Astm E155 Porosity Levels Pdf Repack May 2026
| Feature | Standard PDF | Repacked PDF | |---------|--------------|--------------| | Searchable text | ❌ Often not | ✅ Yes (OCR applied) | | Bookmarked sections | ❌ Rarely | ✅ Porosity levels bookmarked | | High-contrast images | ❌ Scans degrade quality | ✅ Digitally enhanced radiographs | | Thickness correction table | ❌ Missing | ✅ Embedded as Appendix A | | Printer-friendly layout | ❌ 200 pages of fluff | ✅ Condensed to 15 essential pages |
Your component wall thickness determines which reference radiograph to use. ASTM E155 provides separate plates for:
Note: If your wall thickness differs from the reference, you must use the "penetrameter sensitivity" or equivalent thickness tables found in the repacked appendix.
Having a clean, single-page visual reference (or "repack" PDF) saves massive amounts of time during First Article Inspections (FAI). Instead of flipping through 50 pages of the full ASTM volume to find the specific thickness (e.g., 1/4 inch plate) and defect type, this summary isolates the porosity charts for rapid comparison.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This "repack" is for educational and quick-reference purposes only. For official final acceptance decisions, always consult the original, current ASTM E155 standard document and adhere to your specific contract requirements.
📥 Looking for the visual comparison charts? If you have a specific question about determining a Grade 2 vs. Grade 3 threshold for rounded porosity on a 6mm wall thickness, drop a comment below. Let's discuss the interpretation! 👇
#NDT #ASTM155 #QualityControl #Casting #Aerospace #Radiography #MaterialsScience #Engineering
The ASTM E155 standard provides reference radiographs for evaluating the quality of aluminum and magnesium castings. It establishes a framework for identifying and grading internal discontinuities like gas porosity, which are rated on a severity scale from Level 1 to Level 8. Core Grading System (Levels 1–8)
The standard uses "frame numbers" or levels to indicate the concentration and size of defects.
Level 1 (Highest Quality): Minimal porosity, often barely detectable on X-ray images.
Levels 2–4: Increasing severity; Level 3 is often the maximum allowable limit for automotive parts.
Levels 5–8 (Lowest Quality): High concentrations of defects. Multiple smaller defects at these levels are difficult to quantify individually. Typical Acceptance Criteria
Casting requirements are often tied to specific grades defined in ASTM B686 for high-performance applications: Grade B: Requires reaching Level 1 radiographic quality.
Grade C: Typically requires a frame number of Level 3 or better. Grade D: Acceptable up to Level 7. Classification of Porosity Types Porosity Type Radiographic Appearance Gas Holes astm e155 porosity levels pdf repack
Smooth-edged dark spots, round or elongated; can occur individually or in clusters. Gas Porosity (Round)
Minute voids distributed throughout the casting, appearing as small round dots. Gas Porosity (Elongated)
Distributed minute voids with an elongated or teardrop shape. Microshrinkage
Elongated "feathery" streaks or massive "sponge" appearances between dendrites. Practical Application Tips
Thickness Ranges: Radiographs are categorized by casting thickness—specifically 1/4 inch (for thicknesses up to 1/2 inch) and 3/4 inch (for over 1/2 inch to 2 inches).
Functional Zoning: Designers often apply different levels to the same part; critical thin "arms" may require Level 1, while thicker "truck" areas might allow Level 3.
Digital Standards: For digital radiography (CR/DR), the related ASTM E2422 (aluminum) or ASTM E2869 (magnesium) should be used instead of the film-based E155.
ASTM E155 Discontinuity Levels Guide | PDF | Materials - Scribd
The ASTM E155 standard provides reference radiographs for inspecting aluminum and magnesium alloy castings. These radiographs serve as a visual baseline for evaluating the severity of internal discontinuities like gas porosity, shrinkage, and foreign materials. Porosity Classification and Severity Levels
ASTM E155 uses a system of eight severity levels (1 to 8) to grade the degree of a discontinuity.
