Dacon Inspection Services specializes in advanced ultrasonic inspection, offering non-destructive testing for various industries, including oil and gas. Their Wavemaker pipe screening system enables efficient inspection of pipes without the need for surface preparation and can operate at elevated temperatures, allowing them to detect defects even in hard-to-reach areas. The company has over 400 personnel, including 300 inspectors, and has been providing services with international expertise since 1979.

1. ADVANCE
ULTRASONIC
INSPECTION
DACON INSPECTION SERVICES
WAVEMAKER
PIPE SCREENING
SYSTEM

2. Who we are
Conventional and
Advanced NDT and
Inspection Services
Oil and Gas, Refinery,
Petrochemical, Heavy
Industry, Mining
Over 400 personnel
including more than
300 inspectors
Thailand headquarters
with International
expertise since 1979

4. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Waves are sent along the pipe
• 10’s of meters of pipe are examined from one location
• Difficult to inspect areas, such as roadways can be screened for defects

5. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Capabilities
• Can be performed at elevated temperatures without taking
the pipe out of service
• 100% of the pipe is inspected (within the diagnostic length of a test)
• Pulse echo type operation provides information on feature position
and approximate size
• Sophisticated analysis aids interpretation of results

6. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Target Applications
• Rapid, full coverage screening of pipes
• Especially cost effective in difficult to access locations
 Sleeved road crossings
 Corrosion under insulation
 Wall penetrations
 Pipe racks
 Rope access
• Can detect cracks and general metal loss (greater than 5% of the cross-sectional area)

7. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Pre-inspection Set-up
• A ring of transducers is placed around the pipe
• No couplant is required
• Usually no surface preparation required

8. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Small Diameter Pipes
• Tested using solid rings
• For pipes 1- 8 inches diameter
• Can be mounted in less than a minute
• 3 inches clearance needed around pipe

9. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Large Diameter Pipes
• Tested using inflatable ring
• For pipes 6 inches or greater
• Employ conventional foot pump to inflate
• 2 inches clearance needed around most of pipe

10. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
How It Works
• Guided waves are sent in each direction
• Reflections are analysed

11. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
How It Works

12. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
How It Works
Position of Ring
Decay Curves
Corrosion is indicated
by large red component
Iconic representation
of identified features
ForwardBackward
Series of Welds

13. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Less seriousMore serious
The symmetric nature of a reflection
can help classify it
Circumferential Extent (percent)
When the feature
does not extend
very far around
the circumference,
RED = BLACK
When the feature
extends significantly
around the
circumference,
RED << BLACK
AmplitudeRatio

14. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
The symmetric nature of a reflection
can help classify it
2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
Distance (m)
Amp(mV)
-F1
4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
Distance (m)
Amp(mV)
-F2
A typical weld is
completely symmetric
and shows up as only
a black curve
A typical corrosion
patch is non-symmetric
and is identified by
the presence of
a red curve

15. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Clean pipe going through sleeve with no corrosion
-20 0 20
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5 +F1 +F2 +F3-F2-F4-F5-F6 -F1-F3
bend
Amp(mV)
Distance (m)

16. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Example 1 Pipes passing through earth wall

17. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Corrosion at entrance to sleeved road crossing
-30.0 -20.0 -10.0 0.0 10.0
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
Distance (m)
Amp(mV)
+F1 +F2 +F3 +F4-F1-F2-F3-F4
Corrosion

18. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Example 2 Pipes passing through concrete wall
10 inch pipe
under test 8 inch pipe
under test

19. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Result from the clean) 8 inch pipe
-10.0 -5.0 0.0 5.0 10.0
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
Distance (m)
Amp(mV)
+F1-F1-F2 +F2 +F4+F3 +F5

20. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Result from (corroded) 10 inch pipe
-20.0 -10.0 0.0 10.0 20.0
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
Distance (m)
Amp(mV)
-F

21. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Example 3 Testing overhead 2” line
Distance (m)
Amp(mV)
Higher general corrosion
-20 0 20
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
+F1 +F2 +F3 +F4-F1-F2-F3-F4
Area Inspaected
Ring

22. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Factors affecting the results:
General Condition of Pipe
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
12.0
Distance (m)
Amp(mV)
Clean Pipe Generally Corroded Pipe

23. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Factors affecting the results:
Effect of Bitumen Wrapping
-20 0 20
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
Distance (m)
Amp(mV)
-F1-F2-F3 +F1 +F2
Strong attenuation is caused
by bitumen wrapping
Exposed side shows
little attenuation

24. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Equipment Performance
• Low voltage, battery operated
• Wide frequency range allows test sensitivity to be adjusted for site conditions
• Option to use multiple types of guided wave modes
• Safe
• Traceable
• Built in redundancy
• Assisted feature recognition

25. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Typical Ranges
(in each direction, using standard transducers)
• Ideal conditions
 80m
• Typical 30 year old pipe with little internal or external corrosion
 40m
• Typical 30 year old pipe with some general corrosion
 20m
• Typical pipe wrapped in factory applied foam
 15m
• Heavily corroded pipe or pipe that is bitumen wrapped
 5m
• Six welds
• The first flange or the second bend or branch
Note: these ranges can be doubled by using newly available low frequency transducers

26. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
How to Most Effectively Use the System
• Best used as a screening tool that is part of a more comprehensive
testing strategy
 Good at quickly determining which out of a series of road crossings
is most heavily corroded
 Good at quickly locating areas of probable concern
 Can not determine exact sizes (only a rough classification can be given)

27. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Wavemaker example

28. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Wavemaker example

29. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Installation

30. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
Wavemaker findings

31. DACON INSPECTION SERVICES F O R A L L YO U R I N S P E C T I O N N E E D S
How Can We Help?
Contact
Tim Shaw
Chief Marketing Officer
Email : info@dacon-inspection.com
Mobile Phone : +66 (0) 89 245 9966
www.dacon-inspection.com