Asme Section V Article 9 Jun 2026

You cannot rush a Visual Exam. The examiner must allow adequate time for —the physiological phenomenon where the eye continues to see an image for a fraction of a second after looking away. Article 9 requires sufficient dwell time to allow the eye to scan the surface methodically. Standard practice is a scan rate not exceeding 2 inches per second, though the Code leaves the exact timing to the procedure.

If you are looking for acceptance criteria for a pressure vessel weld, do not look in Article 9. Article 9 will tell you how bright your light must be (100 foot-candles minimum) and how long you must stare (retinal persistence), but it will not tell you if a crack is allowed. For that, you must refer to the referencing Code Section (e.g., ASME Section VIII, Div. 1, Table UW-35). asme section v article 9

Unlike other NDE methods (like Ultrasonic or Radiographic testing) that look inside the material, Visual Examination is used to determine the surface condition of a component, the alignment of mating surfaces, or the presence of leaks. You cannot rush a Visual Exam