Tech Insights

penetrant

Last updated May 16, 2025, generated by Sumble

What is penetrant?

Penetrant testing (PT), also called liquid penetrant inspection (LPI) or dye penetrant inspection (DPI), is a widely used non-destructive testing (NDT) method used to detect surface-breaking defects in non-porous materials (metals, plastics, ceramics). It involves applying a visible or fluorescent dye to the surface of the part, allowing it to penetrate into defects, removing excess penetrant, and then applying a developer that draws the penetrant out of the defects, making them visible to the inspector. It's commonly used for detecting cracks, porosity, laps, seams, and other surface flaws in welds, castings, forgings, and machined parts.

Find organizations using penetrant on Sumble →

What other technologies are related to penetrant?

penetrant Competitor Technologies

Magnetic Particle

Magnetic Particle Inspection is a competing NDT method used to detect surface and near-surface flaws in ferromagnetic materials.

mentioned alongside penetrant in 17% (274) of relevant job posts

laser shearography

Laser shearography is a competing NDT method used to detect flaws and anomalies in a material by analyzing surface deformations using laser interferometry.

mentioned alongside penetrant in 75% (60) of relevant job posts

Eddy Current

Eddy Current testing is a competing NDT method suitable for detecting surface and near-surface flaws in conductive materials.

mentioned alongside penetrant in 13% (255) of relevant job posts

Radiography

Radiography, including X-Ray, is a competing NDT method for detecting internal flaws in materials by using radiation to create an image of the material's internal structure.

mentioned alongside penetrant in 11% (211) of relevant job posts

shearography

Shearography is a competing NDT method used to detect flaws and anomalies in a material by analyzing surface deformations.

mentioned alongside penetrant in 28% (65) of relevant job posts

Ultrasonic

Ultrasonic testing is a competing NDT method that uses high-frequency sound waves to detect internal and surface flaws in materials.

mentioned alongside penetrant in 5% (195) of relevant job posts

thermography

Thermography is a competing NDT method that uses infrared cameras to detect temperature variations on a material's surface, which can indicate flaws or anomalies.

mentioned alongside penetrant in 3% (78) of relevant job posts

ultrasound

Ultrasound testing is a competing NDT method that uses high-frequency sound waves to detect internal and surface flaws in materials.

mentioned alongside penetrant in 0% (90) of relevant job posts