Glossary
Abrasive Blasting
The process by which loose abrasive is propelled at high velocity, via air or wheel.
Air Decay Leak Testing
A leak testing method where an object is subtracted to a measured amount of air and a leak is indicated by the loss of air pressure being measured.
Annealing
Annealing applies to softening by changing the microstructure and is the term used to describe the heating and cooling cycles in a solid state.
Bead Blasting, Beading and Blasting
The process for cleaning or finishing of metal object by the high velocity impingement of hard metal shot against the surface of an object.
Blast Cleaning
The cleaning process using loose abrasive is propelled at high velocity, and aimed at the area to be cleaned. This process is typically used to remove flash, rust, scale, old paint, or any other dry surface contaminants.
Borescope Inspection
A Borescope is used to inspect the inside of both bores and cavities with either a rigid or flexible optical tube.
Capillary Action
The tendency of liquids to penetrate or migrate into small openings, such as cracks or pits.
Castings
Metal object obtained by pouring molten metal in a mold; also the act of pouring metal. Materials include: aluminum, gray iron, malleable iron and steel.
Deburring
The process of eliminating flaws by grinding or shot blasting the surface of an object.
Discontinuity
An interruption in the mormal physical structure or configuration of an object, such as cracks, forging laps, seams, inclusions and porosity.
Dry Vacuum / Pressure (DVP) Impregnation
The most robust impregnation process. This process incorporates dry vacuum, wet vacuum, and pressure to impregnate with resin to seal porosity.
Dwell Time (In reference to Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection)
The total time that the penetrant or emulsifier is in contact with the test surface, including the time required for application and the drain time.
Finishing
The process used to refine or roughen a surface to meet surface finish requirements, or to clean, strengthen or prepare the surface for additional processing.
Flash
Excess material on molded component resulting from a leakage at joining surfaces in a casting process.
Fluorescent Penetrant
A testing penetrant that is characterized by its ability to fluoresce when excited by ultraviolet radiation.
Ferrous Metals
Alloys containing iron.
Forging
A process where metal is shaped by pressing, pounding, or squeezing under very high pressure, to form forgings.
Grinding
Grinding is a method of removing and/or shaping material via abrasion, often using hand held power tools.
Heat Treatment
An operation or combination of operations involving heating and cooling of metal or an alloy in a solid state for the purpose of obtaining certain desirable conditions or properties.
Immersion Leak Testing
A leak test method where an object is immersed in a fluid and leak is indicated by the escape of air in the form of bubbles.
Impregnation
The penetration of resin in a porous or absorbent substrate to permanently seal it.
Penetrant Inspection
A water washable penetrant procedure with high fluorescent and low surface tension, drawn into small surface openings by capillary action. Typically it is viewed under black light.
Resin Impregnation Anaerobic
This is a process involving methacrylate sealants with a more sophisticated curing system. Once impregnated in to the porosity of the parts, anaerobic sealants will automatically self-cure to a fully polymerized state.
Shot Peening
The procedure of impacting a metal surface with a high-velocity stream of metal shot or glass beads for the purpose of cleaning, or improving resistance to stress corrosion by producing compressive stress.
Sub-Critical Annealing, Stress Relief Annealing
A heat-treating operation used to relieve or dissipate stresses in weldments, heavily machined parts, castings and forgings. The parts are uniformly heated through, and are either air cooled from temperature or slow cooled from temperature depending on the type of part and subsequent finishing or heat-treating operations.
T-5 Heat Treatment
Artificially aged only: Applied to products which are artificially aged after an elevated-temperature rapid-cool fabrication process, such as casting or extrusion, to improve mechanical properties or dimensional stability, or both.
Tumble Barrels
Machines used to tumble deburr. Often six or eight sided with either horizontal or vertical axis.
Tumble Deburring
An abrasive process that removes sharp edges or burrs, and smoothes surface of metal components. It can be done as wet or dry process.
Water Washable Penetrant
A type of penetrant that contains its own emulsifier, making it water washable.
Wet Vacuum (WV) Impregnation
Parts or components are submerged in resin and a vacuum is drawn to remove air from resin and parts. This is the second stage of a Dry Vacuum Process, but can be performed independently.
Wet Vacuum Pressure (WVP) Impregnation
A vacuum is drawn to remove air from resin and parts. The vacuum is the vented and pressure is applied. Pressure cycle is the third stage in the Dry Vacuum Pressure process.
