Capital of Texas
Austin, Texas
The Capital of Texas met for their October meeting in an nondestructive testing (NDT) classroom at Austin Community College (an all-Sonatest facility). The guest speaker was Ed Cabral, national sales manager for North America at Sonatest International. The meeting included students in the college’s associate of applied science degree program in welding inspection. Cabral delivered a presentation outlining the scope of opportunities awaiting newcomers to the field of NDT, especially ultrasonics, and cited several examples based on his coverage of Canada and the United States. After a question and answer period, Cabral introduced Tena Francesco, Sonatest sales and marketing administrator for San Antonio. Cabral concluded with demonstrations of the latest Sonatest equipment.
Ed Cabral of Sonatest (in front of screen) presented at the Capital of Texas Section’s October meeting.
Central Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
The Central Alabama Section met on 17 October to tour the US Steel – Fairfield Tubular Operations facility. Lorance Turner presented on the process flow of the seamless pipe manufacturing process and led a guided group tour of the facility, including the Full-Length Ultrasonic Inspection unit.
Collaborations between Jefferson State Community College (JSCC) and the Central Alabama Section were also discussed with attending JSCC faculty, and plans were put into place to present on the topic of NDT and perform phased array inspection on coupons welded by the students from the welding program to help ready them for in-field careers.
Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
The Charlotte Section met on 17 October for a meeting titled “Nondestructive Testing – Engineering Not to Fail” with the Piedmont-Carolina Section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Southern Piedmont Chapter of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) at FlawTech in Concord, North Carolina. After the meeting was called to order by Charlotte Section Chair Bradley Brandt, leaders from each group, including Brandt, Sherman Mumford of SME, and Randolph Peacock and Seyedmohammad Mousavisani of ASME, introduced themselves and explained the purpose of each organization. After a backyard barbeque dinner was served, attendees listened to two presentations: “Design and Manufacture of Custom Flawed Specimens,” by FlawTech Vice President Ricky Morgan, and “NDT in the Racecar Industry” by Brandt, former NDT program lead at Roush-Yates Engines. The meeting wrapped up with a demonstration of phased array ultrasonic testing, including discontinuity sizing by FlawTech Production Manager Justin McCall. The meeting was well received by all attendees, and it was agreed to continue the joint meeting annually. The Charlotte Section would like to thank all attendees, presenters, and FlawTech for hosting this event.
Attendees of the Charlotte Section’s 17 October meeting: (from left) Ricky Morgan (FlawTech/Charlotte Section), Niandre Woods (student at UNC Charlotte), Sherman Mumford (SME), Randolph Peacock (ASME), Kirsten Groenewald (FlawTech/Charlotte Section), Bradley Brandt (Charlotte Section), and Seyedmohammad Mousavisani (ASME).
Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
The Chicago Section met on 4 November at Crazy Pour in Villa Park, Illinois, with 19 members and guests in attendance. Equipcon owner and president Jeffrey Monks presented a historical observation of NDT technology and the pace of acceptance of new technologies. Citing historical examples, Monk presented on how existing techniques were implemented and new techniques were developed. The presentation also focused on opportunity costs wasted with slow development and adaptation of new technology. Finally, the issue of commercial and technical specifications was discussed. The importance of code changes addressing technology and not competition was also stressed.
Karden Sales and Chicago Section Chair Chuck Johnson thanks Jeffrey Monks (left), president of Equipcon, for his presentation at the section’s November meeting.
Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
The Cleveland Section met on 21 October with 19 members and guests in attendance at Mavis Winkles restaurant in Twinsburg, Ohio. The speaker was Level III Stuart Kleven of Alloyweld Inspection Co., Chicago, Illinois.
Kleven presented on the development of NDT inspection methods and standards for additive manufacturing. His presentation focused on additive manufacturing and the production of complicated aerospace parts and saving machining by the layering of powdered metals. Kleven works on ASTM subcommittees E07.10 and F42. The Cleveland Section extends thanks to Kleven for his informative presentation.
Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The Colorado Section held their October meeting at NDE Services in Centennial, Colorado. Six members braved the weather to attend the meeting. Incoming ASNT president Michael V. McGloin gave a thought-provoking and inspirational talk on the value of mentoring.
Colorado Section Chair Jesse Grantham (right) presented a certificate of appreciation to ASNT president-elect Michael V. McGloin.
Great Salt Lake
Salt Lake City, Utah
The Great Salt Lake Section met on 8 October with 11 members and students in attendance at the Joyluck restaurant in Woods Cross, Utah, to listen to Dave Crocker’s presentation of a handheld, real-time radiography inspection arm. Crocker is the Canadian and Western US regional sales manager for the QSA Global – Sentinel NDT group. The handheld, real-time radiography instrument is used to inspect for corrosion between pipe and insulation. The instrument can inspect large lengths of pipe with enough sensitivity to identify potential problems. Identified areas of concern are then inspected with a CR scan. This instrument is also used by security in transportation and law enforcement to inspect packages for explosive devices. The Section would like to thank Crocker for his presentation.
Mike Lingbloom (left) presented a certificate to Dave Crocker of the QSA Global-Sentinel NDT group in appreciation for his presentation to the Great Salt Lake Section.
Greater Houston
Houston, Texas
The Greater Houston Section met on 9 October with 72 members, instructors, students, and guests in attendance at the Republic Grill of Battleground Golf Course in Deer Park, Texas. Bonnie Blanchard-Witter introduced the meeting speaker, Antionette (Toni) Bailey, who presented on NDT inspections of corporate jets and space vehicle industries. Bailey is the owner of TB3 NDT Consulting LLC, which provides NDT training, Level III NDT examiner, auditing, and business development services. She has been providing NDT services in the Northeast for the past 19 years for numerous airframes, landing gear, and jet engine manufacturers, as well as providing services for several inspection laboratories. The Section would also like to thank the meeting sponsors: Accu-Test Labs, Floodlight Software, Mistras, NDT Texas, Oceanscan, and Tech Service Products.
Bonnie Blanchard-Witter (right) thanks Antionette (Toni) Bailey of TB3 NDT Consulting LLC for her presentation at the Greater Houston Section’s October meeting.
Hawaii
Pearl City, Hawaii
The Hawaii Section met on 29 October with eight members and guests in attendance at the Big City Diner Restaurant in Aiea, Hawaii. The business meeting was called to order by Section Chair Jack Laws. Business discussions included potential decisions to go paperless, but more research is required. Treasurer Jarrett Sano will take care of filing the Section’s IRS forms; Secretary Edmund Chang will review the section’s current bylaws and compare them with the updated bylaws template from ASNT; and the Kailua High School Career Fair will be attended by Vice Chair Jayme Martin and Laws. The Section will research using videos from the ASNT Video Library.
India
Chennai, India
The India Section organized its second technical meeting of the program year on phased array ultrasonic testing applications in the Indiatrial Sector. The meeting was organized at Trichy and the speaker was Manoj Kumar Prabhakaran.
Attendees of the India Section’s meeting heard a presentation on phased array UT applications.
Kuwait
Kuwait City, Kuwait
The Kuwait Section held a meeting on 28 October at KH 4 in Fahaheel, Kuwait, on “ISO-9001: 2015 Quality Management System (QMS) Changes, Implementation, and Auditing of Subcontractors” presented by Sangili Gunasekaran, unit head of quality operations at M/s HEISCO, Kuwait. Before the presentation, D.M. Tripathy welcomed all the participants to the meeting.
The technical presentation detailed the principles of QMS and auditing, key concepts, main clauses, key performance indicators (KPI)/quality objectives, risk thinking concepts, root cause analysis (fishbone diagram), and NDT audit checklists for subcontractors. A. Mohammed Rajput thanked Gunasekaran for his presentation. S.S. Murugan and Sangili Gunasekaran coordinated all the arrangements for the meeting, and the meeting was sponsored by M/s HEISCO.
