Dye-penetrant testing at fertiliser plant
July 2019
News
Dye-penetrant inspection, also referred to as liquid penetrate inspection or penetrant testing, is a widely applied and low-cost inspection method to check surface-breaking defects in all non-porous materials. A form of non-destructive testing (NDT), dye-penetrant inspection is based on capillary action. This means that low surface tension fluid is allowed to penetrate into clean and dry surface-breaking discontinuities. The penetrant is applied to the test component by means of dipping, spraying, or brushing. After adequate penetration time has been allowed for, the excess penetrant is removed and a developer applied to draw the penetrant out of the flaw. This makes any hairline cracks visible to the naked eye. The inspection process itself is carried out under ultraviolet or white light, depending on whether the dye used is fluorescent or non- fluorescent.
Rope-access specialist Skyriders has been honing its NDT expertise since 2002, having received the stamp of approval from Eskom to conduct this specialist service at its power station fleet. NDT forms part of an holistic wear failure system that forms part of Eskom’s maintenance and repair programme. This ranges from visual inspection through to ultrasonic wall thickness measurement and dye-penetrant or magnetic particle testing, to name a few. “All of these inspection methods are aimed at determining the current condition and any defects in the various components,” explains Skyriders marketing manager, Mike Zinn.
Dye-penetrant inspection, in particular, was recently showcased at a major project for a large fertiliser plant in the Free State. Here a large structure with ancillary attachments had to be inspected thoroughly. Skyriders worked as sub-contractor to SSA Acoustic & Specialised Inspections (SSASI) on this project. SSASI has specialised in delivering proven acoustic emission monitoring methodologies to its specific target market.
“The highly specialised nature of the inspection work at height necessitated such collaboration,” Zinn explains. “Skyriders focuses on providing its customers with complete solutions for all of their inspection and maintenance and repair needs.”
For more information contact Mike Zinn, Skyriders, +27 11 312 1418, [email protected], www.ropeaccess.co.za
Further reading:
RS South Africa shapes future engineering talent
RS South Africa
News
RS South Africa is demonstrating that nurturing future engineers goes beyond traditional classrooms or competitions. On STEM Day, the company shone a light on the full spectrum of its educational initiatives.
Read more...
ABB and Compu-Power bring high-efficiency UPS innovation to IS3 X-Change 2025
News
ABB recently participated in the 31st annual IS
3X-Change 2025 in Cape Town, alongside its long-standing channel partner Compu-Power.
Read more...
Meta and partners announce completion of 2Africa subsea cable system
News
Meta, in partnership with leading global and regional telecommunications companies, has announced the completion and activation of the core 2Africa subsea cable system. This marks a historic milestone in digital infrastructure, establishing what the world’s longest open-access subsea cable system.
Read more...
RS South Africa retains Level 2 B-BBEE status
RS South Africa
News
RS South Africa has once again achieved Level 2 B-BBEE verification.
Read more...
SEW-EURODRIVE unveils world class facility in Gqeberha
News
In a landmark event in the Eastern Cape attended by key customers and industry leaders, SEW-EURODRIVE officially opened its expanded state-of-the-art facility in Gqeberha, marking a major milestone in its strategy to strengthen regional support and deepen its footprint in the region.
Read more...
Africa’s brightest young battery innovators
Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric and Enactus, the international NGO dedicated to inspiring students through entrepreneurial action, have announced the winners of the 2025 Energy Transition Battery Innovation Challenge, funded by the Schneider Electric Foundation. It empowers young innovators to design battery solutions addressing the region’s most pressing energy challenges.
Read more...
Africa’s strategic role in powering the global clean energy future
News
The 2026 Africa Energy Indaba is to spotlight Africa’s mineral wealth, industrialisation potential and the urgent need for sustainable value chain development.
Read more...
Crash reconstruction tests advance vehicle safety research
News
The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Scientific Multidisciplinary Advanced Research Technologies (SMART) Lab recently participated in a series of collaborative crash reconstruction tests held at the Toyota Test Track.
Read more...
Siemens and HD Hyundai to accelerate revitalisation of USA shipbuilding
News
Siemens Digital Industries Software has signed a memorandum of understanding with HD Hyundai to drive the revitalisation and modernisation of the commercial shipbuilding industry in the USA.
Read more...
Accelerating Africa’s smart manufacturing future
News
Automation Day, a dedicated one-day conference within the Manufacturing Indaba 2026, will bring together industry leaders, innovators and policymakers for an in-depth exploration of how automation is reshaping Africa’s manufacturing landscape.
Read more...
printer friendly version