Rejectable Indication — Definition & NDT Use
An indication (detected defect) that exceeds acceptance criteria and must be repaired or the component rejected. Whether an indication is rejectable depends on material type, component function, applicable standard, and acceptance criteria. Standards like ASME Section V, AWS D1.1, and API standards define acceptance limits for various types of indications. Properly characterized and sized indications enable correct rejection/acceptance decisions.
From the inspector's bench, Rejectable Indication is run as a defined sequence: equipment verification on a known reference, scan setup against the procedure, scanning the part, and writing the indications into the report. Procedure writing, inspector qualification, and the reference block establish the chain that lets a remote engineer trust an indication called a kilometre away from the office.
Rejectable Indication is selected when the failure mode the engineer cares about — surface crack, internal void, wall loss, lack of fusion — lines up with what the technique is physically capable of detecting.
The most expensive mistake with Rejectable Indication is treating it as a yes/no test rather than a characterisation — an indication called without a sizing strategy forces a repair where a fitness-for-service review might have left the part in service.
What does "Rejectable Indication" mean in NDT?
An indication (detected defect) that exceeds acceptance criteria and must be repaired or the component rejected. Whether an indication is rejectable depends on material type, component function, applicable standard, and acceptance criteria
Which standards govern the use of Rejectable Indication?
Rejectable Indication is most often referenced under ASME Section V together with the relevant ASTM practice or the matching ISO standard for the method; the contract or purchase order will name the controlling document and edition for any specific job.
What other NDT concepts should I read alongside Rejectable Indication?
The most directly related entries in this glossary are "indication", "acceptance criteria", "defect"; reading those together gives you the surrounding vocabulary used in inspection reports and procedures.