Everything You Need to Know About Non-Destructive Testing

NDT stands for Nondestructive Testing and depending on the industry can sometimes be referred to as NDE (Nondestructive Evaluation) or NDI (Nondestructive Inspection). NDT offers the ability to verify the integrity of a part without damaging or destroying it.

NDT is a critical component of many industries, from aerospace and oil and gas to automotive and electric utilities. Since the early 1900’s, NDT has become one of the leading technologies for a wide variety of areas, ranging from quality control of products to preventive maintenance of in-service parts.

NDT Candidates can expect high earning potential and TXNDT graduates can always attend additional classes to obtain further qualifications and increase their earnings substantially. Certified NDT Technicians should anticipate compensation packages to include full insurance benefits and substantially high wages, depending on their course of study and industry employed in.

To become certified in a NDT method, you must complete training hours, on the job training (minimum experience requirements), and pass physical, general, specific and practical exams.

Absolutely! The Non-Destructive Testing and Inspection industry has been (for the last century) and will be a growth industry for decades to come. As the infrastructure of America ages, the need for evaluation and advanced examination techniques increases. NDT and inspection are not job avenues. They are careers.

Yes, please contact us directly for a list of local hotels that offer special rates for TXNDT Academy students.

TXNDT Academy offers a 10% discount for three or more individuals from the same company, for the same course and time. If you wish to take advantage of discounted rates, please contact us.

Great question! That depends on an employer’s requirements for qualification which can be found in their written practice. Most companies written practice include a combination of training hours and examinations to qualify personnel. If written per SNT-TC-1A recommended guidelines, the following table lists those guidelines.

Furthermore, SNT-TC-1A recommends the following examinations:

• General Exam – Covers the basic principles of the applicable method.
• Specific Exam – Covers the procedures, equipment and techniques required to perform in method.
• Practical Exam – This Hands On exam shows an employee’s ability to operate equipment, to perform calibrations and to identify flaws in a test specimen.
• Visual Exam – Performed annually, proves near vision acuity and color differentiation.

Training Hours and Exams are the first two parts. On the job time in method under the supervision of a certified individual is the third and final piece to the puzzle. All the time spent calibrating, testing, reporting and observing count towards time in method. Check out TXNDT Labs for some options to work on accruing your time in method today.

The following is the SNT-TC-1A Recommended Time in Method

Once all qualifications are met, then it becomes the responsibility of the employer to certify an employee.

If you have any other questions that haven’t been answered here, feel free to contact Mr. Garrett Ehler, our senior Instructor and general manager at (281) 231-0001.

You can get all levels of NDT certification through TXNDT's training program. Each level includes classroom instruction, examinations, and on-the-job training specific to your chosen NDT method.

Level one is essentially an apprenticeship, and a means of gaining supervised training in your testing method before moving ahead to level 2. In our training program, levels 1 and 2 often receive instruction together for more thorough and effective training. You can explore our course catalog to learn more about the trainings we offer at each level of NDT certification.

Level 3 NDT (also called ASNT Level 3) is the top tier of NDT certification and specialization. You must have an NDT level 3 on hand to complete any nondestructive testing at your facility. Level 3 NDTs have:

• Gained 5 years of working experience as a level two NDT
• Applied for and received approval to take level 3 examinations
• Passed an exam covering all 15 methods of NDT recognized by ASNT, as well as codes for qualification/certification for these methods.
• Passed additional Method Exam for each method in which they are certified.

Level 3 NDT technicians lead the way in supervising, designing, and executing NDT programs. If you're a level 2 interested in pursuing level 3, we offer level 3 training. If you need level 3 support for upcoming nondestructive testing programs, we offer NDT level 3 consulting services on an as-needed basis.

Without certification, NDT technicians make between $15-30 an hour. With certification, the range broadens to between $20-$200 per hour. Earnings tend to increase based on level of certification attained, price/demand of services in a given industry using nondestructive testing, and the demands of the NDT job. TXNDT sets you up for success with training that goes above and beyond the industry standard and job placement/networking assistance after graduation.

It depends on the company's written practice, but most NDT certification lasts between 3 and 5 years. If you are not "continually working" in your testing method—performing nondestructive testing at least once every six months—your certification may lapse. Check with your certifying company or body about the conditions of your certification. TXNDT can help with recertifying in any nondestructive testing discipline.

An NDT career has many advantages, including:

• Lucrative earnings potential
• Ongoing skill development and professional growth
• Path to entry into numerous companies and industries who use your NDT method
• Opportunity for travel

When you complete NDT training and certification through TXNDT, you have the added advantage of ongoing networking and job placement assistance once you graduate with your NDT certification.

Through thorough inspection, technicians can identify problems at and below the surface of materials, piping and other structural components that keep an infrastructure going. Inspecting structures, piping and materials for discontinuities allows you to locate and remediate issues early, taking a proactive approach to fabrication, quality assurance/quality control, field service, repair, and structure strengthening. There are a number of inspection techniques that NDT technicians use, including visual inspection, magnetic particle testing, ultrasonic testing, and liquid penetrant testing.

Visual inspection is a nondestructive testing discipline used by NDT technicians to identify defects in a variety of materials and components across a wide variety of industries. Its purpose is to identify surface-level structural defects, and to determine their cause, so you can plan appropriately for remediation, repair, replacement, or upgrades.

Visual inspection is a type of nondestructive testing (NDT) in which a certified technician examines the material for surface-level discontinuities, corrosion or misalignment. Visual inspection is done with the naked eye by closely examining the material, including all its weldments and attachments. Magnifiers, mirrors, and borescopes can help technicians get an even closer look. Some visual inspections are completed with the help of remote viewing. Visual inspections are completed for a variety of industries, including oil and gas, utility, aerospace, telecom, conventional generation, and renewables. Done in conjunction with other NDT testing methods, you can get a complete picture of the health of your assets, and what steps to take for remediation and repair.

Visual inspection is how NDT technicians assess the cause and extent of surface-level damage to materials, including cracks, corrosion, and misaligned parts. However, it is important to employ the full range of nondestructive testing methods(which include ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle testing, and liquid penetrant testing) to get a more complete picture of material integrity.

Nondestructive testing (NDT) is a comprehensive range of inspections designed to assess structural integrity across a variety of infrastructure types (aerospace, oil and gas, utility, lighting, conventional generation, renewable generation, telecom, and more). Because NDT has multiple testing and inspection disciplines, each with their own unique advantages, completing regular inspections is among the most proactive ways to identify issues before they become big problems. Inspection, when paired with quality assurance and field repair, can prevent asset failure, service interruption, and safety issues, protecting your teams, your customers, and your reputation across the life cycle of your assets.