The Kuwait Section met for a technical meeting in October.
Lewis & Clark
Portland, Oregon
The Lewis & Clark Section came together on 12 November at Flying Pie Pizzeria in Portland, Oregon. Level III Joshua Tillman of Material Testing & Inspections was the guest speaker. He is currently inspecting and testing industrial coatings for the Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent and Coos Bay Bridge projects. Tillman presented on topics related to coatings for steel fabrication, maintenance of existing coatings, and NDT of coating systems as they are applied. The Section looks forward to Tillman’s promised follow-up presentation.
Lewis & Clark Section Chair David Harris (left) thanks Joshua Tillman for his presentation at the Section’s November meeting.
Miami Valley
Cincinnati, Ohio
The Miami Valley Section met on 9 October with 18 members in attendance at Miami Valley Gaming for a presentation on “Water Wash and Water-Based Penetrants: The Next Generation!” by Kevin Rogers of Magnaflux.
The Miami Valley Section also met on 6 November with 25 members in attendance at Baker Hughes Co. in Sharonville, Ohio, for a tour of its new 2600 ft2 customer solutions center (CSC), which was developed to better support customers with their NDT needs.
Miami Valley Section members and guests listened to a presentation on computed tomography prior to the Baker Hughes tour.
Narragansett Bay
Providence, Rhode Island
The Narragansett Bay Section held a meeting on 29 October at the Atwood Grill in Johnston, Rhode Island, with 15 members in attendance. Neil Mansfield, metal fabrication teacher of NDE at Assabet Valley Regional High School in Marlborough, Massachusetts, was the guest speaker. The Section would like to thank Mansfield for his presentation.
North Carolina Student Section
Charlotte, North Carolina
The North Carolina Student Section met on 17 October at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) to discuss and plan for future events. Topics included fundraising ideas, a proposed trip to visit an aircraft facility, and planning for the then-upcoming ASNT Annual Conference in November. The US Air Force recently visited CPCC to find potential talent within the NDT program at the college. An invitation was extended to the Section members to visit the Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia. The hopes are for the Section and its members to witness some live NDT procedures on aircraft and visit and explore some of the facilities there.
The North Carolina Student Section met on 17 October at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) to discuss and plan for future events. Topics included fundraising ideas, a proposed trip to visit an aircraft facility, and planning for the then-upcoming ASNT Annual Conference in November. The US Air Force recently visited CPCC to find potential talent within the NDT program at the college. An invitation was extended to the Section members to visit the Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia. The hopes are for the Section and its members to witness some live NDT procedures on aircraft and visit and explore some of the facilities there.
Old Dominion
Richmond, Virginia
The Old Dominion Section met on 28 October with 16 members and guests in attendance at the Calabash Seafood Restaurant in Mechanicsville, Virginia. The meeting included a short business meeting before hearing John C. Duke, Jr., professor emeritus at Virginia Tech, speak about the ASNT’s Engineering Council. Chairman Thomas (Ed) Darby gave Duke an engraved Jefferson Cup for making the trip from the valley to Richmond. The Section also heard reports from the Regional Director and Treasurer William F. Via, Jr. and from Deonna Woolard on her preparations to publish the yearbook.
The Section also met on 25 November with 17 members and guests in attendance for a technical meeting at the Calabash Seafood Restaurant. The meeting included a surprise appearance by former Vice Chair Joseph Maciejczyk. Matthew Gross presented on his welding program at John Tyler Community College. Gross described the aims of the program and the several processes he was equipped to teach. During the open discussion, some members asked about the NDT component of his class, and the Section offered to help him find vendors that might be able to demonstrate UT and other techniques to the class. The Section presented Gross with an engraved Jefferson Cup. To emphasize mentoring, the Section suggested Gross to display it in his class and let students know the benefits of coming to an ASNT meeting in the future.
Ed Darby (right) thanks Matthew Gross for his presentation at the Old Dominion Section’s November meeting.
