🔩 Ultrasonic testing of ferritic and martensitic steel forgings — PN-EN 10228-3

Materials and NDT PN-EN 10228-3

Overview

WHAT THIS TEST IS (clause 1 of EN 10228-3:2016; the same scope on the PKN card). Techniques for the manual pulse-echo ultrasonic testing of ferritic and martensitic steel forgings. Mechanized techniques, e.g. immersion testing, may be used, but they have to be agreed between the purchaser and the supplier. The standard covers four types of forgings according to their shape and manufacturing route: types 1, 2 and 3 are simple shapes, type 4 — complex ones. It does NOT apply to closed-die forgings or to turbine rotor and generator forgings. Forgings of austenitic and austenitic-ferritic steels are tested according to part 4 (PN-EN 10228-4).

WHAT HAS TO BE AGREED AT THE TIME OF ENQUIRY OR ORDER (clause 4) — 13 items, among others: the manufacturing stage at which the forging is tested; the volume to be tested and whether grid coverage or 100 % coverage is required; dual-element probes for the near-surface zone; the required quality class (or the classes and the zones to which they apply); recording and acceptance criteria, if different from those in Tables 5–7; the scanning technique, if not manual; the technique for sizing extended discontinuities; the technique for setting the sensitivity; the presence of the purchaser; the approval of a written procedure; testing with angle-beam probes; requirements for complex forgings (type 4). For the client this is the most important clause: without these agreements a "no indications" result does not say in which class and which volume was tested.

PROCEDURE AND PERSONNEL (clauses 5–6). The test is carried out according to a written procedure — a product specification, a procedure developed for the application or this standard supplemented with the details of the application; the procedure has to contain at least 15 items (from the description of the forgings to the report). Personnel qualified according to EN ISO 9712 (a separate entry in this database).

EQUIPMENT (clauses 7–8): • flaw detector with A-scan display according to EN 12668-1; straight-beam and angle-beam probes according to EN 12668-2 — additional probes only to supplement information, not for primary detection; contouring of probes according to EN ISO 16811; • nominal frequency from 1 MHz to 6 MHz; straight-beam probes — effective transducer diameter from 10 mm to 40 mm; angle-beam probes (transverse waves) — angle from 35° to 70°, effective transducer area from 20 mm² to 625 mm²; dual-element probes — when testing of the near-surface zone has been agreed; • calibration blocks according to EN ISO 2400; reference blocks needed with the DAC curve technique — at least three reflectors over the whole depth range tested, from excess length of the forging, from material in the same heat-treated condition or from an object with similar acoustic properties; with the DGS technique reference blocks are not used (unless for checking the DGS diagram); • couplant — the same for setting the range and sensitivity, scanning and evaluation (e.g. water with or without a corrosion inhibitor, grease, oil, glycerine, cellulose paste); it is removed after the test if it could be harmful; • calibration and checking of the flaw detector + probe combination according to EN 12668-3.

WHEN AND ON WHICH SURFACE (clauses 9–10). After the final heat treatment, unless otherwise agreed (e.g. areas that cannot be tested after the treatment — at the latest possible stage). Cylindrical and rectangular forgings intended for boring are recommended to be tested before boring. Scanning surfaces free from paint, non-adhering scale, dried couplant and irregularities. Quality class and roughness (Table 1): class 1 — Ra ≤ 25 µm, classes 2 and 3 — Ra ≤ 12.5 µm, class 4 — Ra ≤ 6.3 µm; a machined surface allows classes 1–4, a machined and quenched-and-tempered surface — classes 1–3. An as-forged surface is acceptable if the required class can be achieved; the standard notes that usually only class 1 is then achievable, and recommends shot blasting, sand blasting or grinding.

WHAT FOLLOWS IN THE STANDARD (from the table of contents): test sensitivity (straight-beam and angle-beam probes, retesting), scanning (complex forgings, grid and 100 % coverage, scanning speed), classification of indications and discontinuities, recording levels and acceptance criteria (Tables 5–7), sizing, test report; annexes: maximum testable depth for circumferential scanning with an angle-beam probe (A), amplitude in dB relative to % DAC (B), significant changes with respect to the 1998 edition (C).

EDITIONS (state of the PKN cards on 25.09.2026). PN-EN 10228-3:2016-07 — English version, publication 15-07-2016, 26 pages, KT 123 Testing of Metal Properties, introduces EN 10228-3:2016 [IDT], without the "Wycofana" [Withdrawn] header; it replaced PN-EN 10228-3:2000 (Polish version of 27-11-2000, 18 pages, introducing EN 10228-3:1998) — "Wycofana" [Withdrawn], date of withdrawal 15-07-2016. The catalogue has no Polish version of the current edition. At the publisher (the CEN catalogue run by iTeh, read on 25.09.2026): EN 10228-3:2016 (ECISS/TC 111, approved 03-10-2015) published 01-06-2016, replaced EN 10228-3:1998; stage 90.93 — decision to confirm after the systematic review (enquiry from 30-03-2023, closing 23-09-2026).

HOW ACCREDITATION SCOPES CITE THE STANDARD. Measurement of 25.09.2026 on the database of PL accreditation scopes (1310 laboratories with entries): 21 entries at 17 laboratories; notations "PN-EN 10228-3:2016-07" (18), "PN-EN 10228-3" without a year (3) and once the WITHDRAWN edition "PN-EN 10228-3:2000" (AB 771). The subject of the test is most often "Odkuwki stalowe" [Steel forgings] (13), once "Osie, sworznie i wały" [Axles, pins and shafts]; methodology: "Nieciągłości" [Discontinuities] (7), "Nieciągłości wewnętrzne" [Internal discontinuities] (6), "Nieciągłości materiałowe" [Material discontinuities] (5); technique: ultrasonic method (20 of 21). In the same entries: PN-EN 10228-4 (10 entries — austenitic forgings), PN-EN ISO 16810 (10), PN-EN ISO 16811 and PN-EN ISO 16827 (1 each).

THE KEY OF THE "LABORATORIES" TAB: "PN-EN 10228-3" — 17 laboratories and 21 entries, without foreign entries.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We had a fragment of the text of EN 10228-3:2016 made available by the publisher: the table of contents, the foreword and clauses 1–10. We do not have clauses 11–16 — the sensitivity-setting techniques with their parameters, the scanning and speed requirements, the classification of indications, the recording levels and acceptance criteria for the quality classes (Tables 5–7) or sizing. That is why we do not give any reflector diameters, recording levels or acceptance criteria. (The iTeh pages also have a fragment of the draft prEN 10228-3:2014 — we did not use it.)

Method principle

The forging is tested manually by the pulse-echo technique with straight-beam probes (1–6 MHz, transducer 10–40 mm) and — when agreed — with angle-beam probes (35°–70°, transverse waves), after the final heat treatment, on a surface with a roughness corresponding to the quality class. The sensitivity is set by the DAC or DGS technique according to EN ISO 16811; indications are classified, recorded and assessed according to the criteria of the required class (1–4).

Applications

• Ferritic and martensitic steel forgings — types 1–3 (simple) and 4 (complex)
• Acceptance testing of forgings, among others cylindrical and rectangular ones — in the quality class agreed with the purchaser
• Control at the manufacturing stage — after the final heat treatment, before boring
• NOT: closed-die forgings, turbine rotor and generator forgings; austenitic steel — PN-EN 10228-4

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-EN 10228-3:2016-07 (wersja angielska; wprowadza EN 10228-3:2016 [IDT]; zastąpiła PN-EN 10228-3:2000)

Title (PL)

Badania nieniszczące odkuwek stalowych — Część 3: Badanie ultradźwiękowe odkuwek ze stali ferrytycznych lub martenzytycznych

Title (EN)

Non-destructive testing of steel forgings — Part 3: Ultrasonic testing of ferritic or martensitic steel forgings

Step-by-step procedure

1. Agreements with the purchaser

   Clause 4: stage, volume and coverage (grid or 100 %), quality class and zones, criteria, sensitivity-setting and sizing techniques, angle-beam and dual-element probes, presence of the purchaser, approval of the procedure.

2. Written procedure

   Product specification, procedure for the application or this standard with the data of the application; at least 15 content items (5.3).

3. Surface preparation

   Free from paint, scale, dried couplant and irregularities; roughness according to Table 1 for the required class.

4. Calibration and sensitivity

   Combination checked according to EN 12668-3; range and sensitivity on EN ISO 2400 blocks and reference blocks (DAC) or DGS diagrams according to EN ISO 16811. WE DO NOT GIVE the parameters of clause 11.

5. Scanning

   With straight-beam probes and — when agreed — angle-beam probes, with grid or 100 % coverage. WE DO NOT GIVE the requirements of clause 12.

6. Evaluation and test report

   Classification of indications and discontinuities, recording and assessment according to the criteria of the class (clauses 13–14), sizing (15), test report (16) — WE DO NOT GIVE the details.

Required equipment and apparatus

Health and safety (OHS)

• Work on large forgings — stable support, safe handling with a crane
• Couplants (oil, grease) — slippery surface, remove after the test

Frequently asked questions