Level 1: Represents the highest quality with minimal, often barely detectable porosity.
Level 8: Indicates the highest concentration or largest size of the discontinuity.
Categories: Discontinuities are grouped into categories such as Category A (Gas Porosity), which includes both round and elongated types. Summary of Porosity Acceptance (Typical) | Feature | Standard PDF | Repacked PDF
Engineering drawings often specify an "Acceptance Grade" (e.g., Grade A, B, C, or D) that correlates to these ASTM E155 levels for different casting sections. Discontinuity Type Grade B (High) Grade C (Medium) Grade D (Low) Gas Porosity (Round) Gas Porosity (Elongated) Gas Holes Shrinkage Porosity
Note: For Grade AA, typically no discontinuities are permitted. Guide to Using ASTM E155 Radiographs
ASTM E155 Discontinuity Levels Guide | PDF | Materials - Scribd
ASTM E155 provides standardized reference radiographs for inspecting aluminum and magnesium castings, grading internal porosity and shrinkage from Levels 1 to 8, with lower numbers indicating less severity. These visual standards cover gas holes and microshrinkage, mapping them to industry quality requirements ranging from critical structural parts to less demanding applications. For the official standard and adjunct radiographs, visit ASTM International ASTM International
E155 Standard Reference Radiographs for Inspection ... - ASTM
Introduction
ASTM E155 is a standard test method for determining the porosity levels of aluminum and aluminum alloy castings. The test method involves radiographic inspection of castings to detect and classify porosity levels. This report provides an overview of the ASTM E155 standard, porosity levels, and the repack process.
ASTM E155 Standard
The ASTM E155 standard, titled "Standard Reference Radiographs for Inspection of Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Castings," provides a set of reference radiographs that are used to classify the porosity levels in aluminum and aluminum alloy castings. The standard was last updated in 2015 and is published by ASTM International.
Porosity Levels
The ASTM E155 standard defines five levels of porosity, designated as Levels I through V, with Level I being the lowest level of porosity and Level V being the highest. The porosity levels are characterized by the size and distribution of pores in the casting.
Repack Process
The repack process refers to the preparation and packaging of the reference radiographs used in the ASTM E155 standard. The repack process involves: Note: If your wall thickness differs from the
Repack PDF
The repack PDF refers to a digital version of the repack process, which provides a convenient and easily accessible format for users to access the reference radiographs and porosity level information. A repack PDF typically includes:
Conclusion
The ASTM E155 standard provides a widely accepted method for determining the porosity levels of aluminum and aluminum alloy castings. The repack process provides a convenient and standardized way to package and distribute the reference radiographs used in the standard. A repack PDF provides easy access to the porosity level information and reference radiographs, making it a valuable resource for manufacturers, inspectors, and users of aluminum castings.
Recommendations
Limitations
Classify the porosity in your image:
In the world of non-destructive testing (NDT) and casting inspection, few standards are as critical as ASTM E155. This standard governs the reference radiographs for inspection of aluminum and magnesium castings. For quality assurance managers, NDT technicians, and foundry engineers, understanding the specific porosity levels defined by this standard is non-negotiable.
However, finding a clean, organized, and usable version of the documentation—often referred to as an "ASTM E155 porosity levels PDF repack" —has historically been a challenge. Raw PDFs from standards bodies can be dense, unsearchable, or cluttered with legalese.
This article serves as a complete breakdown of ASTM E155 porosity levels, why a "repack" of this PDF is valuable, and how to interpret the radiographic severity levels for production quality control.
A Level 3 porosity in a 0.5-inch section looks completely different than the same nominal level in a 1-inch section. Always reference the thickness-specific plate in ASTM E155.
The official ASTM E155 document is a purchased product (often costing $200+). It is designed for legal compliance, not daily shop-floor use. It contains: