Se 273

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STANDARD PRACTICE FOR ULTRASONIC

EXAMINATION OF LONGITUDINAL WELDED
PIPE AND TUBING
SE-273
(Identical with ASTM Specification E 273-93)
1.
Scope
1.1 This practice describes general ultrasonic test procedures for the detection of discontinuities in the weld
and adjacent heat affected zones of pipe and tubing. It
is intended for tubular products having diameters
2 in. ( 50 mm) and wall thicknesses of 18 to 1116 in.
(3 to 27 mm).
4.
Summary of Practice
4.1 Angle projection of pulsed ultrasonic beam by
either the surface contact or immersion method shall be
used. Figure 1 illustrates the characteristic oblique sound
entry into the pipe wall for both contact and immersion
testing using a single search unit.
NOTE 2 Immersion test method may include tanks, wheel search
units, or bubbler systems.
1.2 This practice does not establish acceptance criteria; they must be specified by the using parties.
4.2 Variations of the single search unit method using

multiple search units with the same or various angles
and special gating are sometimes desirable and may be
necessary for efficient examination of thicker wall
material.
NOTE 1 Precautions should be exercised when testing pipes or tubes

near the lower specified limits. Certain combinations of search unit
size, frequency, thin wall thicknesses, and small diameters could cause
generation of unwanted sound waves that may produce erroneous
test results.
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be

regarded as the standard.
5.
Apparatus
5.1 The instruments and accessory equipment shall
be capable of producing, receiving, amplifying, and displaying electrical pulses at frequencies and pulse rates
deemed necessary by the using parties. They shall be
capable of distinguishing the reference reflectors
described in Section 7 to the extent required in the calibration procedure outlined in Section 8.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of

the safety problems, if any, associated with its use. It is
the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish
appropriate safety and health practices and determine
the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
2.
Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
5.2 For pulse echo test systems, the contact or immersion search units should produce ultrasonic waves that
travel in the pipe or tube wall at a refracted angle of from
35 to 70 and perpendicular to the weld seam. For pitch/
catch or through transmission test systems, orientation of
the entry sound beam other than perpendicular to the
weld seam may be required.
E 543 Practice for Evaluating Agencies That Perform

Nondestructive Testing
E 1316 Terminology for Nondestructive Examinations
3.
Terminology
3.1 Definitions For definitions of terms used in this
practice, see Terminology E 1316.
5.3 Couplant A liquid such as water, oil, glycerin,

etc., capable of conducting ultrasonic vibrations from the
384
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ARTICLE 23 ULTRASONIC STANDARDS
SE-273
FIG. 1 ANGLE PROJECTION OF ULTRASONIC WAVE
transducer to the pipe or tube shall be used. Rust inhibitors, softeners, and wetting agents may be added to the
couplant. The couplant liquid with all additives should
not be detrimental to the surface condition of the pipe or
tubing and should wet the surface. In the testing of electric-resistance-welded pipe, water-soluble oil used in
cooling the pipe serves as a satisfactory couplant.
8.
Reference Standards
8.1 A reference standard, of sufficient length to allow

verification of system calibration, shall be prepared from
a length of pipe or tubing of the same nominal diameter
and wall thickness, material, surface finish, and nominal
heat treatment as the material to be examined. The pipe
or tube selected for this purpose shall be free of discontinuities or other abnormal conditions that can cause interference with the detection of the reference reflectors. The
reference reflectors shall be selected to ensure uniform
coverage of the weld at the sensitivity levels prescribed.
The reference reflectors most commonly used will consist
of machined notches and drilled holes as described in
paragraph 8.2. All upset metal, burrs, etc., adjacent to
the reference reflectors, shall be removed.
5.4 Distance Amplitude Compensation The use of

electronic methods to compensate for attenuation losses
as a function of ultrasonic metal travel distance may be
employed.
6.
Basis of Application
6.1 The following are items that require decision for
use of this practice:
8.1.1 Electric Resistance-Welded or Butt-Welded

Pipe Reference reflectors may be placed in the weld
seam or in the pipe body and parallel to the weld seam.
When longitudinal notches are used as reference reflectors, they shall be placed on the outer and inner surfaces
of the reference standard and separated by some distance
to ensure that the response from one reflector does not
interfere with that from the other.
6.1.1 Acceptance criteria.

