The development and comparability of methods and results of acoustic emission testing (AT) requires a comprehensive characterisation of acoustic emission sensors (AE sensors) and other parts of the measurement chain by the equipment manufacturers. This would be ensured by calibration of the transfer behaviour of the AE sensors traceable to international standards. However, this kind of calibration is currently still in the R&D stage. Objective of this guideline is the description of methods for verification of the transfer behaviour of piezoelectric AE sensors including application of suitable transmitting media (test bodies) and reference sources that can be realized in test laboratories with appreciably low technical effort. However, this guideline does not aim to present calibration methods. For verification of the transfer behaviour of AE sensor types with respect to wave excitation by single burst events as well as the quality management of the sensors, methods are mentioned which, beside the incoming inspection, allow a continuous inspection of each sensor depending on application and use as well as for regular periodic inspection. This should guarantee the comparability of measurement results; furthermore it enables recognition of variations between nominally identical sensors of the same type, or modifications of the design of the applied AE sensor types. Possibly, evidence for operation-dependent changes of the sensor sensitivity can be provided, too. This guideline relates to directly coupled AE sensors. Therefore it describes preferred types of sensor coupling by suitable coupling agents and methods. For an additional application of waveguides the described methods should be applied but eventually with modified specific requirement criteria.weiterlesen