EN ISO 16810:2024

Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic testing - General principles (ISO 16810:2024)

This document specifies the general principles for the ultrasonic testing of industrial products that permit the transmission of ultrasound.
The specific conditions of application and use of ultrasonic testing, which depend on the type of product to be tested, are described in documents which can include:
—     product standards;
—     specifications;
—     codes;
—     contractual documents;
—     written procedures.
This document specifies the minimum applicable requirements, unless otherwise specified in the referencing documents.
This document does not specify:
—     extent of testing and scan plans;
—     acceptance criteria.
This document describes only conventional probes, however, the general principles for ultrasonic testing also apply to ultrasonic testing using array techniques. If array techniques are used, then additional steps or verifications can be needed.

Zerstörungsfreie Prüfung - Ultraschallprüfung - Allgemeine Grundsätze (ISO 16810:2024)

Dieses Dokument legt die allgemeinen Grundsätze fest, die bei der Ultraschallprüfung von industriellen Erzeugnissen, in denen die Ausbreitung von Ultraschall möglich ist, gelten.
Die besonderen Bedingungen der Anwendung und Verwendung von Ultraschallprüfungen, die von der Art des zu prüfenden Erzeugnisses abhängen, sind in Dokumenten beschrieben, zu denen Folgende zählen können:
-   Produktnormen;
-   Spezifikationen;
-   Regeln;
-   vertragliche Vereinbarungen;
-   schriftliche Verfahren.
Sofern in den verwiesenen Dokumenten nichts anderes festgelegt ist, legt dieses Dokument die geltenden Mindestanforderungen fest.
Dieses Dokument legt Folgendes nicht fest:
-   den Prüfumfang und die Abtastpläne;
-   die Zulässigkeitskriterien.
Dieses Dokument beschreibt lediglich konventionelle Prüfköpfe, die allgemeinen Grundsätze der Ultraschallprüfung gelten jedoch auch für die Ultraschallprüfung mit Arraytechniken. Wenn Arraytechniken angewendet werden, können zusätzliche Schritte oder Verifizierungen erforderlich sein.

Essais non destructifs - Contrôle par ultrasons - Principes généraux (ISO 16810:2024)

Le présent document spécifie les principes généraux du contrôle par ultrasons des produits industriels perméables aux ondes ultrasonores.
Les conditions particulières d’application et d’utilisation des contrôles par ultrasons, qui dépendent du type de produit à contrôler, font l’objet de documents tels que:
—     les normes de produits;
—     les spécifications;
—     les codes;
—     les documents contractuels;
—     les procédures écrites.
Sauf indications contraires dans les documents de référence, le présent document spécifie les exigences minimales applicables.
Le présent document ne spécifie pas:
—     l’étendue du contrôle et des plans de balayage;
—     les critères d’acceptation.
Le présent document décrit uniquement des traducteurs conventionnels; cependant les principes généraux pour le contrôle par ultrasons s’appliquent aussi au contrôle par ultrasons par des techniques multiéléments. Si des techniques multiéléments sont employées, des étapes ou des vérifications supplémentaires peuvent être nécessaires.

Neporušitvene preiskave - Ultrazvočne preiskave - Splošna načela (ISO 16810:2024)

Ta dokument določa splošna načela za ultrazvočne preiskave industrijskih izdelkov, ki omogočajo prenos ultrazvoka.
Posebni pogoji izvajanja in uporabe ultrazvočnih preiskav, ki so odvisni od vrste izdelka, so opisani v dokumentih, med katerimi so lahko:
– standardi za izdelke;
– specifikacije;
– kodeksi;
– pogodbeni dokumenti;
– pisni postopki.
Ta dokument določa minimalne veljavne zahteve, razen če je v referenčnih dokumentih navedeno drugače.
Ta dokument ne določa:
– obsega načrtov preiskav in pregledov;
– meril sprejemljivosti.
Ta dokument opisuje samo običajne sonde, vendar se splošna načela za ultrazvočno testiranje uporabljajo tudi za ultrazvočne preiskave z uporabo matričnih tehnik. Pri uporabi matričnih tehnik bodo morda potrebni dodatni koraki ali preverjanja.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 22-Oct-2024
• ICS: 19.100 - Non-destructive testing
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 138 - Non-destructive testing
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 138/WG 2 - Ultrasonic testing
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 23-Oct-2024
• Completion Date: 23-Oct-2024
• Ref Project: SIST EN ISO 16810:2025 - Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic testing - General principles (ISO 16810:2024)