6.1.2 Type, dimension, and number of reference
reflectors to be placed in the reference standard.
6.1.3 Standardization of test sensitivity intervals.
6.1.4 Operator qualifications.
6.1.5 Qualification of NDT agency (as defined in
Practice E 543), if required. Practice E 543 may be used
for this agency qualification.
8.1.2 Fusion-Welded Pipe The reference reflectors shall be placed in the weld. When longitudinal
notches are used as reference reflectors, they shall be
placed in the crown of the fusion-weld bead as shown in
Fig. 2(a). In fusion-welded pipe containing both inside
and outside surface weld beads, a longitudinal notch reference reflector shall be placed in the weld-bead crown on
both the outside and inside surfaces.
6.1.6 Test frequency.

6.1.7 Pulse repetition rate.
6.1.8 Sound beam orientation and number of
beams used.
6.1.9 Procedure and use of distance amplitude compensation.
8.1.2.1 When drilled holes are employed, they

shall be drilled radially from both the outside and inside
surfaces through 50% of the wall thickness at the weldbead crown and separated by some distance that guarantees a distinct and separate response from each one [see
Figs. 2(c) and 2(d)]. A hole drilled radially 100% through
the pipe wall may be used instead of the 50% drilled hole
[see Fig. 2(e)].
6.1.10 Reporting of test results.
7.
Personnel Qualification
7.1 The ultrasonic examination shall be performed
by qualified personnel. Qualification shall be based on a
documented program that certifies personnel capable of
conducting ultrasonic weld examinations.
385

SE-273
2004 SECTION V
FIG. 3. COMMON REFERENCE REFLECTORS
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8.2.3 The width (w) of the notch has negligible

effect on calibration and is not a critical dimension.
FIG. 2 TYPICAL NOTCH LOCATIONS FOR

FUSION WELDED PIPE
8.2.4 Typical diameters for drilled holes are 116

in. (1.6 mm) and 18 in. (3.2 mm).
8.1.2.2 Additional reflectors may be used to

define weld extremities. Holes shall be drilled radially
100% through the pipe wall at the weld edges. As an
alternative, longitudinal notches shall be placed at the
edges of each weld [see Fig. 2(f)]. The weld-edge drilled
holes or notches shall be separated by some distance
to ensure that the response from one reflector does not
interfere with that from another [see Fig. 2(g)]. The weldedge reflectors are solely for the purpose of defining the
position of the weld extremities and are not to be used
for amplitude standardization.
9.
Standardization of Test Sensitivity

9.1 Using the reference standard specified in 8.1, the
equipment shall be adjusted to produce readily distinguished and clearly identifiable indications from both the
inner and outer reference reflectors. The relative response
to the inner and outer reflectors shall be as near equal as
possible. The lesser of the two responses shall be used
as the acceptance level.
NOTE 3 Adjustment of water path, adjustment of distance (d) in
Fig. 1 and angulation of the beam have been used to achieve equality.
8.2 The notch dimension of length, decided depth,

width, and for Figs. 3(a) and 3(b) the included angle
must be decided upon by the using party or parties. Figure
3 illustrates the commonly accepted notch configurations
and the dimensions to be measured.
9.2 The test sensitivity shall be standardized and

adjusted to produce clearly identifiable indications from
both the outer and inner reference reflectors when the
reference standard is scanned in a manner simulating the
production examination of the pipe or tubing.
8.2.1 The notch depth (h) shall be measured from

the adjacent surface to its maximum and minimum penetration. Measurements may be made by optical, replicating or mechanical, or other techniques. Notch depth is
commonly specified as a percent of nominal wall thickness with typical values being 10, 1212, or 20%. A 15%
tolerance is allowable on notch depths.
9.3 The equipment shall be adjusted to produce clearly

identifiable responses from the weld-edge reflector and
the reference reflector when the reference standard is
scanned in a manner simulating the production examination of the pipe or tubing.
8.2.2 The length of the notch is considered to be

the dimension where the depth of 8.2.1 is satisfied. It is
preferred that the notch length (l) be 1.5 times the
transducer element size.
10. Examination Procedure

