1、Designation: E 999 05Standard Guide forControlling the Quality of Industrial Radiographic FilmProcessing1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 999; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last re
2、vision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. Asuperscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1. Scope1.1 This guide2establishes guidelines that may be used forthe control and maintenance of industrial radiographic filmprocessing
3、equipment and materials. Effective use of theseguidelines aid in controlling the consistency and quality ofindustrial radiographic film processing.1.2 Use of this guide is limited to the processing of films forindustrial radiography. This guide includes procedures forwet-chemical processes and dry p
4、rocessing techniques.1.3 The necessity of applying specific control proceduressuch as those described in this guide is dependent, to a certainextent, on the degree to which a facility adheres to goodprocessing practices as a matter of routine procedure.1.4 If a nondestructive testing agency as descr
5、ibed inPractice E 543 is used to perform the examination, the testingagency shall meet the requirements of Practice E 543.1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
6、priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-mine the applicability of federal and local codes prior to use.2. Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:3E94 Guide for Radiographic TestingE 543 Practice for Agencies Performing NondestructiveTestingE 1079 Practice for Calibration of Tran
7、smission Densitom-etersE 1254 Guide for Storage of Radiographs and UnexposedIndustrial Radiographic FilmsE 1316 Terminology for Nondestructive Testing2.2 ANSI Standard:ANSI PH 4.8 Methylene Blue Method for Measuring Thio-sulfate and Silver Densitometric Method for MeasuringResidual Chemicals in Film
8、s, Plates, and Papers43. Terminology3.1 DefinitionsFor definitions of terms used in this guide,see Terminology E 1316.4. Significance and Use4.1 The provisions in this guide are intended to control thereliability or quality of the image development process only.The acceptability or quality of indust
9、rial radiographic filmsprocessed in this manner as well as the materials or productsradiographed remain at the discretion of the user, or inspector,or both. It is further intended that this guide be used as anadjunct to and not a replacement for Guide E94.5. Chemical Mixing for Manual and Automatic
10、Processes5.1 Any equipment that comes in contact with processingsolutions should be made of glass, hard rubber, polyethylene,PVC, enameled steel, stainless steel, or other chemically inertmaterials. This includes materials such as plumbing, mixingimpellers, and the cores of filter cartridges. Do not
11、 allowmaterials such as tin, copper, steel, brass, aluminum, or zinc tocome into contact with processing solutions. These materialscan cause solution contamination that may result in filmfogging or rapid oxidation.5.2 Mixing Chemicals:5.2.1 Do not mix powdered chemicals in processor tanks,since undi
12、ssolved particles may be left in the square corners ofthe tank. Mix solutions in separate containers made frommaterials specified in 5.1.5.2.2 Carefully follow the manufacturers package direc-tions or formulas for mixing the chemicals. Start with thecorrect volume of water at the temperature specifi
13、ed in theinstructions, and add chemicals in the order listed. (WarningDuring the mixing and use of radiographic film processingchemicals, be sure to observe all precautionary information onchemical containers and in instructions.)1This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E07 on Nondest
14、ruc-tive Testing and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E07.01 on Radiology(X and Gamma) Method.Current edition approved June 1, 2005. Published June 2005. Originallyapproved in 1990. Last previous edition approved in 1999 as E 999 - 99.2For ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code application
15、s see related Specifi-cation SE-999 in Section II of that Code.3For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org. For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information, refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM websit
16、e.4Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,4th Floor, New York, NY 10036.1Copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.5.3 Contamination of Solutions:5.3.1 Thoroughly clean all mixing equipment i
17、mmediatelyafter use to avoid contamination when the next solution ismixed. When mixing fixer from powder, make sure to add thepowder carefully to the water in the mixing tank so fixer dustdoes not get into other processing solutions. When mixing anychemical, protect nearby tank solutions with floati