Piedmont
Greenville, South Carolina
The Piedmont Section met on 13 November with 10 members in attendance for a technical meeting at the Hilton in Greenville, South Carolina. The meeting started with networking followed by a buffet dinner. After the dinner, Gary Martin, retired from GE, presented on “IR-PE-UT per AWS D1.1 (Indication Rating Pulse-Echo Ultrasonic Testing) Origin and Overview.” Martin presented on the history, development, and authors of the original standard. He spoke on several places in the code where the notes are very critical. Updates to the code will include acceptance of different inspector qualification certifications, allow the inspector to carry a smaller calibration block, increase time between calibration checks, and allow the use of different zones and angles to inspect thicker materials. There was some active discussion about the measurement of the length of indications and the separation requirement. The group thanked Martin for his presentation.
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Pittsburgh Section met on 9 October at the Steamfitters Training Center in Zelienople, Pennsylvania. The Section would like to thank Kenneth Broadbent and Nick Kappas for providing a tour of the facility and Detar Restaurant Enterprise for catering. The Section would also like to thank Kiersten Broadbent for organizing and welcoming the group to the facility.
Rockford Stateline
Rockford, Illinois
The Rockford Stateline Section met on 12 November with five members and guests in attendance at the Thunder Bay Grille in Rockford, Illinois. The guest speaker for the evening was Tony Osborn of Alpha Solutions. Osborn presented on the new technology of the Thermo Scientific Niton handheld material analyzers, which can now identify carbon content, as well as updates to the traditional handheld XRF.
At the Rockford Stateline Section’s November meeting, Tony Osborn of Alpha Solutions gave a presentation on new technology. From left: Robert Kerhin, Timothy Hughes, Tony Osborn, Joel Mohnacky, and Derek Coleman.
San Diego
San Diego, California
On 21 September, the San Diego Section participated at the Cuyamaca College job fair. The Section shared a booth with the American Construction Inspectors Association. Section Chair Michael Diaz manned the booth, handing out fliers, talking with students about the Society, and discussing job opportunities involving the NDT field.
The San Diego Section met on 5 November at the Seven Seas Lodge in San Diego, California, with 21 members and guests in attendance. Flynn Spears of Laser Technologies Inc. gave a talk titled “Theory and Applications of Laser Shearography (Aerospace, Marine, Wind).” His presentation covered all the elements in detail, enabling nonexperts in the technology to understand its basic principles, strengths, and weaknesses. Spears provided examples taken from aerospace, pipeline wrap-repair, marine, and wind-turbine blade applications. He also covered inspection of composites in some detail. The presentation was well received and generated a number of questions. The section thanked Spears for his talk and presented him with a certificate of appreciation and a speaker gift.
The meeting concluded with raffles and the recognition of visiting vendors, including Arnold Marquez of Sherwin Inc. and Mathew Kaparic of Advanced Test Equipment Corp. The monthly raffle prizes were sponsored by the San Diego Section and Marquez of Sherwin Inc.
Hans Weber (left) thanks Flynn Spears for his presentation at the San Diego Section’s November meeting.
South Texas
San Antonio, Texas
The South Texas Section participated in a career day event on 20 October at John Jay High School in San Antonio, Texas. The Section had 20 students attend the event, which consisted of a 45-minute slide presentation and numerous demonstrations of different NDT technologies. The Section would like to thank all who participated.
Students of John Jay High School listened to South Texas Section’s Glenn Light present on nondestructive testing technologies.
Southern Africa
Johannesburg, South Africa
The Southern Africa Section met on 10 November for a family fun day event at SANDE in Impala Park. The members and guests enjoyed barbeque and played games with their children. The Section’s annual family fun day event is considered a highlight of their year.
Section Highlight
The Southern Africa Section met on 10 November for a family fun day event at SANDE in Impala Park. The Section’s annual family fun day event is considered a highlight of their year.
The Southern Africa Section met for a family fun day event in November.