Krautkramer vs Panametrics: Ultrasonic Flaw Detector Comparison

Is your budget the most important factor to consider when looking to buy an ultrasonic flaw detector? 

How do you decide which instrument to buy and which manufacturers to get it from? 

These are some of the questions that come to the mind of most technicians and businesses when they are shopping for testing instruments.  While your budget plays a big role, it is not the only determining factor.

There are many types of instruments in the market from different producers and suppliers, and this only helps to add to the confusion of the purchasing process.  In this post, we will compare different manufacturers (Krautkramer, Panametrics, and NDT-KITS) their products, and the specifications to help you understand what exactly to look out for when it comes to choosing an ultrasonic flaw detector.

I. Krautkramer Ultrasonic Flaw Detector

1. About Krautkramer

Do you know what happens when you make great quality products?  Your brand became a household name and lives on even after your company no longer exists.  That is what happened to Krautkramer, the company.  Even after changing ownership twice, the name is still used decades later.

Krautkramer was a leading maker of ultrasonic non-destructive testing machines for many years before it was purchased by General Electric Inspection Technologies which later changed to Waygate Technologies with about 125 years of industry experience.

The majority of Krautkramer products were continued within the Waygate Technologies umbrella.  However, some ultrasonic flaw detectors under the brand name Krautkramer are still in the market and are supplied by different companies around the world.

2. Popular Krautkramer Models

① GE Ultrasonic Flaw Detector USM 36

• Description

This is a flaw detector that is designed to be used even in the harshest conditions.  It is built to last with an almost indestructible casing helping technicians to do ultrasonic material flaw checking in the petroleum and electrical industries among others.

Some of the features that make this the go-to flaw detecting instrument are the sizable display, giving high-resolution images for easy viewing and interpretation, enabling sharing of data through USB and VGA cables.  Some of the instrument specifications are as below;

• Specifications

• Price

② GE USM GO+ Ultrasonic Flaw Detector

• Description

The GE USM GO+, just as the name suggests, is an instrument that is very portable.  the palmtop kind of portable.  But don’t let the small size fool you, it is an instrument with incredible capabilities including checking for near the surface defects on material using its high resolution.  It can also take a video scan of up to 8 minutes of material inspection work, on top of that, it can also support an SD card of up to 16 GB which can be used to replace the 2GB SD card that comes with the instrument.

• Specifications

• Price

II. Panametrics Ultrasonic Flaw Detector

1. About Panametrics

Panametrics is an instrument brand under the Baker Hughes business which has over 50 years of experience in developing and supplying instruments for industrial testing solutions.  Their products are used in a multitude of applications ranging from agriculture, brewing companies, corrosion monitoring, building/structural inspections among others.

Panametrics by Baker and Hughes was founded in 1960 and has its headquarters in Massachusetts at Billerica.  It is a company that prides itself in making the world a safe place through developing testing products that are clean and safe to use both for the environment and the technician.

2. Popular Panametrics Models

① Epoch 650 Ultrasonic Flaw Detector

• Description

This is an economically sized, highly portable instrument with large functionality and has been designed to satisfy the requirements of EN12668-1 and ISO 22232-1 standard.  It is an easy-to-use instrument, packed with amazing features that keep it ahead of the competition in the ultrasonic testing industry.  It is robust, making it ideal for use no matter the environment, and can comfortably be used indoors or outdoors with the same efficiency.

• Specifications

• Price

② EPOCH 6LT Portable Flaw Detector

• Description

Despite its small size and lightweight (890g), the EPOCH 6L flaw detector has the exact same capabilities as a larger size flaw tester and can be used for the same applications.  In fact, this palm-sized instrument was designed to do material quality tests at high points and that is why they are very portable.

• Specifications

• Price

III. Krautkramer vs Panametrics: Which is the Best for you?

Both the Krautkramer and Panametrics ultrasonic instruments are packed with desirable features for ultrasonic testing.  They are both in the mini-sized category of UT instruments having weights as low as 8.9g (Panametrics product).  Despite these noteworthy features for both instruments, a choice has to be made, to decide which is best suited for you.  Here is a quick list of some opal specifications to help you decide.