10.1 All surfaces shall be clean from scale, dirt, burrs,
slag, spatter, or other conditions that will interfere with
the test results.
386

ARTICLE 23 ULTRASONIC STANDARDS
10.2 Move the pipe or tubing past the search unit

with the weld in a fixed position with respect to the
search unit. Movement of the search unit with respect to
a stationary pipe is satisfactory. During examination,
maintain distance (d) and angle in Fig. 1 and the water
path for immersion testing as determined during adjustment of the test sensitivity.
when standardization has been accomplished, all pipe

and tubing examined subsequent to the last preceding
acceptable standardization.
11. Interpretation of Results

11.1 All indications that are equal to or greater than
the reference signals established during standardization
as described in Section 9, or as specified in Section 6,
shall be considered as representing defects that may be
cause for rejection of the pipe or tube.
10.3 Certain testing systems using multiple search

units or multiple beam transducers compensate for distance (d) changes and do not require strict adherence to
the maintenance of this dimension during examination.
10.4 Periodically check the test sensitivity of the
equipment by running the reference standard through the
examination system. Make these checks prior to any pipe
or tubing examination, prior to equipment shutdown after
examination and at least every four hours during continuous equipment operation. Any time the equipment does
not present a clearly defined signal within 10% of that
obtained when the test sensitivity was established, readjust the equipment in accordance with Section 8.
11.2 If upon examination of the pipe or tube, no

rejectable indications are detected, the material shall be
considered as having passed the ultrasonic examination,
except as noted in 10.5.
12. Keywords
12.1 angle beam; longitudinal welded pipe; longitudinal welded tubing; nondestructive examination; ultrasonic examination
10.5 In the event that the equipment presents a signal

less than 10% below the standardization level, reexamine,
387
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STANDARD PRACTICE FOR ULTRASONIC

4.2 Variations of the single search unit method using

NOTE 1 Precautions should be exercised when testing pipes or tubes

1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be

1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of

E 543 Practice for Evaluating Agencies That Perform

5.3 Couplant A liquid such as water, oil, glycerin,

Copyright ASME International

ARTICLE 23 ULTRASONIC STANDARDS

FIG. 1 ANGLE PROJECTION OF ULTRASONIC WAVE

8.1 A reference standard, of sufficient length to allow

5.4 Distance Amplitude Compensation The use of

8.1.1 Electric Resistance-Welded or Butt-Welded

6.1.1 Acceptance criteria.

6.1.6 Test frequency.

8.1.2.1 When drilled holes are employed, they

6.1.10 Reporting of test results.

Copyright ASME International

FIG. 3. COMMON REFERENCE REFLECTORS

8.2.3 The width (w) of the notch has negligible

FIG. 2 TYPICAL NOTCH LOCATIONS FOR

8.2.4 Typical diameters for drilled holes are 116

8.1.2.2 Additional reflectors may be used to

Standardization of Test Sensitivity

8.2 The notch dimension of length, decided depth,

9.2 The test sensitivity shall be standardized and

8.2.1 The notch depth (h) shall be measured from

9.3 The equipment shall be adjusted to produce clearly

8.2.2 The length of the notch is considered to be

10. Examination Procedure

Copyright ASME International

ARTICLE 23 ULTRASONIC STANDARDS

10.2 Move the pipe or tubing past the search unit

when standardization has been accomplished, all pipe

11. Interpretation of Results

10.3 Certain testing systems using multiple search

11.2 If upon examination of the pipe or tube, no

10.5 In the event that the equipment presents a signal

Copyright ASME International

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