Complying with Airbus AITM Requirements – How to Check UV Stability

  •  

Learn how to comply with the new requirements of the latest revision of Airbus AITM 6-1001

By David Geis, Product Manager

LED lamps are at full intensity when turned on, and they can be used immediately for examinations. But for a short time after the lamp is turned on, the UV-A intensity drops before leveling off. The time before the intensity levels off is the “stabilization time”. That’s how long the lamp should remain on before checking UV-A intensity to make sure the reading is accurate.

According to ASTM E3022, measurement of stabilization time is the responsibility of the lamp manufacturer during model-type qualification testing. That’s because LED stabilization is determined by the design of the lamp and how the LEDs are cooled, not by individual components. The stabilization time will not change significantly between individual lamps of the same model, but with the new specs from Airbus, users who are required to comply with Airbus AITM 6-1001 are now required to check their UV stabilization performance monthly.

 

How to Comply

Stabilization of an LED lamp is defined as three measurements taken at 30-minute intervals that are within +/-3% variance. The actual instructions can get complicated; therefore, we have developed a simple procedure that will work for any LED UV-A lamp:

  1. Secure the lamp in a stationary fixture and position the sensor of a calibrated UV-A radiometer at 15 in / 38 cm from the lamp filter to the face of the sensor.
  2. Turn on the lamp and record the UV-A intensity. After 5 minutes, record the UV-A intensity again. Repeat every 5 minutes until you reach 60 minutes elapsed time. This is the first time you can check for stabilization.
  3. Taking the readings at 0 min, 30 min, and 60 min, calculate the average and standard deviation of those three readings. If the standard deviation is less than 3%, the lamp has stabilized and the stabilization time would be 0 minutes, the elapsed time of the first reading. If not, then continue recording the UV-A intensity every 5 minutes.
  4. With each new reading, calculate the average and standard deviation using three readings at 30-minute intervals. For example, use readings taken at 5 min, 35 min, and 65 min or readings taken at 10 min, 40 min, and 70 min. If the result is less than 3%, then the stabilization time is the elapsed time of the first reading used.

When checking stabilization time, it’s very important to use a fixture to hold the lamp in place for the full test. UV-A intensity follows the inverse-square law, so any small changes in the distance to the UV-A meter are multiplied and will skew the results. This test cannot be done by hand. Below is the equipment that could be used to test UV-A intensity:

To see how this procedure works, let’s look at some data. For this example, we logged the UV-A intensity every 5 minutes, up to 75 minutes total elapsed time.

Elapsed Time (min)

UV-A Intensity (µW/cm2)

0

4950

5

4670

10

4580

15

4530

20

4500

25

4470

30

4460

35

4450

40

4430

45

4420

50

4420

55

4410

60

4420

65

4420

70

4410

75

4410

 

To check for stabilization, you need three measurements taken at 30-minute intervals:

  • Using data from 0 min, 30 min, and 60 min, the average is 4610 µW/cm2 and the standard deviation is 5.2%. This is over the 3% limit.
  • Using data from 5 min, 35 min, and 65 min, the average is 4513 µW/cm2 and the standard deviation is 2.5%. This is below the 3% limit, so the lamp has stabilized at 5 minutes.

Using this procedure means you can only determine stability at 5-minute intervals. Taking readings more frequently could result in a faster stabilization time, but it also means more work and calculations for the user.

 

 

Published April 17, 2018, updated March 22, 2022

Please wait while we gather your results.

Related Blog Articles

Key Sustainability Issues for NDT

Key Sustainability Issues for NDT

As the NDT industry continues to modernize and evolve in the 21st century, sustainability has become a hot topic. For suppliers and consumers of NDT products, evaluating and adjusting processes and products, investing in innovative technologies, and putting sustainability at the forefront are critical.

What You Need to Start-up In-house Testing [Checklist]

What You Need to Start-up In-house Testing [Checklist]

Step-by-step process listing everything from the equipment needed in magnetic particle testing and liquid penetrant testing to preparation for NDT audits

Learn how to achieve a high intensity beam of light with UV LEDs for NDT inspection

NRTL: What Does It Mean and Why Does It Matter?

NRTL stands for Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, but what does that mean to you?

Shedding Light on ASTM E2297 & E3022: A Guide to NDT UV Lamp Standards

An overview of two of the most common standards for NDT UV light sources, ASTM E2297 and ASTM E3022.

How to Select the Right UV-A Lamp for Your NDT Needs [Checklist]

4 things to consider when looking for a new LED UV light for fluorescent penetrant inspection or magnetic particle testing.

Understanding Safety Data Sheets

Understanding Safety Data Sheets: Do You Know What’s in the Chemicals You Handle?

