Inspection + Testing
Radiographic Testing (RT) is a bit like taking an X-ray of a material or object to see inside it. Imagine you’ve seen doctors use X-rays to look at bones inside our body. RT does something similar, but it’s used for things like pipelines, pressure vessels, airplane parts even bridges, but not people.
Here’s how it works:
- X-rays or Gamma Rays: Just like in a medical X-ray, RT uses special kinds of light called X-rays or gamma rays. These rays are very powerful and can pass through objects, unlike regular light.
- Film or Detector: On the other side of the object, there’s a film or a digital detector. When the rays pass through the object and hit this film or detector, they create an image.
- Looking Inside: Different parts of the object let different amounts of rays pass through. So, the image shows a kind of shadow picture of what’s inside. It can show if there are any cracks, holes, or other problems that we can’t see from the outside.
- Safety First: RT uses high-energy rays that can be harmful, so it’s important to do it safely. Only trained professionals should do Radiographic Testing, and they use special equipment to protect themselves and others.
Bottom line: Radiographic Testing is a powerful way to look inside objects and materials to find problems without having to cut them open.
#xray #radiography #ndt #ndtinspection #electromagnetic #ultrasound
Inspection + Testing, Standards + Specs
Before you go marching down to your reliability engineers and ask questions like, “What are the top 10 worst performing assets in our production line?”, it’s important to know the actual difference between an asset and reliability. These two terms are used often in our field, and many times we aren’t even sure what we’re talking about. You may feel like you know what these terms mean on their own. But do you truly know what they mean when pressed together?
What Is An Asset?
First things first: what do we mean when we say something is an “asset?”
Take a look around you and identify things that are:
- Costly to acquire and to make operational.
- Critical to the operation of the business.
If it is not functioning, the business suffers significantly.
A key element to help define what an asset is to your business is identifying those pieces of equipment that are valuable and worth caring about. The initial acquisition cost of the item may be an obvious parameter but not always. Rather, inexpensive equipment can be critical to the operation yet perhaps costly to maintain.
Read more @ Reliable Plant
Inspection + Testing, Standards + Specs
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) does not directly offer certifications for individual NDT technicians; instead, ASME develops codes and standards that NDT personnel utilize within their work, especially in industries like boiler and pressure vessel technology, elevators/escalators, nuclear power plant components, and many more.
- ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) Certificate Holders: Companies with this certification fabricate and assemble parts in accordance with ASME BPVC. NDT technicians might work for these certificate holders, ensuring that their nondestructive examinations meet the BPVC’s rigorous standards.
- ASME N-Type Certificates: These are for organizations involved in the nuclear industry and cover various aspects of nuclear facility construction, service, and quality control, including nondestructive testing.
- ASME QSC-581 (Quality System Certificate): This is a certification for companies that provide services such as design, fabrication, installation, and inspection in the nuclear industry, which again would involve nondestructive testing to ensure compliance with quality requirements.
While not certifications, ASME also offers training and development courses related to NDT and the codes and standards that govern the practice. These can be valuable for NDT technicians looking to improve their understanding of ASME requirements:
- ASME Training & Development Courses: ASME provides various continuing education courses that cover many aspects of mechanical engineering, including NDT-related topics within the context of ASME codes and standards.
For individual certification, NDT technicians typically look to organizations like the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT), the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors, or API, which provide certifications specifically for professionals in nondestructive testing.
#NDT #NDTcertifications #NDTinspection #NDTstandards
Inspection + Testing
NDT plugs are used across various industries where Non-destructive testing is essential for inspecting the integrity and safety of materials and structures without causing damage. Some of the more common industries and applications where NDT plugs are used:
1. Aerospace: To check for defects in aircraft components and fuselage structures without causing damage that could lead to failure or reduce the lifespan of the parts.
2. Automotive: During the manufacturing process or in inspections of vehicles to identify potential issues in metal parts, composites, or welds.
3. Construction: To assess the integrity of structural components like steel beams, pipelines, or welds in buildings and infrastructure.
4. Energy and Power Generation: In the inspection of pipelines, boilers, heat exchangers, and other components critical to the operation of power plants, including nuclear reactors.
5. Oil & Gas: To check pipelines, drilling equipment, and offshore platforms for corrosion, fatigue, and other defects.
6. Manufacturing: To verify the quality of products such as castings, forgings, and machined parts without having to cut them open or otherwise destroy them.
7. Railroad: To examine rails, wheels, and other components for signs of wear and potential failure points.
8. Shipbuilding: To inspect hulls, propellers, and other parts of ships for structural soundness.
NDT plugs are part of the various tools and accessories used in these industries to facilitate testing methods such as ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle testing, radiography, and others. The goal is to ensure that components in critical applications are free from defects that could lead to failure.
#NDTplugs #ndtinspection #ndttesting