For the Krautkramer ultrasonic instruments

1. Gain Range. They have a digital Dynamic range of 110 dB, adjustable in steps of 0.2 dB
2. Flaw Sizing Technique (DAC). Uses the Backwall Echo Attenuator (BEA) for detecting and sizing small flaws
3. Quick Data. It has USB connections that allow you to download data into a PC for storage or analysis.
4. Resolution. They have a high 800 x 480-pixel resolution
5. Application. Used for checking wall thickness and defects in castings and forgings, weld and rail inspections, and composite inspection.
6. Portability. Highly portable, can be carried in the pockets of a technician while he works.

For the Panametrics ultrasonic flaw detector

1. Gain Range. They have a grain range of 0-11-dB
2. Flaw Sizing Technique(DAC). DVS/AVG and DAC/TCG  standard with a custom DAC of up to 6 standard curves.
3. Quick Data. Has software for data analysis and allows for external storage through the use of WLAN or USB
4. Resolution. 0.25% FSH. with an amplifier Accuracy of +/- 1dB
5. Application. It is used for normal ultrasonic testing on materials that are at a height and require rope access.
6. Portability. Highly portable, fits perfectly well on a technician’s hand for easy navigation when doing analysis checks.

From the information about the two manufacturers’ instruments, the Panametrics instruments have proven to have more features as handheld ultrasound instruments fit for the purpose of material checking at different industries and levels.

➤ Related Article: Zetec vs Sonatest: Comparison of Ultrasonic Flaw Detector

IV. Comparison with Other Brands of Ultrasonic Flaw Detector: Krautkramer vs Panametrics vs NDT-KITS

We have looked deeply into Panametrics and Krautkramer ultrasonic flaw detectors and their specifications. Now, let us look into NDT-KITS, as the manufacturer and supplier of the UE0040 digital ultrasonic flaw detector.  UE0040 has been designed to ensure it meets industry standards such as the EN12668-1：2000 standard.  By using this instrument for product testing, you are ensuring your products not only meet local standards but also international standards.

For NDT-KITS products, here are some specifications details as compared to Krautkramer and Panametrics.

1. Gain Range. It has a gain range of 110d, with 0.1dB, 2dB, 6dB steps, and also an automatic setting gain according to echo amplitude.
2. Flaw Sizing Technique. It uses the DAC standard with custom DAC standard curves for flaw sizing           
3. Quick Data. It has a high-speed USB and can save up to 1000 wavelength data that the technician can send to the PC for further action.
4. Resolution. Has a horizontal resolution that is greater than 40dB.
5. Application. Used for flaw and wall thickness testing on materials in forgings, steel and weld quality inspections
6. Portability. Highly portable, weighing only 1.4kg.
7. Price.

V. Your Budget Pick: NDT-KITS

There are factors that are important that you need to consider before purchasing an ultrasonic testing instrument with the most important being which industry your business is in.  Other factors to consider are accuracy, portability, simplicity in use, and you may want to consider one that gives high-resolution images.

 The instruments discussed above each have the operational strength features that make them unique.  However, the EU0040 by NDT-KITS meets all these factors and more.  As a manufacturer of NDT instruments, we pride ourselves in being in the business for over 40 years, providing testing solutions that are customer-focused, while using modern instrumentation technology.

Our products match functionality with cost-effectiveness as we work with our clients to help customize equipment that not only fit the application but are also affordable for each business

➤ Related Article: How to Choose Ultrasonic Flaw Detector?

➤ Related Article: How to Import Ultrasonic Flaw Detectors from China?

Conclusion

While you may have thought the price of an instrument is what affects the choice of ultrasonic flaw detector you buy, the truth is that, an instrument’s specification together with where and how you intend to use it is what really matters.

There are several types of UT instruments that are highly portable while giving you the exact output you would expect from the conventional flaw detectors.  They have high efficiency and are able to analyze and report your required data.  We hope that we have made it easier for you to select an instrument that meets all your work and budgetary requirements.