Practice Test Geeks(API 510) Certified Pressure Vessel Inspector Practice Test
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Non-Destructive Examination Methods Flashcards

7 cards from real API 510 practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Non-Destructive Examination Methods flashcards as text

  1. When conducting liquid penetrant testing on an austenitic stainless steel pressure vessel, which penetrant type is preferred to avoid stress corrosion cracking?

    Answer: Water-washable fluorescent penetrant with low halogen and sulfur content

    For austenitic stainless steel, penetrant materials must have low halogen (chloride) and sulfur content because these contaminants can cause stress corrosion cracking in sensitized austenitic alloys.

  2. In radiographic examination, what is geometric unsharpness (Ug) primarily controlled by?

    Answer: Source size, source-to-object distance, and object-to-film distance

    Geometric unsharpness is a function of the radiation source size (focal spot), the source-to-object distance (SOD), and the object-to-film distance (OFD), as defined by Ug = (f × OFD) / SOD.

  3. What NDE limitation does API 510 specifically address when evaluating corrosion under insulation (CUI) on pressure vessels?

    Answer: Pulsed eddy current and profile RT can detect CUI through insulation without full removal

    API 510 recognizes that pulsed eddy current (PEC) and profile radiography can screen for CUI through insulation, reducing the need for costly full insulation removal.

  4. During straight-beam ultrasonic thickness measurement of a pressure vessel wall, the inspector notices the digital readout fluctuates significantly on a corroded surface. What is the best corrective action?

    Answer: Accept the lowest reading as the minimum thickness

    Per API 510 and ASME inspection practice, when thickness readings fluctuate due to surface irregularity, the lowest recorded reading should be used for fitness-for-service evaluation as it represents the minimum remaining wall.

  5. What is the primary purpose of the IQI (image quality indicator) or penetrameter in radiographic testing?

    Answer: To demonstrate that the radiograph has the required sensitivity to detect relevant defects

    The IQI (penetrameter) demonstrates that the radiographic technique has sufficient sensitivity to detect discontinuities of a defined size, serving as a quality indicator for the radiographic process — not as a measurement tool.

  6. In magnetic particle testing, which magnetization technique is BEST suited for detecting longitudinal (axial) cracks in a pressure vessel nozzle weld?

    Answer: Circular magnetization using a central conductor through the nozzle bore

    Circular magnetization creates magnetic flux lines that encircle the part circumferentially, making them perpendicular to longitudinal (axial) cracks, which provides optimal detection sensitivity for that crack orientation.

  7. According to API 510, when can radiographic testing be substituted by ultrasonic testing for weld examination?

    Answer: UT may substitute for RT when the weld geometry prevents proper RT and UT provides equivalent or better defect detection

    API 510 and ASME Section V allow UT to substitute for RT when radiography is geometrically impractical or when UT provides equivalent sensitivity, particularly for thick-wall vessels or nozzle welds.