CASE

CASESOF ASME BOILER AND PRESSUREVESSEL CODE 2558

Approval Date: December30, 2006
The ASME Boiler and Pressure VesselStandards Committee took action to
eliminate Code Case expiration dates effective March 11,2005. This means that
all Code Cases listed in this Supplement and beyond will remain available for
use until annulled by the ASME Boiler and Pressure VesselStandards Committee.

Case 2558 all of the following additional requirementsare met:

Use of Manual PhasedArray E-Scan Ultrasonic Exami-
nation Per Article 4
Section V
Inquiry: Industrial phasedarrays are a new technology
that permitsthe electroniccontrol of ultrasoundbeams.The
arraysconsistof a seriesof individualtransducerelements,
each separatelywired, time-delayed,and electricallyiso-
lated; the arraysare typically pulsed in groups to permit
"phasing,"or constructive-destructive interference.
Thoughprimarily a methodof generatingand receiving
ultrasound,phased arrays are also a method of scanning
and imaging. While some scan patterns(e.g., E-scans)
e m ulat ec ur r en tte c h n o l o g y ,o th e r s c a n sa re u ni que to
phasedarrays.With their distinctfeaturesand capabilities,
phasedarraysrequire specialset-ups,calibration and scan
patterns,as addressed by thesecodesandcodecases.Typi-
cal software permits the operator to easily set up scan
patternswithoutdetailedknowledgeof thephasingrequire-
ments.
Under what co n d i ti o n sa n d l i mi ta ti o n s m a y manual
phasedarrayultrasonicexaminationbe utilizedper Section
V, Article 4 when utilizing E-scanslwith rasterscanning?
Repl.-: It is the opinion of the Committee that weld
examinationsmay be performedusing manualphasedarray
E-scanultrasonic(PA-UT) techniquesutilizing a fixed
angleelectronicrasterwith manualscanning,providedthat
I An E-scan
is also termed an electronic raster scanning. The same
focal law is multiplexedacrossa group of active elements.E-scansare
performed at a constant angle and along the phasedarray probe length.
E-scansare equivalent to a conventional ultrasonic probe performing a
raster scan.
(a) Amplitude Control Linearity checks shall be per-
formedon eachpulser-receiver circuitin the ultrasonicunit.
(b) Beam Calibration.All individualbeamsusedin the
examination shall be calibrated to provide measurement
of distanceand amplitude correction over the sound path
employedin the examination.This shallincludeapplicable
compensationfor wedgesoundpath variationsand wedge
attenuationeffects.
(c) Calibration may also be performed on other reflec-
torsbesidessidedrilled holes,e.g.,notches,whenpermitted
by the referencingcode.
(d) The focal law2 to be used during examinationshall
be used for calibration.
(e) In additionto the essentialvariableslisted in Table
T-421 and the data required to be recordedper T-492, the
following parametersshall be consideredessentialvan-
ablesand recorded:
(1) elementpitch and gap dimensionsl
(2) focus(identifyplane,depthor soundpathasappli-
cable)
(3) virtual aperturesize.i.e. numberof elementsand
elementwidth
(4) elementnumbers used for focal laws
(5) inspectionangle(s)used,and
(6,) scanpatternsuseda
fl This Casenumbershallbe shownon the Manufactur-
er's data report.
2 Focal law is defined as a phased array operational file that defines
the search unit elements and their time delavs for both the transmittal
and receiverfunctions.
3 Normally a linear anay would be used for manual E-scans,though
other types of arrays are permitted.
a If the phasedarray instrumentcan display multiple scanssimultane-
ously on the screen,e.g.,multiple E-scans,then thesescanscan be used
concurrently.

The Committee's function is to establish rules of safety, relating only to pressure integrity, governing the construction of boilers, pressure vessels, transport tanks and
nuclear components, and inservice inspection for pressure integrity of nuclear components and transport tanks, and to interpret these rules when questions arise
regarding their intent. This Code does not address other safety issues relating to the construction of boilers, pressure vessels, transport tanks and nuclear components,
and the inservice inspection of nuclear components and transport tanks. The user of the Code should refer to other pertinent codes, standards, laws, regulations or
other relevant documents.

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