Relations

• Replaces: EN ISO 16810:2014 - Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic testing - General principles (ISO 16810:2012)
• Effective Date: 22-Jan-2023
• Refers: ISO 2400:2012 - Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Specification for calibration block No. 1
• Effective Date: 09-Feb-2026
• Refers: ISO 16811:2012 - Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Sensitivity and range setting
• Effective Date: 09-Feb-2026
• Refers: EN 10348:2024 - Steel for the reinforcement of concrete - Galvanized reinforcing steel products
• Effective Date: 28-Jan-2026
• Refers: prEN 15132 - Container shells for mobile waste containers with a capacity up to 1 700 l - Performance requirements and test methods
• Effective Date: 28-Jan-2026
• Refers: EN 17163:2019 - Pulp, paper and board - Determination of primary aromatic amines (PAA) in a water extract by a LC-MS method
• Effective Date: 28-Jan-2026
• Refers: EN 12259-14:2020/FprA1 - Fixed firefighting systems - Components for sprinkler and water spray systems - Part 14: Sprinklers for residential applications
• Effective Date: 28-Jan-2026
• Referred By: EN 12680-3:2011 - Founding - Ultrasonic testing - Part 3: Spheroidal graphite cast iron castings
• Effective Date: 28-Jan-2026
• Referred By: EN 12680-1:2025 - Founding - Ultrasonic testing - Part 1: Steel castings for general purposes
• Effective Date: 28-Jan-2026
• Referred By: EN 16125:2015 - LPG Equipment and Accessories - Pipework systems and supports - LPG in liquid phase and vapour pressure phase
• Effective Date: 28-Jan-2026
• Referred By: EN 448:2019 - District heating pipes - Bonded single pipe systems for directly buried hot water networks - Factory made fitting assemblies of steel service pipes, polyurethane thermal insulation and a casing of polyethylene
• Effective Date: 28-Jan-2026
• Referred By: EN 16125:2019 - LPG Equipment and Accessories - Pipework systems and supports - LPG in liquid phase and vapour pressure phase
• Effective Date: 28-Jan-2026
• Referred By: EN 583-4:2002 - Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic examination - Part 4: Examination for discontinuities perpendicular to the surface
• Effective Date: 28-Jan-2026
• Referred By: EN 12680-1:2003 - Founding - Ultrasonic examination - Part 1: Steel castings for general purposes
• Effective Date: 28-Jan-2026
• Referred By: EN 13941-2:2019+A1:2021 - District heating pipes - Design and installation of thermal insulated bonded single and twin pipe systems for directly buried hot water networks - Part 2: Installation
• Effective Date: 28-Jan-2026

Overview

EN ISO 16810:2024 establishes the general principles for the ultrasonic testing of industrial products that permit transmission of ultrasound. Developed by CEN in alignment with ISO 16810:2024, this standard provides a solid foundation for the application of non-destructive testing (NDT) across a wide range of industries. By detailing the minimum applicable requirements, it helps organizations ensure quality, consistency, and safety in ultrasonic inspections, while allowing for more specific directives through related product standards, specifications, codes, and procedural documents.

Ultrasonic testing (UT) is a versatile non-destructive technique used to detect internal flaws, measure thickness, and assess material properties without damaging the tested objects. EN ISO 16810:2024 covers the fundamental methods and equipment required for effective ultrasonic testing, making it relevant for manufacturers, inspection bodies, and quality assurance professionals worldwide.

Key Topics

• Scope and applicability: Defines the boundaries for UT on products that allow ultrasound transmission, excluding scan plans and acceptance criteria.
• Personnel qualifications: Requires test personnel to be qualified per ISO 9712 or similar standards specified in product-specific documents.
• Testing principles: Explains both pulse-echo and through-transmission techniques, which form the basis of conventional and advanced ultrasonic testing methods.
• Equipment requirements:
  • Probes: Selection, frequency, dimensions, and considerations like dead zones and damping.
  • Instruments: Compliance with ISO 22232-1 and ISO 22232-2 for verification and characterization.
  • Couplants and standard/reference blocks: Proper selection to ensure reliable coupling and calibration.
• Test procedure: Preparation, sensitivity setting, surface condition, identification, scanning methodology, and recording.
• Reporting: Specifies the need for accurate documentation of test conditions, results, and any applied corrections.

While EN ISO 16810:2024 details conventional probe-based ultrasonic testing, its general principles also apply to ultrasonic array techniques, though these may require additional procedural steps.

Applications

EN ISO 16810:2024 is routinely applied in sectors where internal integrity is critical and non-destructive evaluation is essential, such as:

• Manufacturing: Testing welds, castings, and forgings for structural integrity.
• Aerospace: Inspecting aircraft components for fatigue cracks or discontinuities.
• Energy & Utilities: Assessing pipelines, pressure vessels, and storage tanks for corrosion or defects.
• Automotive: Detecting sub-surface flaws in critical safety parts.
• Construction: Ensuring quality and longevity of metal and concrete structural elements.

Adhering to this standard supports regulatory compliance, enhances product quality, minimizes the risk of failures, and optimizes maintenance strategies by enabling early detection of flaws.

