This document specifies the requirements for the ultrasonic testing of steel castings (with ferritic structure) for highly stressed components and the methods for determining internal discontinuities by the pulse-echo technique.
Highly-stressed means for example:
- High material utilization (close to Rp0,2)
- High static and cyclic load
- For fail-safe assessment, requiring a fracture-mechanic assessment
An example for a highly-stressed cast component is a turbine housing, subjected to combined high static, cyclic and thermal load.
Purchasers determine if components are highly stressed based on the need for performance or safety.
For lower-stressed cast components for general purposes, EN 12680 1 applies.
This document is applicable to the ultrasonic testing of steel castings which have usually received a grain-refining heat treatment and which have wall thicknesses up to and including 600 mm.
For greater wall thicknesses, special agreements are applicable with respect to test procedure and recording levels.
This document does not apply to austenitic steels and joint welds.