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Nondestructive Testing in the Manufacturing Industry
Manufacturing is at the heart of global economies, delivering essential products while driving technological innovation and advancement.
And NDT is at the heart of efficient manufacturing operations.
Protecting Products and Profits: NDT in Manufacturing
Across manufacturing sectors, nondestructive testing (NDT) is essential for compliance, risk management, safety, and consumer confidence in the products we rely on in our daily lives.
Manufacturing producers devote substantial resources to ensuring quality, safety, reliability, and consistency of their products to prevent:
· Scrap, waste, and rework
· Product failures and recalls
· Loss of revenue
· Loss of customer and public trust
· Fines and penalties for noncompliance
NDT Technicians Are Integral to Manufacturing Processes
Early detection and correction of defects and flaws is essential at every step a product makes in its manufacturing journey. NDT technicians ensure that products meet design specifications and quality standards before they reach the customer, helping manufacturing organizations to maintain brand reputation, customer satisfaction, and profitability.
In manufacturing environments, NDT technicians must be skilled in specific NDT methods as well as specialized knowledge sets applicable to the process and industry. Depending on the products being produced, they may need deep understanding of materials science, metallurgy, electronics, and more to perform:
Raw Material Testing: Ensuring the quality of raw materials such as metals, plastics, and composites before they enter the production process.
Process Control: Monitoring manufacturing processes such as welding, casting, forging, and assembly to ensure they meet quality standards.
Final Product Inspection: Inspecting finished products to ensure they are free from defects and meet design specifications.
NDT Applications in Raw Material Testing
An NDT technician plays a crucial role in meeting compliance and quality standards, even before production begins.
Because manufacturers may receive materials from a variety of suppliers, these pre-fabrication inspections reduce the manufacturing organization’s risk by locating discontinuities that might create flaws in products after they are produced.
NDT technicians have multiple responsibilities at this early stage of the manufacturing process.
Collaboration
NDT technicians at the front end of the manufacturing process work closely with other departments such as quality assurance, engineering, and production. They leverage deep understanding of materials science and manufacturing processes to provide technical guidance and ensure that incoming raw materials meet the specifications for specific products and fabrication processes.
Performing Inspections on Raw Materials and Prefabricated Components
NDT technicians must be able to apply a variety of methods to ensure incoming materials meet required specifications.
Visual testing (VT) is the first line of defense, used to quickly inspect materials for surface flaws, discontinuities, and inconsistencies. For materials such as metals, composites, glass, and even plastics, ultrasonic testing (UT) is widely used to detect internal inclusions, voids, and cracks. Radiographic testing (RT) can also reveal internal flaws in materials such as metals and minerals.
For detecting non-visible surface and near-surface discontinuities, technicians may apply a variety of methods including thermal/infrared testing (IR), electromagnetic testing (ET) techniques such as eddy current testing, and liquid penetrant testing (PT).
Documentation, Calibration, and Maintenance
Once testing is completed, NDT technicians must record the results of inspections and report any defects or inconsistencies found in the incoming materials. NDT technicians may also be in charge of ensuring that all inspection equipment is properly calibrated and maintained to ensure consistent, accurate, and reliable information for each incoming shipment.
NDT Applications in Manufacturing Process Control
Skilled NDT technicians are indispensable for compliance with internal governance, industry standards, and regulatory requirements and for helping manufacturers to reduce risks in their operations.
NDT inspections typically occur at multiple stages during the manufacturing process. These strategically placed inspections lower manufacturing costs by detecting defects as early as possible in the manufacturing process, enabling corrective action before large numbers of flawed products are produced—or even worse, shipped to customers.
NDT helps prevent costly rework, waste, and productivity losses by:
Ensuring Product Integrity and Reliability
NDT methods—combined with specific knowledge of processes such as metallurgy, glassmaking, or plastic extrusion—are used to detect variations in both surface and internal product structure. For example, with VT, an NDT technician can quickly identify minute changes in surface finish, the presence of cracks, or other physical discontinuities. Methods such as RT and UT provide detailed images of internal structures and can help technicians evaluate the internal quality of welds. Magnetic particle testing (MT) is effective for detecting surface and near-surface cracks in ferromagnetic materials.
Maintaining Uniform Quality Levels
The consistent application of NDT methods helps ensure that the quality of products also remains consistent throughout the manufacturing process. For example, NDT technicians may employ VT to check the alignment and fit of assembled parts, and they may use laser scanning tools to ensure precise assembly. And ET of assembled or partly assembled components enables detection of small discontinuities, debonding, or defects in complex geometries and multilayered materials.
Aiding in Better Product Design
NDT provides valuable data that can be used to improve product design. For example, IR can be used to study the thermal properties of materials, helping engineers design products that can withstand specific temperature ranges.
NDT Applications in Inspection of Finished Components and Products
Even after leveraging NDT at multiple steps in the manufacturing process, inspection of finished products is often the most critical step, especially for complex technical or mechanical products such as automobiles or other vehicles, aircraft, electronics, medical devices, and industrial equipment.
To ensure compliance with quality and safety standards, NDT is extensively applied to the specific parts and components that might cause a failure during the product’s service life. Here are some examples:
Surface Defect Detection
Weld Inspection
Casting and Forging Inspection
Tubing and Piping Inspection
Composite Material Inspection
Machinery and Structural Component Inspection
Build Your NDT Career in Manufacturing with ASNT
As an NDT technician, you’ll apply your skills with a variety of testing methods, combined with specialized materials and process knowledge, to serve the manufacturing organization by improving efficiency, increasing productivity, and reducing waste.
But even more important, you serve the public at large, ensuring that the products they use are reliable, high quality—and safe.
ASNT offers connection and opportunity throughout your manufacturing career.
Explore NDT career opportunities
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NDT Methods: Produce Reliable Insights for Manufacturing
Manufacturing encompasses a vast range of sectors, product types, and markets. Thus, NDT technicians in these organizations may be called on to leverage many or all of the NDT methods that are commonly in use, including:
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NDT Certification and Training with ASNT
Ready to launch a career at the heart of manufacturing? Take advantage of essential certifications, educational resources, and professional development opportunities with ASNT.
