NDT - Introduction to Non Destructive Testing Methods and Practice

NDT (Non Destructive Testing) is a set of techniques and methods used to inspect the integrity of materials. Maybe the most crucial point is NDT inspects supplies without degrading them in any way (therefore Non Destructive). Within industry NDT is used to maintain the integrity of essential pieces of mechanical equipment in order to make sure security and stop unexpected downtime and loss of income.

Due to these advantages, safety critical, high turnover industries tend to take benefit of NDT much more than other people. Industries such as power, chemical, and petroleum are typical examples.

There are many routes into the NDT business, engineering at degree level is one technique. Much more extremely sought after are specific certifications such as API 653, 510, 570, EEMUA 159, ECT, MPI etc. although occasionally just the willingness to do the job is sufficient. A large portion of these involved in NDT will also be from a military NDT background, and will have been educated during their military careers.

Regardless of which route is taken, there are several technologies and techniques that make up an inspection toolkit. Some of the much more common ones are MPI (Magnetic Particle Inspection), Dye Penetrant Inspection (DPI) and ECT (Eddy Current Testing). These tend to be used for faster inspections, with much more advanced technologies and methods being bought in for much more thorough analysis or much more specific or complicated circumstances. Some more sophisticated methods are RFET (Remote Field Electromagnetic Method), LRUT (Lengthy Range Ultrasonic Technique), IRIS (Internal Rotary Inspection System) and LFET (Low Frequency Electromagnetic Method) to name but a few.

As well as regular technologies, there tends to be standard pieces of gear that crop up in the NDT field as well. Due to the similar nature of procedure associated industrial gear this isn't surprising.

Some of the primary kinds of equipment encountered are heat exchangers, tubular particularly, condensers, boilers, pressure vessels, storage tanks, columns and towers and pipelines. Though in reality material can be tested through a combination of methods, or a custom design technique. Naturally industry is always changing and as such there is never a standard set of gear or methods.

NDT businesses themselves, vary widely in what they can do, in terms of technology and methods. A lot of NDT companies will only carry out fundamental techniques such as magnetic particle, or dye penetrant. Some will also present a lot much less information in reports, compared to other people. Or not have a quality assurance system in location. When looking for an NDT company be aware just because the price is great, does not imply you will be getting the same service.

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