Penetrant Testing (PT)
Liquid penetrant testing that reveals surface-breaking cracks and porosity on welds and components, on almost any non-porous material.
How it works
Penetrant Testing (PT) is one of the most versatile non-destructive methods for finding defects that break the surface — cracks, porosity, and incomplete fusion in welds — on materials from stainless steel to aluminium to carbon steel.
A coloured or fluorescent penetrant dye is applied and drawn into any surface-breaking defect by capillary action; once cleaned and developed, the defect shows up as a clear, visible indication, even when it's too fine to see with the naked eye alone.
What our PT inspection covers
- Surface-breaking crack and porosity detection
- Weld quality verification on any non-porous material
- Fabrication and Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) inspections
- Visible dye and fluorescent penetrant methods
- Reporting with photographic evidence for each indication
Signs it's time for PT inspection
Welds on stainless steel, aluminium or other non-magnetic materials
New fabrication requiring quality verification before commissioning
A component with a suspected surface crack
Fabrication and FAT inspections requiring an independent check
Common questions about PT inspection
What's the advantage of PT over a visual inspection?
PT reveals defects far too fine to see by eye alone — a hairline crack invisible in normal light shows up clearly once the penetrant and developer are applied.
Can PT be used on any material?
Almost any non-porous material — stainless steel, aluminium, carbon steel, some plastics. Porous materials like some castings can give false indications.
How long does PT take?
Dwell time for the penetrant to work is typically 10-30 minutes depending on the defect type sought, plus preparation and developing time — most inspections are completed within a couple of hours.