What standards apply to ultrasonic testing ?
In this article:
The Role of Standards in Ultrasonic Testing: Standards ensure reproducibility, comparability, and traceability across ultrasonic testing applications, regardless of the tester or equipment.
Updated Calibration and Equipment Verification Standards: Recent revisions to ISO 7963 (2023-09) and ISO 16946 (2024-06) reflect the push for improved accuracy in reference blocks and phased array systems.
Test Procedures for Evolving Techniques: Standards like ISO 23865 (2021) and ISO 23864 (2022) now cover advanced imaging techniques such as FMC/TFM and PAUT, reinforcing their growing use in industry.
Comprehensive Coverage Across Materials: New and updated standards address the ultrasonic testing of sheet metals, castings, forgings, and complex welds, ensuring suitability for both legacy and emerging materials.
Global Harmonization and Digital Integration: Efforts like ASTM E2663 and DGZfP-ZfP-4.0 aim to standardize digital imaging formats (DICONDE) for better cross-platform compatibility and data interoperability.
What standards apply to ultrasonic testing in non-destructive testing (NDT) of materials?
Ultrasonic Testing (UT) is a cornerstone of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) used across industries to ensure structural integrity, safety, and compliance. As technology evolves, so too must the standards that govern its application. These standards provide a consistent, equipment-independent framework for test execution and result interpretation. In practice, they are often supplemented by procedure-specific instructions tailored to individual use cases or materials. This blog compiles the most relevant and up-to-date international and regional standards for UT as of 2024, categorized by application area such as calibration, test procedure, materials, and weld inspection.
Standard
Terminology
EN ISO 5577 2017-05
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing— Vocabulary
EN ISO 23243 2022-01
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing with arrays—Vocabulary
Standard
Calibration block
EN ISO 2400 2013-02
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing—Specifica- tion for calibration block No. 1
EN ISO 7963 2023-09
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing—Specifica- tion for calibration block No. 2
EN ISO 16946 2024-06
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing—Specifica- tion for a step wedge standard block
EN ISO 19675 2017
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing—Specifica- tion for a calibration block for phased array testing
Standard
Inspection equipment
EN ISO 22232-1 2021-05
Non-destructive testing—Characterization and verification of ultrasonic test equipment—Part 1
EN ISO 22232-2 2021-09
Non-destructive testing—Characterization and verification of ultrasonic test equipment—Part 2
EN ISO 22232-3 2022-01
Non-destructive testing—Characterization and verification of ultrasonic test equipment—Part 3
EN ISO 18563-1 2024-01
Non-destructive testing—Characterization and verification of ultrasonic phased array equipment— Part 1
EN ISO 18563-2 2018-04
Non-destructive testing—Characterization and verification of ultrasonic phased array equipment— Part 2: Probes
EN ISO 18563-3 2016-10
Non-destructive testing—Characterization and verification of ultrasonic phased array equipment— Part 3: Combined systems
ISO 16831 2012 ISO 16831:2012
Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Characterization and verification of ultrasonic thickness measuring equipment
Standard
Test procedure
EN ISO 16809 2020-04
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic thickness measurement
EN ISO 16810 2014-07
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing—General principles
EN ISO 16811 2014-07
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing—Sensitivity and range setting
EN ISO 16823 2014-07
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing—Transmis- sion technique
EN ISO 16826 2014-07
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing—Examina- tion for discontinuities perpendicular to the surface
EN ISO 16827 2014-07
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing—Charac- terization and sizing of discontinuities
EN ISO 16828 2014-07
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing—Time-of- flight diffraction technique as a method for detection and sizing of discontinuities
ISO 23865 2021-01
Non-destructive testing. Ultrasonic testing. General use of full matrix capture/total focusing technique (FMC/ TFM) and related technologies
Standard
Sheet metal, pipes and cladding
EN 10160 2020-03
Ultrasonic testing of steel flat product of thickness equal or greater than 6 mm (reflection method).
EN 10307 2002-06
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing of austenitic and austenitic-ferritic stainless steels flat products of thickness equal to or greater than 6 mm (reflection method).
EN ISO 10893-8 2020-11
Non-destructive testing of steel tubes—Part 8: Auto- mated ultrasonic testing of seamless and welded steel tubes for the detection of laminar imperfections
EN ISO 10893-10 2011
Non-destructive testing of steel tubes—Part 10: Auto- mated full peripheral ultrasonic testing of seamless and welded (except submerged arc-welded) steel tubes for the detection of longitudinal and/or trans- verse imperfections
EN ISO 17405 2022-04
Non-destructive testing. Ultrasonic testing. Technique of testing claddings produced by welding, rolling and explosion
Standard
Forgings
EN 10308 2002
Non-destructive testing. Ultrasonic testing of steel bars
EN 10228-3 2016
Non-destructive testing of steel forgings—Part 3: Ultrasonic testing of ferritic or martensitic steel forgings
EN 10228-4: 2016
Non-destructive testing of steel forgings—Part 4: Ultrasonic testing of austenitic and austenitic-ferritic stainless steel forgings
Standard
Castings
EN 12680-1 2003
Founding. Ultrasonic examination Steel castings for general purposes
EN 12680-2 2003
Founding—Ultrasonic examination—Part 2: Steel castings for highly stressed components
EN 12680-3 2012
Founding—Ultrasonic testing—Part 3: Spheroidal graphite cast iron castings
Standard
Welds
EN ISO 17635 2016
Non-destructive testing of welds. General rules for metallic materials
EN ISO 17640 2018
Non-destructive testing of welds. Ultrasonic testing. Techniques, testing levels, and assessment
EN ISO 11666 2018
Non-destructive testing of welds. Ultrasonic testing. Acceptance levels
EN ISO 23279 2017
Non-destructive testing of welds. Ultrasonic testing. Characterization of discontinuities in welds
EN ISO 22825 2018
Non-destructive testing of welds—Ultrasonic testing— Testing of welds in austenitic steels and nickel-based alloys
EN ISO 10863 2020
Non-destructive testing of welds—Ultrasonic testing— Use of time-of-flight diffraction technique (TOFD)
EN ISO 15626 2018
Non-destructive testing of welds—Time-of-flight diffraction technique (TOFD)—Acceptance levels
Standard
Welds
EN ISO 13588 2019
Non-destructive testing of welds. Ultrasonic testing. Use of automated phased array technology
EN ISO 20601 2019
Non-destructive testing of welds—Ultrasonic testing— Use of automated phased array technology for thin- walled steel components
EN ISO 19285 2018
Non-destructive testing of welds—Phased array ultra- sonic testing (PAUT)—Acceptance levels
EN ISO 4761 2022
Non-destructive testing of welds. Phased array ultra- sonic testing (PAUT) for thin-walled steel components. Acceptance levels.
EN ISO 23864 2022
Non-destructive testing of welds—Ultrasonic testing— Use of automated total focusing technique (TFM) and related technologies
DVGW GW 350 2015-06
Schweißverbindungen an Rohrleitungen aus Stahl in der Gas- und Wasserversorgung – Herstellung, Prüfung und Bewertung (Welded joints on steel pipelines in gas and water supply—Fabrication, testing and evaluation)
Section V – 2023
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code
Article 4
Ultrasonic examination methods for welds
Article 5
Ultrasonic examination methods for materials
Standard
Interfaces
DGZfP-ZfP-4.0 01 2023-06
DICONDE in der ZfP DICONDE in NDE
ASTM E2663 2018
Standard practice for digital imaging and communication in nondestructive evaluation (DICONDE) for ultrasonic test methods
Standard
Wall thickness measurement
ISO 16809 2017
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic thickness measurement
EN 17290 2021
Non-destructive testing—Ultrasonic testing— Examination for loss of thickness due to erosion and/or corrosion using the TOFD technique
In summary
The continued development of ultrasonic testing standards reflects both technological advancement and industry demand for reliable, standardized evaluation methods. From terminology to equipment verification, and from weld inspections to advanced techniques like PAUT and TFM, the 2024 status of standards provides practitioners with a robust foundation. By adhering to these evolving standards, inspectors, engineers, and manufacturers can maintain the highest levels of accuracy, repeatability, and regulatory compliance in non-destructive testing operations.