18、ng lids anddust covers. The use of a vent hood is recommended as a safetyprecaution.5.3.2 The water supply should either be distilled or filteredso it is clean and sediment-free.5.3.3 If large tanks are used for mixing, carefully mark thevolume levels to be certain that volumes are correct.5.3.4 Use
19、 of impeller-type mixers provides rapid, thoroughmixing. When positioning the impeller special caution shouldbe taken in choosing angle and depth to minimize the amountof air being drawn into the solution. Over-mixing of thesolutions can cause oxidation, especially with developers, andshould be avoi
20、ded. Rinse the shaft, impeller, and mountingclamp with water after use.5.4 Maintaining Equipment:5.4.1 Immediately clean all mixing equipment after use.5.4.2 In addition to cleaning equipment immediately afteruse, wash any mixing apparatus that has been idle for a longperiod of time to eliminate dus
21、t and dirt that may haveaccumulated.5.4.3 Processing hangers and tanks should be free of corro-sion and chemical deposits. Encrusted deposits that accumulatein tanks, trays, and processing equipment which are difficult toremove by conventional cleaning, can be removed by using thespecially formulate
22、d cleaning agents recommended by thechemical or equipment manufacturer.6. Storage of Solutions6.1 In Original ContainersFollow the manufacturersstorage and capacity recommendations packaged with thechemicals. Do not use chemicals that have been stored longerthan recommended.6.2 In Replenisher or Pro
23、cess TanksWherever possible,protect solutions in tanks with floating lids and dust covers. Inaddition to preventing contaminants from entering solutions,floating lids and dust covers help to minimize oxidation andevaporation from the surface of the solutions. Evaporation canconcentrate solutions and
24、 reduce temperatures causing precipi-tation of some of the solution constituents.6.2.1 Store replenisher solutions for small volume opera-tions in airtight containers. The caps of these containers shouldbe free of corrosion and foreign particles that could prevent atight fit.6.3 TemperatureStore all
25、 solutions at normal room tem-perature, between 40 to 80F (4 to 27C). Storing solutions,particularly developer, at elevated temperatures can producerapid oxidation resulting in loss of activity and a tendency tostain the film. Storage at too low a temperature, particularly offixer solutions, can cau
26、se some solutions to crystallize, and thecrystals may not redissolve even with heating and stirring.6.4 DeteriorationRadiographic film processing chemicalscan deteriorate either with age or with usage. Carefully followthe manufacturers recommendations for storage life and usefulcapacity. Discard pro
27、cessing solutions when the recommendednumber of films have been processed or the recommendedstorage life of the prepared solution has been reached, which-ever occurs first.6.5 Contamination:6.5.1 Liquid chemicals are provided in containers withtight-fitting tops. To avoid contamination, never interc
28、hangethe top of one container with another. For this reason, it iscommon practice for radiographic film processing chemicalsmanufacturers to color code the container tops, that is, red fordeveloper and blue for fixer.6.5.2 Clearly label replenisher storage tanks with the solu-tion that they contain
29、and use that container only with thatsolution. If more than one developer or one fixer formulationare being used, a separate replenisher tank should be dedicatedto each chemical. Differences in developer or fixer formula-tions from one manufacturer to another may contaminatesimilar solutions.7. Proc
30、essing7.1 Manual Processing:7.1.1 Follow the temperature recommendations from thefilm or solution manufacturer and check thermometers. Checkthermometers and temperature-controlling devices periodicallyto be sure the process temperatures are correct. Processtemperatures should be checked at least onc
31、e per shift. Keepthe temperature of the stop (if used), fixer, and wash waterwithin 65F (63C) of the developer temperature.(WarningAn unprotected mercury-filled thermometershould never be used for radiographic film processing appli-cations because accidental breakage could result in seriousmercury c
32、ontamination.)7.1.2 Control of processing solution temperature and im-mersion time relationships are instrumental considerationswhen establishing a processing procedure that will consistentlyproduce radiographs of desired density and quality. The actualtime and temperature relationships established
33、are governedlargely by the industrial radiographic films and chemicals usedand should be within the limits of the manufacturers recom-mendations for those materials. When determining the immer-sion time for each solution assure that the draining time isincluded. Draining time should be consistent fr
34、om solution tosolution. The darkroom timers used should be periodicallychecked for accuracy.7.1.3 Agitate at specified intervals for the times recom-mended by the film or solution manufacturer.7.1.4 During film processing certain constituents within thesolutions undergo chemical transformations that
