Contact Buffalo to discuss NDT Inspections for your company.
Head Office: 3867 Roper Road Edmonton, AB T6B 3S5
Toll Free: 1.800.634.8588
Phone: 780.486.7344
Fax: 780.486.4685
NDT INSPECTION SERVICES:
Buffalo Inspection Services provides robust NDT inspections for many components involved in Canada’s mines such as hoists, conveyances, crushers, furnaces, ball/rod mills, process piping, tanks, and pressure vessels. Our goal is to help you minimize safety and environmental risks by completing routine inspections of critical assets at your mines, mills, smelters, and quarries.
You need specialized inspection services from technicians with intimate knowledge of pressure equipment, damage/wear mechanisms, and processes. With Buffalo Inspection Services, you get some of the industry’s most experienced NDT technicians in the mining industry.
When you need inspection and non-destructive testing services on your equipment and process piping, you need a trusted partner with technical expertise in the industry. You need Buffalo Inspection Services.
Ultrasonic (UT) & TFMMagnetic Testing (MT)Mining Radiography (RT)Visual Inspection (VT)24/7 Callout Service
Ultrasonic (UT) & TFM Inspections for Mining Applications
Buffalo provides the most advanced UT inspection methods available today. Utilizing both PAUT and TFM technologies we are able to accurately, and cost effectively detect manufacturing flaws (lack of sidewall fusion, lack of root penetration, lack of root fusion, porosity, etc.), in services flaws (fatigue cracking, stress corrosion cracking, corrosion, erosion, etc.) and parent metal flaws (inclusions and laminations) in your mining components and processing pipe.
M2M GEKKO TFM
The new M2M GEKKO architecture fits perfectly within our advanced services ecosystem as it allows for comprehensive inspection of a broad range of equipment and materials. The Gekko system combines standard PAUT / TOFD and conventional ultrasonic capabilities with impressive additions such as TFM (Total Focus Method), all in the same portable system. Read more about the M2M GEKKO capabilities here.
Time of Flight Diffraction
Most ultrasonic techniques rely on receiving specular reflections from defects, even if only from particular facets. Time of flight diffraction (TOFD) detects flaws using the signals diffracted from the flaw’s extremities.
The TOFD technique is well suited for the detection and the sizing of all types of embedded flaws, especially those planar in nature.
Magnetic Testing (MT) for the Mining Industry
Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI or MT) is an extension of visual inspection. This critical technique for non-destructive testing (NDT) is used for the detection of surface and near-surface flaws (discontinuities) in ferromagnetic materials.
A magnetic field is applied to the test piece, either locally or overall, using a permanent magnet, electromagnet, flexible cables or hand-held prods. If the material is sound, most of the magnetic flux is concentrated below the material’s surface. However, if a flaw is present, such that it interacts with the magnetic field (disturbs it), the flux is distorted locally and “leaks” from the surface of the specimen in the region of the flaw.
We can detect this leak by applying fine magnetic particles to the surface of the specimen. These particles are attracted to the area of the “flux leakage” creating a visible indication that there is a flaw. The materials commonly used for this purpose are black iron particles and red or yellow iron oxides. In some cases, the iron particles are coated with a fluorescent material enabling them to be easily viewed under an ultraviolet lamp (black light) in darkened conditions.
Mobile MT Inspection Services
Our portable power packs, yokes and equipment provide the foundation for Buffalo Inspection Services to provide fast and reliable magnetic particle examinations with a multitude of approved techniques. These include visible and fluorescent in both wet & dry formats and can be performed just as easily in a fabrication shop or out in the field.
Radiography (RT) NDT Inspections for the Mining Applications
Mining operations depend largely on the continued safe operation of vehicles and machinery in order to ensure everyone goes home safely at the end of the day! Safety and profitability are key to the mining industry which speaks to the importance of quality NDT services.
With machinery such as the equipment used in mining, it is vital to prevent a problem before it happens! Equipment failure can be a burden both financially and to the safety of everyone on site! Non-destructive testing is crucial to the industry and should be performed on a regular basis!
Machinery and equipment on a mine site is often under large amounts of operational stress due to the power and weight behind it. Buffalo Inspection Services provide a wide range of NDT methods suitable to the mining industry that play an important role in keeping equipment operating optimally:
Radiographic testing (RT) is just one of the valuable NDT methods that can be used to examine plant equipment and ensure continued success!
Visual Inspections (VT) for Mining Inspection Applications
As the need became more and more prominent for visual inspection, Buffalo Inspection Services rose to the challenge and formed our own Visual Inspection Department.
Visual inspection is one of the most important inspection methods. All successful NDT and Quality Systems start with a good visual inspection program. This inspection starts before welding even takes place to ensure the proper material (such as steel, tools and equipment) fit the requirements of the job. Visual inspection continues through the entire job by ensuring the welders are using the proper welding procedure(s), that rod ovens are at the proper temperatures, and the quality of the weld in process.
Visual inspection is also used for verifying the quality of the finished product. This can include such factors as dimensional checks, proper heat numbers, and a visual assessment of the quality of the weld itself. Visual inspection can enhance the efficiency as well as the quality of all jobs and is an essential part of the building and fabrication process.
Advantages of Visual Inspections
- Inspection performed rapidly and at low cost
- Ability to inspect complex sizes and shapes of any material
- Minimum part preparation required
Limitations of Visual Inspections
- Surface too be inspected must somehow be accessible to inspector or visual aids
- Surface finish, roughness and cleanliness can interfere with inspection
- Only surface defects are detectable
24/7 Mining Call Out Inspections – 780.975.6475
Buffalo’s dispatch is ready to take your call for all of your mining NDT inspection needs.
Buffalo Inspection Services Offices
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