DEVELOPMENT OF REFERENCE RADIOGRAPHS FOR ALUMINUM WELDS

A STANDARDS DOCUMENT OF REFERENCE RADIOGRAPHS OF ALUMINUM WELDS IS NEEDED TO MINIMIZE INTERPRETATION PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF ALUMINUM WELDS IN MILITARY AND CIVILIAN STRUCTURES. THE REFERENCE RADIOGRAPHS WILL ALLOW THE PRODUCER AND THE BUYER TO AGREE ON A GIVEN GRADED REFERENCE RADIOGRAPH AS AN ACCEPTANCE QUALITY LEVEL AND WILL ALSO AID THIRD PARTY OBSERVERS TO AUDIT AND EVALUATE THE WELD QUALITY LEVEL PRODUCED. THE PROGRAM OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP A SET OF REFERENCE RADIOGRAPHS FOR ALUMINUM WELDS. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, A DATA BANK OF ALUMINUM WELD RADIOGRAPHS WILL BE COLLECTED FROM INDUSTRIAL AND GOVERNMENT INSPECTION FACILITIES. THE DATA BANK MAY CONSIST OF TRANSPARENCIES, PRINTS OR DIAGRAMS, OR COMBINATIONS OF THESE. THE DATA BANK WILL BE ORGANIZED IN TERMS OF ALUMINUM ALLOY, WELD THICKNESS, RADIOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUE, DEFECT TYPE AND DEFECT SERVERITY LEVEL. ONCE THE DATA BANK IS ORGANIZED IN THIS WAY, A DETERMINATION CAN BE MADE AS TO THE BEST WAY TO PROCEED. THE DATA BANK MAY BE SUFFICIENTLY COMPLETE SO THAT WE MAY BEGIN DISCUSSIONS WITH STANDARDS ORGANIZATIONS. IF THE DATA BANK IS INCOMPLETE, WE WILL PUT FORWARD A PLAN TO COMPLETE IT AND PREPARE THE WAY FOR A CONSENSUS STANDARD.