We highlight the 5 major sections to understand on a Safety Data Sheets (SDS) in accordance with US OHSHA Hazcom 2012 GHS regulations

Understanding the Magnaflux Shelf Life Statement for NDT Chemicals

Understanding the Magnaflux Shelf Life Statement for NDT Chemicals

Answering popular questions regarding shelf life for magnetic particle and liquid penetrant products used in nondestructive testing

Why Does ASTM E3022 Require a Filter for LED UV Lamps?

Learn about the function and importance of UV-a pass filters, and why ASTM E3022 requires all LED UV-A lamps to have them.

Handheld LED UV Lamps

About the EV6000 Handheld LED UV Lamp

Check out how Magnaflux’s EV6000 stacks against other leading UV-A portable handheld lamps in the market

EV6000 Hand-held UV Lamp Demo and Q&A [Webinar]

Watch and listen to a 20-minute EV6000 demonstration by two outstanding NDT experts who afterwards host a 20-minute Q&A for participants to ask their own LED UV questions.

ST700 Hood Mount is a freely-adjustable mounting frame

New Mounting System for Overhead UV-A Lamps

The ST700 Hood Mount is a freely-adjustable mounting frame to give operators the option to position their overhead UV-A Lamp to optimize inspection ease

Magnaflux ST700 Overhead NDT Inspection Lamp

Stationary LED UV Lamp for NDT Inspections

See how the ST700 UV inspection lamp​ can eliminate the most common UV illumination challenges fluorescent NDT testing

Learn how to achieve a high intensity beam of light with UV LEDs for NDT inspection

3 Facts About LED Optics and The Impact of Ultraviolet Light

Learn how to achieve a high intensity beam of light with UV LEDs for NDT inspection

4 Monthly Checks Required for all LED Inspection-Grade Lamps

4 Monthly Checks Required for all LED Inspection-Grade Lamps

User-check requirements for LED UV-A lamps, and how to plot the beam of an LED UV-A lamp for Airbus AITM6-1001 Issue 11

Complying with Airbus AITM requirements – How to check UV stability

Complying with Airbus AITM Requirements – How to Check UV Stability

Learn how to comply with the new requirements of the latest revision of Airbus AITM 6-1001

Defining IP Ratings for Electronics Used in Mag Particle Testing & Liquid Penetrant Testing

Defining IP Ratings for Electronics Used in Mag Particle Testing & Liquid Penetrant Testing

In this article, we break down the ANSI/IEC 60529 Ingress Protection Code with a chart to show what's essential for NDT equipment

NDT UV LED Lamps

Frequently Asked Questions About NDT UV LED Lamps

Frequently Asked Questions About NDT UV LED Lamps

Nadcap AC7114 Rev J

How to Comply with NADCAP AC7114 Requirements for LED UV Lamps

An overview of Rev J changes to Nadcap AC7114 Non-Destructive Testing audit checklists for Penetrant and Magnetic Particle

Airplane Engine NDT

How to Improve Fluorescent NDT Process Control with LED UV Lighting [Case Study]

See how an aerospace OEM manufacturer increased NDT inspection reliability & control with wide-beam, overhead LED UV-A lamps

ST700 High Volume Inspections

How to Increase High-Volume NDT Inspection Speed and Reliability with LED UV Lighting [Case Study]

See how an automotive parts manufacturer decreased inspection time and improved reliability with wide-beam, overhead UV lamps

Dye Penetrant Testing on Pipe

NDT UV Lamps “Stabilize” vs “Warm Up”, What’s the Difference?

Understanding the difference between NDT mercury-vapor lamp “warm-up” time and LED black light “stabilization” time

New High-Intensity, Dual-Light LED UV Lamp for NDT Pros

Learn about how the EV6500 UV lamp for nondestructive testing improves visibility & versatility while minimizing time to inspect parts

ST700 Overhead Inspection UV Lamp

New Stationary LED Inspection UV Lamp for NDT Pros

Learn how this new UV lamp for nondestructive testing solves the biggest challenges in fluorescent NDT UV illumination.

UV-A Intensity: What’s Special About 5,000 µW?

UV-A Intensity: What’s Special About 5,000 µW?

Most UV-A lamps on the market are set to provide 5,000 µW/cm2 at a distance of 15 in / 38 cm. What’s so special about those numbers?

Why Do I Get Over 2 Foot-Candle / 20 Lux Visible Light from My LED UV-A Lamp?

Why Do I Get Over 2 Foot-Candle / 20 Lux Visible Light from My LED UV-A Lamp?

A quick history of the visible light emissions requirement, where it is today, and an overview of UV meters

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST TO RECEIVE THE LATEST NDT INSIGHTS AND ARTICLES FROM MAGNAFLUX

Magnaflux

155 Harlem Avenue
Glenview, IL 60025, USA
Telephone: +1 847-657-5300
Contact Magnaflux Customer Service

Select Your Country North America Mexico Brazil China Europe India New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Southeast Asia
© 2024 Magnaflux - All Rights Reserved.
top