EN ISO 23279:2017

Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing - Characterization of discontinuities in welds (ISO 23279:2017)

ISO 23279:2017 specifies how to characterize indications from discontinuities by classifying them as originating from planar or non-planar embedded discontinuities.
This procedure is also suitable for indications from discontinuities that break the surface after removal of the weld reinforcement.

Zerstörungsfreie Prüfung von Schweißverbindungen - Ultraschallprüfung - Charakterisierung von Inhomogenitäten in Schweißnähten (ISO 23279:2017)

Dieses Dokument legt fest, wie eine Charakterisierung von Anzeigen von inneren Inhomogenitäten vorzunehmen ist, indem sie als von flächigen oder volumenhaften Inhomogenitäten stammend eingeordnet werden.
Das Verfahren ist auch für Anzeigen von Inhomogenitäten geeignet, die nach Abarbeiten der Schweißnaht-überhöhung an der Oberfläche offen liegen.

Essais non destructifs des assemblages soudés - Contrôle par ultrasons - Caractérisation des discontinuités dans les assemblages soudés (ISO 23279:2017)

ISO 23279:2017 spécifie comment caractériser les indications des discontinuités en les classant comme provenant de discontinuités non débouchantes planes ou volumiques.
Ce mode opératoire est également approprié aux indications des discontinuités débouchantes après élimination de la surépaisseur de la soudure.

Neporušitveno preskušanje zvarnih spojev - Ultrazvočno preskušanje - Karakterizacija nehomogenosti v zvarnih spojih (ISO 23279:2017)

Ta dokument določa, kako karakterizirati indikacije iz nehomogenosti tako, da se jih klasificira, da izhajajo iz ravnih ali neravnih vgrajenih nehomogenosti.
Ta postopek je primeren tudi za indikacije iz nehomogenosti, ki prelomijo površino po odstranitvi zvarjene armature.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 12-Sep-2017
• Withdrawal Date: 30-Mar-2018
• ICS: 25.160.40 - Welded joints and welds
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 121 - Welding
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 121/WG 21 - Testing of welds
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 13-Sep-2017
• Completion Date: 13-Sep-2017
• Ref Project: SIST EN ISO 23279:2018 - Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing - Characterization of discontinuities in welds (ISO 23279:2017)

Relations

• Replaces: EN ISO 23279:2010 - Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing - Characterization of indications in welds (ISO 23279:2010)
• Effective Date: 02-Sep-2015

Overview

EN ISO 23279:2017 - "Non‑destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing - Characterization of discontinuities in welds" (ISO 23279:2017) is the CEN-adopted international standard that defines a systematic procedure to classify ultrasonic indications in welds as originating from planar or non‑planar discontinuities. It applies to embedded discontinuities and to indications from discontinuities that become surface‑breaking after weld reinforcement is removed. The document (third edition, 2017) supersedes the 2010 edition and provides a flowchart‑based classification method (Annex A) plus informative guidance on directional reflectivity and echo patterns.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Classification principle: Uses multiple parameters together - welding technique, geometrical position, maximum echo amplitude, directional reflectivity, echo static pattern (A‑scan), and echo dynamic pattern (envelope).
• Flowchart procedure: A staged decision process (five stages) standardizes classification:
  • Stage 1 - exclude very low amplitude indications below the evaluation level (reference T, per ISO 11666).
  • Stage 2 - high amplitude indications (≥ reference level + 6 dB) are assumed planar.
  • Stage 3 - directional reflectivity criteria applied for longer indications (length thresholds defined by plate thickness); requires amplitude comparisons from different beam directions. Key numeric criteria: amplitude difference ≥ 9 dB for transverse‑wave angle‑beam comparisons, or ≥ 15 dB when comparing transverse angle‑beam with longitudinal normal‑beam.
  • Stage 4 - echo static pattern (A‑scan) compared with a reference reflector to identify non‑planar reflectors (e.g., inclusions).
  • Stage 5 - transverse echo dynamic pattern for crack‑type classification.
• Probe guidance: Recommends using the same probes for detection and characterization; matching wavelengths when comparing longitudinal and transverse probes.
• Applicability & limits: Stage 3 applies only to indications exceeding specific length relative to thickness (e.g., t for 8–15 mm; t/2 or 15 mm whichever larger for >15 mm).
• Normative references: ISO 11666 (acceptance levels) and ISO 17640 (techniques and assessment) are cited.

Applications and users

• Practical for weld inspection in pressure vessels, pipelines, structural steel, heavy fabrication, and maintenance where ultrasonic weld testing is used.
• Primary users: NDT technicians, welding inspectors, quality managers, inspection authorities, engineering firms, and laboratories that assess weld integrity and need to distinguish planar defects (e.g., lack of fusion, cracks) from non‑planar defects (e.g., inclusions, porosity).

