NO ONE WANTS A CRACKED BALL STUD!
Ball studs in off-highway trucks play a pivotal role in the vehicle’s steering mechanism, and their failure can result in injuries, significant damages, and downtime. Regular and thorough inspection of ball studs is vital for the safety and functionality of heavy machinery.
By adhering to OEM procedures and ensuring inspectors meet ISO 9712 qualifications, operators can maintain high safety standards and reduce the risk of equipment failure.
AME are ready to inspect your ball studs!
Incidents that could occur as a result of damaged ball studs may have been prevented with planned downtime for inspection. Ball Stud inspection can be done on the haul road, in the pit, in the workshop or in go-line parking.
Making time for inspection of this equipment is even more imperative as in the majority of cases cracks in Ball Studs are not easily visible. Even if closer visual inspection is carried out, it is often still not evident when cracking and breakage has occurred, evidence that a more in depth inspection is required.
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Cracking of a Truck Ball Stud
Ultrasonic Testing on Truck Ball Studs
It is usually recommended by the OEM that Ball Studs require Ultrasonic Testing every 1000 hours, or every 6 months, to determine whether or not they are fit for purpose.
When performing Ultrasonic Testing (UT) on a ball stud, an inspector will know immediately whether the ball stud has suffered from cracking or breakage internally while in service.
AME’s procedure is a non-destructive testing straight beam examination using high frequency sound energy to conduct the examination and take measurements.
Asset Management Engineers have qualified NDT Certified Technicians and procedures with highest quality Ultrasonic Flaw Detection equipment for performing Ball Stud Inspections. Our proactive approach is to plan downtime and capture component damage before it results in a catastrophic failure, saving time, money and preventing injury.
Ultrasonic Testing Procedure
The non-destructive UT procedure is also frequently used in the detection of material thickness, weld discontinuities or defects, cracking on shafts and lamination checks for corrosion mapping. It’s also a vital tool for conducting a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) when incidents occur.
Ultrasonic Testing Applications:
1. Weld Inspections
- Pipe welds
- Structural welds
- Rail Welds
- Machinery welds
2. Shaft Inspections
- Pulley / Conveyor Shaft
- Drive Shaft
- Swing Shaft
- Bolts and Pins
3. Heavy Machinery Structures /Components
- Steering Components
- Ball Stud
- Anchor Boss Structures
4. In-Service Inspections
- Ultrasonic Thickness Testing
- Lamination Check
Our Perth NDT services are suitable for any and every stage of a project, from initiation through to ongoing maintenance and support. Enquire now to speak to one of our staff on +61 8 9466 7444.