Very sensitive method, able to find extremely small defects
Can be used on magnetic materials
Can be used on non-magnetic materials
Can be used in some plastics, can be used on some glass materials
small objects with complex shapes can be examined
Power supply is not required
Easy to understand
Requires only a little experience
Batch survey of small items possible
Large surfaces can be inspected quickly
Can only detect surface defects
Time consuming procedure and can rarely be performed faster than 30 minutes
The method usually can not be applied to painted products
Messy process
Interpretation of the results can sometimes be difficult
The material's surface finish can affect the sensitivity of the inspection