Related Standards

EN ISO 16810:2024 acts as a core reference for ultrasonic testing within non-destructive testing frameworks. Essential companions and related documents include:

• ISO 16811 - Sensitivity and range setting for ultrasonic testing
• ISO 16823 - Through-transmission technique
• ISO 16826 - Detection of discontinuities perpendicular to the surface
• ISO 16827 - Characterization and sizing of discontinuities
• ISO 16828 - Time-of-flight diffraction technique
• ISO 2400 / ISO 7963 - Specification and use of calibration (standard) blocks
• ISO 9712 - Qualification and certification of NDT personnel
• ISO 5577 - Non-destructive testing vocabulary

Following EN ISO 16810:2024 ensures compatibility and interoperability with international NDT requirements, facilitating streamlined operations across borders and industries. For best results, it is recommended to address specific scan plans and acceptance criteria through supplemental standards or project-specific instructions.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-februar-2025
Neporušitvene preiskave - Ultrazvočne preiskave - Splošna načela (ISO
16810:2024)
Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic testing - General principles (ISO 16810:2024)
Zerstörungsfreie Prüfung - Ultraschallprüfung - Allgemeine Grundsätze (ISO
16810:2024)
Essais non destructifs - Contrôle par ultrasons - Principes généraux (ISO 16810:2024)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 16810:2024
ICS:
19.100 Neporušitveno preskušanje Non-destructive testing
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN ISO 16810
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
October 2024
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 19.100 Supersedes EN ISO 16810:2014
English Version
Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic testing - General
principles (ISO 16810:2024)
Essais non destructifs - Contrôle par ultrasons - Zerstörungsfreie Prüfung - Ultraschallprüfung -
Principes généraux (ISO 16810:2024) Allgemeine Grundsätze (ISO 16810:2024)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 6 October 2024.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2024 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 16810:2024 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3

European foreword
This document (EN ISO 16810:2024) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 135 "Non-
destructive testing" in collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 138 “Non-destructive testing”
the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by April 2025, and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by April 2025.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN ISO 16810:2014.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards
body/national committee. A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the
United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 16810:2024 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 16810:2024 without any modification.

International
Standard
ISO 16810
Second edition
Non-destructive testing —
2024-10
Ultrasonic testing — General
principles
Essais non destructifs — Contrôle par ultrasons — Principes
généraux
Reference number
ISO 16810:2024(en) © ISO 2024
ISO 16810:2024(en)
© ISO 2024
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
ISO 16810:2024(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 2
4 Qualification and certification of test personnel . 2
5 Information required prior to testing . 2
6 Principles of ultrasonic testing (UT) . . 2
6.1 General .2
6.2 Wave mode and direction of sound propagation .3
6.3 Through-transmission technique .3
6.4 Pulse-echo technique . .3
7 Test equipment . 3
7.1 Instrument .3
7.2 Probes .3
7.2.1 General .3
7.2.2 Probe selection.4
7.2.3 Frequency and dimensions of transducer .4
7.2.4 Dead zone .4
7.2.5 Damping .4
7.2.6 Focusing probes .4
7.3 Coupling media .5
7.4 Standard blocks .5
7.5 Reference blocks .5
7.6 Specific test blocks .6
8 Settings. 6
8.1 General .6
8.2 Range . .6
8.3 Sensitivity .7
8.4 Pulse repetition frequency .7
9 Preparation for testing . 7
9.1 Surface preparation .7
9.2 Identification and datum points .7
9.3 Application of transfer correction .7
10 Testing. 8
10.1 Coverage of testing .8
10.2 Overlapping .8
10.3 Scanning speed.8
10.4 Evaluation and recording levels .8
10.4.1 General .8
10.4.2 Pulse-echo technique .8
10.4.3 Through-transmission technique .8
11 Characterization of discontinuities . 9
11.1 Pulse-echo technique . .9
11.2 Through-transmission technique .9
12 Test procedure . 9
13 Test report . 10
Bibliography .11

iii
ISO 16810:2024(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that
this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 135, Non-destructive testing, Subcommittee
SC 3, Ultrasonic testing, in collaboration with the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical
Committee CEN/TC 138, Non-destructive testing, in accordance with the Agreement on technical cooperation
between ISO and CEN (Vienna Agreement).
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 16810:2012), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— normative references have been updated;
— Clause 3 Terms and definitions refers to ISO 5577 as a source of terms;
— editorial revisions and usage of terms has been harmonized.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.

iv
ISO 16810:2024(en)
Introduction
The following International Standards are linked:
ISO 16810, Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — General principles
ISO 16811, Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Sensitivity and range setting
ISO 16823, Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Through-transmission technique
ISO 16826, Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Testing for discontinuities perpendicular to the surface
ISO 16827, Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Characterization and sizing of discontinuities
ISO 16828, Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Time-of-flight diffraction technique for detection
and sizing of discontinuities
v
International Standard ISO 16810:2024(en)
Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — General
principles
1 Scope
This document specifies the general principles for the ultrasonic testing of industrial products that permit
the transmission of ultrasound.
The specific conditions of application and use of ultrasonic testing, which depend on the type of product to
be tested, are described in documents which can include:
— product standards;
— specifications;
— codes;
— contractual documents;
— written procedures.
This document specifies the minimum applicable requirements, unless otherwise specified in the referencing
documents.
This document does not specify:
— extent of testing and scan plans;
— acceptance criteria.
This document describes only conventional probes, however, the general principles for ultrasonic testing
also apply to ultrasonic testing using array techniques. If array techniques are used, then additional steps or
verifications can be needed.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 2400, Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic testing — Specification for calibratio
...