Related standards

• ISO 11666 - NDT of welds: ultrasonic testing - acceptance levels
• ISO 17640 - NDT of welds: ultrasonic testing - techniques, testing levels and assessment
• EN ISO 23279:2017 is the CEN/European adoption of ISO 23279:2017.

This standard provides a reproducible, criteria‑based approach to ultrasonic characterization of weld discontinuities, improving consistency and reliability in weld quality assessment.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-marec-2018
1DGRPHãþD
SIST EN ISO 23279:2011
1HSRUXãLWYHQRSUHVNXãDQMH]YDUQLKVSRMHY8OWUD]YRþQRSUHVNXãDQMH
.DUDNWHUL]DFLMDQHKRPRJHQRVWLY]YDUQLKVSRMLK,62
Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing - Characterization of discontinuities
in welds (ISO 23279:2017)
Zerstörungsfreie Prüfung von Schweißverbindungen - Ultraschallprüfung -
Charakterisierung von Inhomogenitäten in Schweißnähten (ISO 23279:2017)
Essais non destructifs des assemblages soudés - Contrôle par ultrasons -
Caractérisation des discontinuités dans les assemblages soudés (ISO 23279:2017)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 23279:2017
ICS:
25.160.40 Varjeni spoji in vari Welded joints and welds
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN ISO 23279
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
September 2017
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 25.160.40 Supersedes EN ISO 23279:2010
English Version
Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing -
Characterization of discontinuities in welds (ISO
23279:2017)
Essais non destructifs des assemblages soudés - Zerstörungsfreie Prüfung von Schweißverbindungen -
Contrôle par ultrasons - Caractérisation des Ultraschallprüfung - Charakterisierung von
discontinuités dans les assemblages soudés (ISO Inhomogenitäten in Schweißnähten (ISO 23279:2017)
23279:2017)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 4 June 2017.

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, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels
© 2017 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 23279:2017 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
European foreword
This document (EN ISO 23279:2017) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 44 “Welding
and allied processes” in collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 121 “Welding and allied
processes” the secretariat of which is held by DIN.
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 March 2018, and conflicting national standards shall
be withdrawn at the latest by March 2018.
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 23279:2010.
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, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 23279:2017 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 23279:2017 without any modification.

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 23279
Third edition
2017-08
Non-destructive testing of welds —
Ultrasonic testing — Characterization
of discontinuities in welds
Essais non destructifs des assemblages soudés — Contrôle par
ultrasons — Caractérisation des discontinuités dans les assemblages
soudés
Reference number
ISO 23279:2017(E)
©
ISO 2017
ISO 23279:2017(E)
© ISO 2017, Published in Switzerland
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, 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
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ii © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved

ISO 23279:2017(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 1
5 Criteria . 2
5.1 General . 2
5.2 Echo amplitude criteria (stages 1 and 2) . 3
5.2.1 Low amplitudes (stage 1) . 3
5.2.2 High amplitudes (stage 2) . 3
5.3 Directional reflectivity criteria (stage 3) . 3
5.3.1 Applicability based on length . 3
5.3.2 Application conditions . 3
5.3.3 Criteria . 3
5.4 Echo static pattern criteria (stage 4) . 4
5.5 Transverse echo dynamic pattern criteria (stage 5) . 4
5.6 Complementary testing . 4
Annex A (normative) Classification of indications from internal discontinuities in welds —
Flowchart procedure . 5
Annex B (informative) Directional reflectivity . 8
Annex C (informative) Basic echo dynamic patterns of reflectors .10
ISO 23279:2017(E)
Foreword
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bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
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different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
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This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 44, Welding and allied processes,
Subcommittee SC 5, Testing and inspection of welds.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 23279:2010), which has been technically
revised.
Requests for official interpretations of any aspect of this document should be directed to the Secretariat
of ISO/TC 44/SC 5 via your national standards body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found at
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iv © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 23279:2017(E)
Non-destructive testing of welds — Ultrasonic testing —
Characterization of discontinuities in welds
1 Scope
This document specifies how to characterize indications from discontinuities by classifying them as
originating from planar or non-planar embedded discontinuities.
This procedure is also suitable for indications from discontinuities that break the surface after removal
of the weld reinforcement.
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 11666, Non-destructive testing of welds — Ultrasonic testing — Acceptance levels
ISO 17640, Non-destructive testing of welds — Ultrasonic testing — Techniques, testing levels, and
assessment
3 Terms and definitions
No terms and definitions are listed in this document.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at http:// www .electropedia .org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http:// www .iso .org/ obp
4 Principle
Classification of discontinuities as planar or non-planar is based on several parameters:
a) welding techniques;
b) geometrical position of the discontinuity;
c) maximum echo amplitude;
d) directional reflectivity;
e) echo static pattern (i.e. A-scan);
f) echo dynamic pattern (envelope).
The process of classification involves examining each of the parameters against all the others in
...