What is NDT ?

In the world today, as the technical advancements standards are challenged and limits pushed even higher, so are the requirement for public safety and quality production standards. Thus the Industry demand for the Non Destructive Testing/Examination (NDT/NDE) of the Engineering components is ever-increasing.

NDT/NDE can be described as a testing method for material and product that uses physical means, without causing any damage or harm to the material tested. Thus the future usefulness of the material is not impaired in any way. Most of the NDE methods use some kind of probing medium to detect the material integrity &/or characteristics.

NDT provides information regarding material integrity and reliability. The primary purpose of NDE is to locate defects or undesired conditions which may result from- the original material, manufacturing process, environmental/service condition or simply from Human error.

NDE Methods

There are eleven recognized NDT methods,the first six of all the methods listed below are widely used:
Visual Testing, Liquid Penetrant Testing, Magnetic Particle Testing, Ultrasonic Testing, Radiography Testing, Eddy current Testing, Acoustic emission Testing, Infrared and Thermal Testing, Leak Testing, Neutron Radiography and Vibration Analysis.
 
Need for NDE Personnel Training

The growing demand for NDE in various Industrial fields and sector requires more qualified NDT and Quality Control Inspectors. On-job experience and training help acquire the necessary skills for effectively perform NDT. Effective formal training helps achieve this. The properly trained and qualified personnel are an asset to an organization and contribute by maximizing production and reduce down time, leading to overall cost reduction. 

NDE personnel need to have a good understanding of the various factors that affect the material integrity. This includes basic metallurgy, manufacturing processes, environmental and service conditions. This knowledge helps the NDE technician to locate defects/conditions in material and helps avoid material failure. Thus NDE application promotes achieving and maintaining high levels of quality & safety.