reducing wetting and acoustic coupling.
- Standard PVC Cables may become brittle, increasing the risk of cracking. If a cable breaks during an inspection, the technician needs to replace the cable and recalibrate the transducer – a time consuming activity that people want to avoid.
Three Solutions from Echo Ultrasonics for Cold Weather UT Testing
At Echo Ultrasonics, we have several Proven Couplants and Cables for Accurate and Consistent UT Inspections in cold weather conditions. We will take a look at each solution below and highlight its unique properties and benefits for cold weather testing.
1. EchoPure™
This is the only water-free ambient temperature UT couplant with an operating range down to -60°F / -51°C. Because there is no water, it will not freeze or form frost crystals to interfere with the ultrasonic signal. EchoPure is a water-free, water-soluble ultrasonic couplant that has a broad operating range, is slow drying and provides excellent transducer lubrication. EchoPure Low Viscosity is ideal for cold temperature inspections.
2. EchoFlow™
EchoFlow is a fluid UT couplant for AUT (automated ultrasonic inspections) that can be pumped with an operating range down to -40°F/C. Additionally, EchoFlow has an increased acoustic impedance over water which reduces surface noise on rough surfaces and highly attenuating materials and enhances ultrasound transmission. It is an ideal fluid for cold temperatures and is approved for use in critical environments.
3. SuperFlex Cables
Our SuperFlex line of cables outperform standard pvc cables in cold weather and remain flexible, will not retain a coil or crack down to -40°F/C. The SuperFlex Single and Dual Cable varieties come with or without the signature green insulation sheath. Learn more about these workhorse cables here.
Why Choose Echo Ultrasonics?
Drawing on over 60 years of experience in developing and manufacturing ultrasonic couplants and cables for a variety of testing environments, Echo Ultrasonics is constantly expanding our product performance parameters to address unmet needs, improve operator safety, and facilitate the ease of use of our products.
Since cold temperatures can significantly affect the accuracy and reliability of ultrasonic testing (UT) results, using the right couplant and cable for the job at hand is critical to success. Ready to learn more? Contact Echo Ultrasonics today to find the right couplants and cables for your unique application.