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Casting inspection
A limited amount of on-site Level 2 / Level 3 inspection is available by arrangement, concentrating on steel and iron castings.
The right method for each defect.
Castings for pumps, valves and heavy engineering — inspected at your foundry or works, to the standard on your drawing or order. The numbers in the table refer to the section drawing.
| Method | Typical casting defects | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| UT | Shrinkage, porosity, cracks; wall thickness / core shift (1, 2, 5) | BS EN 12680-1 ASTM A609 Def Stan 02-729 |
| MT | Cracks, cold laps, inclusions; repair welds (3, 4) | BS EN 1369 |
| PT | Hot tears, cold shuts, porosity; stainless & non-ferrous (3, 4) | BS EN 1371-1 |
| VT | Surface condition and visual acceptance | To customer spec |
UT
Ultrasonic testing
Volumetric inspection of heavy sections for shrinkage, porosity, cracks and cold laps — often cheaper than radiography on large or dense castings, and with no radiation hazard. Wall thickness checks confirm that cores have not moved.
MT
Magnetic particle testing
A quick, reliable method for surface and near-surface cracks, cold laps, inclusions and gas in ferritic steel and iron castings, including checks on repair welds.
PT
Penetrant testing
Finds hot tears, cold shuts, porosity and inclusions in any non-porous material — the method of choice for stainless and non-ferrous castings, and for geometry that makes MT difficult, such as pump casings.
VT
Visual inspection
Surface condition and visual acceptance before or alongside the other methods.
On-site only, by arrangement.
ABM NDT Ltd no longer operates its own test facility, so all inspection is carried out at the customer's premises. Work is taken on selectively — please get in touch with the part, quantity, standard and timescale to check availability.
Need the procedure as well? Casting procedures to BS EN 12680-1, ASTM A609, Def Stan 02-729, BS EN 1369 and BS EN 1371-1 are in the procedure register.
Ask the Level 3
Which standard for your casting?
Tell us the material, the section thickness and what your customer has specified. Get a suggested method and procedure in minutes.
Describe your part