Magnetic Particle (MT) is one of the most commonly used NDT methods to test ferromagnetic parts, materials, and assemblies for identifying surface and near surface discontinuities. Ferromagnetic parts such as forgings, casting, welds, round bars, fasteners, and machine parts can be tested to determine if they are preferable for use or continue being used. Our cost-effective pricing, on time delivery, experienced staff, and professional customer service will be kept constant to meet any customer requirements at Mitchell Laboratories. MT offers our advanced equipment and state-of-the-art facilities capable to perform NDT on small to large parts of any quantities. Magnetic Particle Inspection is efficient for NDT on a wide range of parts, materials, and assemblies in the lab or in the field.

Penetrant Testing (PT) inspection is one of the most reliable and cost-efficient NDT methods for detecting surface flaws in non porous metals, Such as castings, forgings, welds and fasteners. At Mitchell Laboratories, we work with two types of penetrant inspections (type1) and (type2).

Type1 is fluorescent penetrant which is performed with a black light in a darkened inspection booth. First penetrant is applied to parts by dipping, spraying or brushing. After suitable penetration time has been allowed excess penetrant is removed and a developer is applied to aid and draw out penetrant out of surface flaws. Therefore making defects visible under black light.

Type(2) penetrant inspection is non-fluorescent visible, the process is performed by applying visible die penetrant under white light and allowing adequate penetration time. The developer is then applied to help draw penetrant out of surface flaws and making them visual under white light.

At Mitchell Laboratories we have the capacity and resources to process small to large complex parts, Our objective is to accomplish our customer’s requirements. Mitchell Laboratories is acknowledged for our experienced staff, customer satisfaction and our capability of on-time delivery.

Contributing significanly to virtually every major Aerospace, Space, Defense Nuclear and Commercial Program.

Providing the most stringent radiographic inspection technique capabilities to meet customers requirements. Certification and performance inspection of:

• Welded Assemblies

• Aircraft Structures

• Pressure Vessels

• Electronics

• Composites

• Castings

• Honeycomb Structures

Stringent NDT requirements for the inspection of high rotational speed, jet engine components require specialized equipment. For this purpose Mitchell Laboratories has 6 IRT ScanMaster systems in place. While capable of other types of inspection, the primary design of these systems is focused on the inspection of disk and ring configurations. Six-axis, 3D contour capable, all have turntables and several are even equipped with lift platforms.

These systems excel at producing superior quality inspections. With turntable diameters up to 48” and clearance in excess of 30”, each is designed to maximize productivity on a wide range of product size and geometric configuration.

The IRT ScanMaster tanks are qualified and approved by most jet engine manufacturers, including use in multi-zone inspection applications. The technicians assigned to these systems receive specialized training in both the mechanical operation and the specifications that drive the inspections.

These systems can produce both B-Scans (time-of-flight) and C-Scans. The files can be printed or supplied in image data formats compatible with Windows based computers or programs.

Ultrasonic NDT of composite and bonded structures often requires computer based inspection that collects data to be presented and evaluated as a C-Scan. For parts that due to size, composition, configuration or specification requirements cannot be submersed, Mitchell Laboratories has an 11-axis gantry system. While primarily used for thru-transmission inspection, it can also be used in pulse-echo mode or both simultaneously.

This system, utilizing opposing, fully articulating “squirter” heads, can be programmed to inspect large, complex 3-D contoured parts including monolithic laminates, honeycomb core panels and bonded structures. Scan and Index motion and angulations are held to tight tolerances, providing the accuracy required for the most demanding aerospace applications.

With a scan envelope of over 30’ in length and 8’ in height, even large parts can often be programmed and inspected in a single scan profile. When part size or contour precludes single scan inspection, inspectors with technical expertise and support fixture know-how can produce a mosaic of several scans that ensure complete part coverage.

Specification requirements or customer needs dictate how the data is presented. As with all of our C-Scan systems, the data collected can be viewed and evaluated in color, grayscale or a combination. The data can be conveyed in printed form or Windows based digital formats.

NDT by the ultrasonic method is an  automated inspection method. Particularly suited for composite laminates and large rolled plate, Mitchell Laboratories has a 50’x 8’, fully automated C-Scan tank that is serviced by three independent bridges.

Two of the inspection bridges are 5-axis, full contour following scanning systems. With motion and angulations tightly controlled, they excel at following tight radii with accuracy and repeatability. A superior understanding of this equipment allows our technicians to build custom, part specific support fixtures, ensuring the best possible data collection based inspection time after time. These bridges can be programmed to self teach and automatically inspect plate stock, freeing the inspector to concentrate on data evaluation.

The third bridge is a rectilinear model, capable of scan and index in any two-axis combination of the X-Y-Z automated configuration. It is well suited to thru-transmission inspection of smaller, relatively flat composite and bonded structures.

Mitchell Laboratories also has several smaller automated tank systems with the same 5-axis bridge design. Some include turntables up to 36” in diameter, increasing the number of product forms that can be inspected automatically. Several systems are configured to be compatible with the two Omni iX phased array units capable of collecting, displaying and storing B-Scan, C-Scan and S-Scan (sectorial) data.

All of these systems produce highly accurate C-Scans that can be delivered to the customer in print form or common Windows based digital formats.

Convex surface material, like barstock and tubing, can present unique challenges when ultrasonic NDT is required. Mitchell Laboratories has several solutions for inspection of these product forms.

For material 4” in diameter and less, a TacTic bar inspection system is often the tool of choice. It provides for full immersion ultrasonic NDT without requiring a tank greater in length than that of the material to be inspected. Roller racks feed the stock into and out of a compact, central tank. A multiple transducer, pneumatically controlled scanning head rides on the bar allowing simultaneous longitudinal-wave and shear-wave inspections.

For small diameter material that is cut to lengths too short for the TacTic, Mitchell Laboratories has several drop-in, bar rotating machines sized to also include larger diameter product. We have the ability to rotate and inspect material with a diameter of less than 0.20”.

For larger diameter material, Mitchell Laboratories has several dedicated automated horizontal rotational systems with capabilities of rotating material 20 plus feet in length, in excess of 40” in diameter and weighing up to 6000 pounds.

For ultrasonic NDT of thin-wall, finished machined parts, contact inspection is often required. Many of the parts are flight critical components and require ultrasonic NDT in multiple wave modes. Mitchell Laboratories maintains a finished machined parts inspection area, dedicated to this type of inspection.

As a single part may require 5 or more different inspections, the technicians that perform this work have extensive training and experience. These inspections, as in all NDT methods, require conscientious and thorough individuals. These technicians must also not only possess a high level of technical skill but an understanding of the way different ultrasonic wave forms interact with the material being tested.

While the procedures and detailed inspection techniques, most requiring prime approval, are developed by certified Ultrasonic Level 3s, the Level 2 technicians performing the inspections are an integral part of the process. They provide the practical know  how that ensures that the technique can be implemented in a precise and repeatable manner.

As with all areas of ultrasonic inspection at Mitchell Labs, the technicians have at their disposal all the transducers and reference standards required to perform these critical inspections. A variety of program and part specific standards and angle-beam wedges are also maintained.