Monday, June 26, 2017

Some Fascinating Facts About NDT Dielectric Testing

By Sandra Parker


Dielectric materials are called as such because they are a type of electrical insulator which has the ability to vibrate in a definite pattern, through an applied electric field. The polarization of it however, relates to the behavior of a material when external electric fields are applied. Through this process, the field is displaced with all the positive charges and the negative ones shift to an opposite direction.

The study of these properties has to do with the dissipation of magnetic energy in materials and its storage. NDT dielectric testing involves an assortment of noninvasive inspection methods, whose purpose is to gauge entire process units, material properties, and different components. NDT stands for nondestructive testing, and consists of two major categories which are conventional and advanced.

Other terminologies include NDE and NDI. NDI means nondestructive inspections, whereas NDE can either mean nondestructive examination, or evaluation. Whenever this study is applicable in a given situation, there are three major categories of a damaged material that has varying effects and these are the size, orientation, and shape. These three categories help make the process of assessing the damages and features of materials easier and quicker.

The major purpose in conducting these tests is to investigate a specific element from a whole in a secure, reliable, and economical manner. By economical, this means an entire plant would not need to shut down operations to have this process done. It is also considered to be much more cost effective since the entire procedure ensures that the equipment will not receive any type of damage.

Depending on the circumstance, testing can take place before, during, and after usage. The main goal here is to be able to investigate the parts thoroughly, to formulate an estimated amount of time on how much longer it can last before it breaks down and would need to be repaired or replaced. However, when they are done during operation, the goal is then to study the current state and any damaged mechanisms of the equipment. By doing these, technicians are then able to make informed and efficient decisions.

Dielectric examinations is not the only category to benefit from NDE though. There are many who other techniques that apply this practice in their field such as liquid penetrant, electromagnetic, radio graphic, ultrasonic, acoustic emission, and magnetic particle inspection. These are under the conventional category of NDE since these have been around for a long time already and are tried and tested routines. Since they have been around long enough, they have since evolved and can be backed up with codes, standards, and best practices.

There are more advanced ways too, but these tend to be misunderstood by most since they are complicated. A factor attributing to this fact is that they are customarily considered as emerging technologies, which means that professionals are unsure or still determining what the advantages or limitations are and the criteria for a qualified technician to be assigned. Since this requires a more specialized grasp and some experience from a properly trained technician.

Nondestructive testing is usually set by a standard set of codes. These codes become the basis for the creation of components, service equipment, and safety critical parts. Fixed codes, standards, regulations, and suggested practices depend on the location of an industry. Aside from electrical ones, it is also essential in refineries, gas and chemical plants, and pipeline owners.

An interesting fact in this work is its constant change and improvements. Even though the techniques under the advanced category go on to become more mature and reliable, the ones under the conventional category continue to come into existence. This makes for an endless cycle of adaption, and technical understanding. To conclude, NDE can provide a number of benefits compared to destructive methods, which is why they should be implemented more.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment