This SAE information report provides a means to understand the various methods of evaluating the integrity of steel tubing without the need of destroying the tubing. This report describes eddy current testing, flux leakage testing, ultrasonic testing, and magnetic particle testing of steel tubing. The primary purpose of these methods of testing steel tubing is to look for flaws in the tubing, such as discontinuities, seams, cracks, holes, voids and other imperfections characteristic to the specific construction of the tubing.
This information report is written so the average person can understand its meaning, even though they may not be familiar with steel tube mill activities and manufacturing processes. When agreed upon between the user and the manufacturer, nondestructive testing is used in lieu of hydrostatic pressure proof testing, which is a destructive test. The nondestructive testing systems described in this document are currently being used in the U.S. tubing industry to monitor steel tubing manufactured to the SAE tubing standards listed in the related publications section. These SAE standard tubing materials are primarily intended for mobile/stationary industrial equipment and automotive applications. Aircraft and Aerospace applications were not considered during the preparation of this document.
