E155 vs E2422 matters when an aluminum casting order calls for radiographic inspection. E155 addresses film reference radiographs; E2422 addresses digital reference images for aluminum castings. Start by asking which imaging arrangement and reference set the supplier proposes.
Then read the inspection requirement as part of the order. The reference document, covered component areas and acceptance decision need a shared meaning for the buyer, foundry and inspection provider. A short “X-ray inspection included” line leaves that agreement incomplete.
Read this guide in three steps
1. E155 vs E2422: identify the reference format
The ASTM E155 public description identifies film reference radiographs for aluminum and magnesium castings. Its scope points to E2422 when aluminum castings are examined using digital radiography. The film references illustrate discontinuities and their degrees.
The ASTM E2422 public description identifies digital reference images for aluminum castings and directs film-radiography users to E155. It describes the reference images as a basis against which particular acceptance requirements can be expressed.
Ask the supplier to name its proposed reference document and edition together with the imaging arrangement. If the drawing, quality plan and quotation name different references, put that discrepancy on the review list before placing the order.
Use the official titles to identify the intended documents. These public descriptions support the scope distinction; they do not supply a complete inspection procedure or approve the supplier’s setup.

2. Identify the covered areas on the component
Provide the released component drawing and required inspection plan. Ask the inspection provider to mark the areas included in the offer and identify exclusions. A statement about the whole part needs to be consistent with the actual planned coverage.
Keep location names readable. If engineering calls a region “mounting boss B,” retain that name in the inspection request and report references. Do not make receiving staff infer a location from an unlabeled crop.
Ask the responsible reviewer to confirm applicability to the component’s material, production route and relevant geometry. A reference title containing “aluminum castings” is only the beginning of that discussion.
Our low-pressure casting scope guide helps identify the foundry’s supplied stage. Carry the same part identity into this inquiry so the proposed inspection represents the intended handover.
State when the inspection happens
List the delivery stage represented by the report. If machining or another operation occurs afterward, identify who reviews whether the earlier evidence remains relevant to the final requirement.
Ask the supplier to distinguish original inspection, retest and revised delivery records. Keep superseded documents identifiable so a later reader does not mistake an earlier component revision for the current delivery.
If the purchase requirement leaves sampling or coverage undecided, send that question to the requirement owner. Keep it as an open field in the quotation rather than letting each bidder quietly choose a different basis.

3. Identify who interprets and accepts the result
Both public descriptions require qualified radiographic interpretation under an identified personnel qualification basis. E2422 also calls for agreement between the engineering organization and supplier on the system’s ability to detect and classify the required discontinuities.
Ask the provider to state its interpretation responsibility and the qualification reference required by your agreement. Have the quality team check the supplied evidence against that basis. A buyer should not assign a radiographic severity grade by comparing online pictures.
Next, locate the actual acceptance requirement. A reference document and a component-specific acceptance rule serve connected purposes, but the title of the reference alone does not make the purchase decision.
Request a report that separates the observed indication, its classification and the disposition against the agreed requirement. If the provider reports observations only, name the organization responsible for the final disposition.
Keep any exception visible. A result accepted under an approved deviation needs that decision attached to its record. Do not replace the original observation with a broad marketing statement about defect-free casting.
| Order entry | Useful supplier response |
|---|---|
| Reference format | Named film or digital reference document and edition. |
| Part coverage | Identified component regions, supplied stage and exclusions. |
| Interpretation | Responsible provider and agreed qualification basis. |
| Acceptance | Applicable requirement and identified disposition owner. |
Resolve a fictional quotation mismatch
Imagine housing X46, revision D. The inspection request identifies a digital arrangement. Offer A names E155 without explaining the reference format. Offer B identifies E2422 but omits the covered region names. Neither offer is ready for a complete comparison.
Return different questions to the bidders. Ask A to resolve the reference-format discrepancy. Ask B to connect its coverage to the marked drawing. Use the same released requirement when reviewing both replies.
Retain the corrected responses with their quotation revisions. Review the completed scope before comparing price and delivery. A lower price based on fewer covered areas may describe a different service.
This invented example contains no radiographic images, numerical severity limits or actual test results. It illustrates how a buyer can expose two different gaps in the documentation.

Keep the delivery evidence connected
Ask how the report identifies the component, batch, drawing revision and inspection record. Agree where the controlled evidence will be retained and who can retrieve it during receiving review.
If an inspection provider supplies a summary, request the references needed to locate the underlying evidence. Keep any conditions or exclusions beside the summary instead of removing them when filing the result.
Other inspection requirements need their own identified evidence. Our aluminum leak-testing guide covers the tested boundary and tightness result. Do not silently extend one inspection report to approve a different required check.
For projects containing separate bars or profiles, send JiurunCut the stock drawing and cutting brief. Name the stock form, cut features and handling requirements for that work. Keep the casting radiography agreement with the responsible foundry and inspection organizations.
Questions about E155 vs E2422
Can I use either reference title for a digital inspection offer?
Resolve the format with the inspection provider and requirement owner. The public scopes distinguish film and digital references.
Does the standard number alone mean the casting passes?
Locate the agreed component requirement, covered areas and actual disposition. The reference title is not the complete acceptance record.
Can I grade a casting from an ordinary housing photograph?
No. Request the appropriate inspection evidence and qualified interpretation for the identified requirement.
What if the supplier proposes another reference?
Record it as a proposal and obtain the responsible review before changing the released purchase requirement.