HARDNESS TESTING PROCEDURE
Title: HARDNESS TESTING PROCEDURE
Doc Number: KTI-NDT-SOP-HD-006
Department: NDT Department
Section: Inspection Section
Effective Date 01-09-2019
Original Language English
Classification Secert
Standard ASME Sec. V
م.م.الشركة الكورية للفحص الفنى الشرق األوسط ذ
KOREAN TECHNO INSPECTION MIDDLE EAST CO. LLC
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reserved. Neither the whole nor any part of this document may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any
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APPROVAL
The signatures below certify that this management system procedure has been reviewed and accepted and demonstrates
that the signatories are aware of all the requirements contained herein and are committed to ensuring their provision.
Name Signature Position Date
Prepared by Ghulam D Chohan NDT Coordinator
Reviewed &
Arivazhagan G NDT Level III
Approved by
Authorized by Ahmad Raad Managing Director
AMENDMENT RECORD
This Procedure is reviewed to ensure its continuing relevance to the systems and process that it describes. A summary
record of contextual additions or omissions is given below:
Page No. Context Revision Date
ALL Issued for Approval 00 21/10/2018
ALL New Standard Format 01 01/09/2019
COMPANY PROPRIETARY INFORMATION
The electronic version of this procedure is the latest revision. It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure that any
paper material is the current revision. The printed version of this manual is uncontrolled, except when provided with a
document reference number and revision in the field below:
Document Ref. KTI-NDT-SOP-HD-006 Rev 01
Uncontrolled Copy Controlled Copy √ Date 01/09/2019
Amendment Record Sheet
Present Amended Nature Brief
Amd. Clause Date of Page Reason for the
Rev. Issue Rev. Issue of description of Sign.
No. No. amendment No. amendment
No. No. No. No. change change
1 ALL 21/10/2018 ALL 00 01 -- -- --- --- --- ---
2 ALL 01/09/2019 ALL 01 02 -- -- --- --- --- ---
Contents
1.0 SCOPE....................................................................................................................4
2.0 REFERENCES (LATEST EDITIONS)..............................................................4
3.0 PERSONNEL & PROCEDURE QUALIFICATION........................................4
4.0 SURFACE PREPARATION................................................................................5
5.0 EQUIPMENT.........................................................................................................5
6.0 CALIBRATION AND REFERENCE BLOCKS................................................5
7.0 PROCEDURE........................................................................................................6
8.0 EXTENT OF HARDNESS TEST........................................................................7
9.0 EVALUATION AND RECORDING OF RESULTS.........................................7
10.0 REPORTING.........................................................................................................7
11.0 HARDNESS TESTING REPORT.......................................................................8
1.0 SCOPE
This procedure describes the methods and requirements for hardness
measurement of materials or welds by using a portable metal hardness tester.
2.0 REFERENCES (Latest Editions)
2.1 GENERAL
Ref. Title & Description Document No.
This procedure has been developed with the following documents of
01
latest edition as references:
ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII Div.1 Construction
02
of Pressure Vessels.
03 ANSI/ASME B31.3: Chemical Plant and Petroleum Refinery Piping;
04 ANSI/ASME B 31.1 – Power Plant.
05 ASME Section IX –Welding and Brazing Qualification.
06 AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code.
07 ASTM A 370-09a
08 ASTM E140-07
3.0 PERSONNEL & PROCEDURE QUALIFICATION
3.1 PERSONNEL QUALIFICATION
Personnel performing examinations to the requirements of this procedure shall
be qualified and trained in testing of hardness using the portable hardness
tester.
The personnel shall have knowledge of mechanical properties of materials and
basics of welding.
3.2 PROCEDURE QUALIFICATION
Procedure Qualification test shall be performed in the presence of Concerned
Authority to meet the requirements of the referencing Code and to ensure
repeatability of the instrument before starting of the work.
4.0 SURFACE PREPARATION
All surfaces of the weld where Hardness testing shall be done i.e., 25mm on
any one side of weld shall be free from weld spatter, loose scale, paint or
lightly adhering matter.
The surface shall be a smooth ground surface to avoid erroneous results.
The grinding / sand blasting shall be carried out without using excessive force.
No over heating or burning is permitted.
The weld cap shall also be grinded to metallic smooth finish.
5.0 EQUIPMENT
GE MIC 10 or MIC 20
Equipment Accuracy: 0.8 %.
Working Temperature: Ambient Temperature
Impact Direction: Perpendicular to the test surface
6.0 CALIBRATION AND REFERENCE BLOCKS
A standard calibration block which is supplied with the instrument shall be used.
7.0 PROCEDURE
The following shall be the steps for measurements.
Switch ON the Instrument.
Select the MENU.
Select Material.
Select Unit of measurement.
Select direction of Testing.
Select the no. of Tests to get the average (min 3 readings per location).
Load the spring by pushing down and release and to measure press the top
knob.
Take the standard block and measure by keeping the instrument
perpendicular to the surface with 100 % contact area.
Repeat the steps (g) and (h) 3 times and obtain the average.
Test the Object in accordance to this procedure.
For test samples weighing over 5 kg, no support is needed.
In case of lower thickness or weighing between 2 to 5 Kg, bearing supports
weighing over 5 Kg, to be coupled to them firmly and tightly using couplant
oil, glycerin etc. so as to prevent them from bending, vibrating (Deformation
or displacement) due to impact force.
Test samples weighing less than 2 Kg should be coupled firmly and tightly
with a support weighing over 5 Kg.
Care should be taken to avoid the excessive amount of couplant.
Distance between adjacent reading points shall be as per standard.
Minimum distance from the edge or open end of the test specimen shall be at
least 5mm.
For piping in general service, production hardness tests are required as
follows:
Hardness tests shall be performed after PWHT when PWHT is required.
For P-No.1 materials, hardness testing is required where automatic or
semiauto-matic welding processes are used. One test from each butt weld is
required. Hardness results shall not exceed 200 HB.
For P-No.3 through P-No.6 materials, hardness testing shall be conducted on
10%of welds in each furnace heat treated batch and 100% of those which are
locally heat treated. Hardness results shall not exceed 225 HB for P-No.3 and
P-No.4 materials and 241 HB for P-No.5 and P-No.6 materials.
8.0 EXTENT OF HARDNESS TEST
A set of five hardness reading shall be taken on the weld and the HAZ on either
side of 12 o clock position. The reading on the HAZ shall be taken within 0.5mm
from the fusion line / weld Toes. The weld surface shall be prepared by grinding,
filing and polishing with emery paper (300 grit or better) prior to hardness testing.
For butt welds on pipes of nominal size up to and including 10”, one set of
readings shall be taken on the 12 o’clock position
For butt welds on pipes of nominal size above 10”, three sets of readings 120
degree apart, with one set on the 12 o’clock position, shall be taken.
For branch connections and fillet welds on pipes of all diameter, two sets of
readings 180 degree apart shall be taken.
9.0 EVALUATION AND RECORDING OF RESULTS
9.1 Evaluation: The average value of the measured readings shall be recorded as
the hardness value of the sample. Material-specific conversion of the obtained
hardness to any other hardness scale is provided by the equipment. Hardness
conversions also can be done by referring to the conversion tables given in
ASTM E140-’07.
9.2 Acceptance Standards: Based on the hardness value of the specified material
grade/as specified in the standards.
10.0 REPORTING
All readings and other details shall be reported in the Format and shall be signed
by inspector, and KTI representatives.
11.0 HARDNESS TESTING REPORT