35、 render themuseless for further processing functions. In addition, somesolution adheres to the film and is carried on into the nextsolution during processing. In order to compensate for thesereductions in solution activity and volume, add replenishmentsolution. The volume of replenishment necessary
36、is governedprimarily by the number, size, and density of films processed.Manufacturers recommendations for replenishment are basedon these criteria and will generally provide suitable results forthe expected life of the solution. In any case, maintain solutionlevels to ensure complete immersion of t
37、he film.E9990527.1.5 The functional constituents in a freshly mixed devel-oper solution tend to overreact on the initial films processedand may develop unexposed areas on the films. For this reason,measures should be taken to stabilize the activity of thesolution and thus season the developer. This
38、can be accom-plished by the use of developer starter solution or by process-ing a series of seasoning films (see Note 1) in the freshly mixedsolution. When using developer starter solution follow themanufacturers recommendations for the product. When usingseasoning films expose the films with visibl
39、e light and thendevelop these films in the solution to be seasoned. Use three 14by 17-in. (35 by 43-cm) films, or equivalent, per gallon (3.8 L)of developer.NOTE 1Seasoning films may be new films or films that may not begenerally suitable for production purposes due to excessive gross fog(base plus
40、fog) density, expiration of shelf life, or other reasons.7.1.6 Handle all films carefully during the processing cycleand allow adequate time for the film to sufficiently drain beforetransferring it to the next solution. The use of a stop bath orclear water rinse between developing and fixing may als
41、o beappropriate. The stop bath or clear water rinse serve to arrestdevelopment and also aids in minimizing the amount ofdeveloper carried over into the fixer solution. Insufficientbath-to-bath drain time may cause excessive solution carry-over which can contaminate and shorten the life of solutions
42、inaddition to causing undesirable effects on processed radio-graphs.7.1.7 When washing films, a wettening agent may beappropriate to use to prevent water spots and streaking duringdrying. (WarningPrior to placing films in the dryer, ensurethat the dryer is clean and that adequate heat and ventilatio
43、n areprovided. During drying, visually examine the films to deter-mine the length of time required for sufficient drying.)7.2 Automated Processing:7.2.1 Immersion time and solution temperature relation-ships can be more closely controlled with automatic processingsince the equipment provides externa
44、l gages for monitoringpurposes. As a general guideline, follow the manufacturersrecommendations for industrial processing materials. How-ever, the actual procedure used should be based on thevariables encountered by the user and his particular needs.Check solutions daily or with established frequenc
45、y basedupon usage to ensure that temperatures are within the manu-facturers recommendations. Check the processors thermom-eter with a secondary thermometer during normal maintenanceprocedures to verify correct processing temperatures within themanufacturers specifications.7.2.2 Transport speed shoul
46、d be checked during normalmaintenance procedures by measuring the time it takes for agiven length of film to pass a specific point. (For example, ifthe indicated machine speed is 2 ft/min, place two marks on alength of film 1 ft apart. The second mark should pass a specificlocation, such as the entr
47、ance to the processor, exactly 30 safter the first mark has passed the same point.) An optionalmethod for measuring processor speed is to install a tachometeron the main drive motor and determine desired RPM/processing speed relationships.7.2.3 Agitation is provided by the action of the processorrol
48、lers, recirculation pumps, wash water flow. No externalagitation is needed.7.2.4 For processors with replenishment systems, use thereplenishment rates recommended by the film or solutionmanufacturer.7.2.4.1 Accurate replenishment increases the useful life ofsolutions to a great extent by replacing i
49、ngredients that aredepleted and maintains the process at a constant, efficient level.7.2.4.2 Replenisher rates should be verified during normalmaintenance procedures to ensure that the correct volumes arebeing injected into the solutions. For installations processingvery large amounts of film (in excess of two tank turnovers ofreplenisher per week), checks on replenishment rates should bemade more frequently. Processor manufacturers recommenda-tions will generally provide an adequate procedure for check-ing replenishment volumes.7.2.5 For seasoning freshly mixed
