Overview
ISO 10675-2:2021 (Third edition, corrected 2022) is an ISO standard that defines acceptance levels for radiographic testing (RT) of imperfections in aluminium and its alloys - specifically for butt welds. The document sets pass/fail criteria for indications observed by radiography and assumes radiographic testing has been performed in accordance with ISO 17636‑1 (RT‑F, film) or ISO 17636‑2 (RT‑S radioscopy, RT‑D digital detectors). Acceptance levels can be linked to welding standards, application standards, specifications or codes and, by agreement, applied to other weld types (e.g., fillet welds).
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and applicability: Acceptance criteria apply primarily to aluminium butt welds but may be adopted for other weld types/materials by agreement.
- Radiographic technique classes: Specifies which RT technique classes (A or B) are required for different quality levels in accordance with ISO 17636‑1/‑2.
- Acceptance tables: Detailed acceptance levels for internal and surface imperfections are provided (see Table 4 and Table 5). Covered imperfection types include:
- Gas pores and porosity (including area percentage limits and maximum pore diameters)
- Clustered (localized) porosity
- Linear porosity, elongated cavities and wormholes
- Oxide and tungsten inclusions
- Lack of fusion and lack of penetration
- Surface imperfections (undercut, excess penetration, crater cracks, root concavity, shrinkage groove)
- Measurement rules and symbols: Definitions for dimensions (d, l, h, s, t, w, L) and how to calculate projected area and summed lengths of imperfections (Annex B & C).
- Limitations and guidance: Annex A discusses RT limitations (e.g., crack detectability depends on crack geometry and beam orientation) and practical considerations.
- Evaluation rules: Adopts conventions such as treating adjacent indications as a single imperfection under specified conditions.
Practical applications - who uses ISO 10675‑2
- Welding inspectors and NDT technicians performing radiographic evaluation of aluminium welds.
- Welding engineers and fabricators who need objective acceptance criteria for production or quality assurance.
- QA/QC managers and specification writers who link acceptance levels to project codes, procurement specifications or certification schemes.
- Certification bodies and code authorities adopting consistent radiographic acceptance criteria for aluminium structures and components.
How it is used in practice:
- Integrate ISO 10675‑2 acceptance levels into inspection procedures and reporting.
- Use together with ISO 17636‑1/‑2 to select the appropriate RT technique (film, radioscopy, digital).
- Apply Annex guidance and calculation examples when quantifying porosity and summed imperfection areas.
Related standards
- ISO 17636‑1 - Radiographic testing (film, RT‑F)
- ISO 17636‑2 - Radiographic testing (radioscopy RT‑S, digital RT‑D)
- ISO 10042 - Arc‑welded joints in aluminium - Quality levels for imperfections
- ISO 6520‑1 - Classification of geometric imperfections (fusion welding)
- ISO 17637 / ISO 17635 - Visual testing and NDT guidance
Keywords: ISO 10675‑2, radiographic testing, acceptance levels, aluminium welds, NDT, RT‑F, RT‑S, RT‑D, porosity, lack of fusion, weld inspection.