Beyond the Lab: Navigating Today’s Challenges in NDT

Kuldeep Sharma, Manager, Dura-Bond Industries, Member of ASNT

Safety first—This principle has been fundamental since the industrialization of the 20th century. For over a century, nondestructive testing (NDT) has played the critical role of ensuring quality and safety across various industries, including construction, manufacturing, transportation and more. Within the infrastructure sector, whether it’s the construction of skyscrapers, stadiums, roads, or bridges, engineers rely on thorough inspection and testing that facilitates the safety of all of those who assemble and maintain these structures in the future.

NDT uses an array of methods and technologies to test, inspect, and assess materials, components, and structures without causing damage or limiting how they can be used. The application of NDT methods is central to building and maintaining the reliability of critical infrastructure, preempting disasters and ultimately saving lives.

NDT professionals combine technical knowledge, skill, and experience to uphold the safety and integrity of countless structures. In this field, a single oversight can have significant consequences, underscoring the importance of expertise.

Like many other industries, NDT has faced the challenge of evolving and has met it by integrating emerging technologies with established testing methods, advancing from analog into digital. As we enter the fourth industrial revolution, the NDT industry is further adapting to improve inspection accuracy and efficiency to reduce costs for operators. This evolution is called nondestructive evaluation (NDE) 4.0, which refers to the innovation of both the NDT methods and the evaluation and interpretation of results to inform decision-making.

The Technical Evolution of NDT: From NDE 1.0 to NDE 4.0

In the beginning, there was NDE 1.0. Implemented around the late-19th and early 20th century, this era focused on manual inspection and visual testing that relied exclusively on human inspectors. This process was slow, subjective, and lacked consistency, making it limited in scope and accuracy.

In the mid-20th century, the release of NDE 2.0 included an emphasis on specialized methods. The introduction of magnetic particle testing, dye penetrant testing and ultrasonic testing allowed inspectors to conduct a broader range of inspections with higher accuracy. These new methods helped expand the reliability and applicability of NDT across various industries.

NDE 3.0 emerged in the late 20th and early 21st century. In this period NDT methodology evolved for the integration of digitalization and automation. This digital revolution introduced automated processes and computer-aided analysis to NDT inspection.

Techniques like time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD) and phased array technology advanced the capabilities of NDT, improving the quality, speed and accuracy of testing.

Most recently, technicians have started to adopt NDE 4.0. Presented to the industry in the past few years, this new era employs the integration of advanced technologies into NDT methods, including artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), machine learning (ML), advanced sensors and digital twin technology. NDE 4.0 aims to create intelligent, data-driven inspection processes that allow predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring and heightened accuracy.

The successful adoption of NDE 4.0 would allow technicians to capture more accurate and reliable data. Armed with this information, inspection personnel can offer better insights to improve construction, safety, and maintenance. However, NDT technicians are facing several new and persistent non-technical challenges affecting the industry’s ability to fully embrace NDE 4.0.

Key Non-Technical Challenges in NDT

A significant challenge to the adoption of NDE 4.0 is the general lack of awareness of NDT in other sectors and engineering communities. It’s equally essential to educate decision-makers in industries that rely on NDT, such as senior management in manufacturing and construction, as it is to educate professionals in the field. This lack of understanding has led to perceptions that NDT impedes production or profitability.

Achieving NDE 4.0 requires active collaboration from both NDT and non-NDT communities. To bridge this gap, creating engaging content, such as social media posts, short films and articles, can captivate audiences and convey the critical role NDT plays in safety and

quality. Raising awareness in sectors like manufacturing, aerospace and construction will foster a better understanding of NDT’s benefits and dispel misconceptions that it slows production or affects profitability. Furthermore, educating a broader selection of industries on NDT’s contributions encourages stronger support and alignment from senior decision- makers, ultimately enhancing the entire field.

Another challenging aspect within the NDT industry is the knowledge gaps among technicians certified in different NDT methods. A comprehensive understanding of multiple NDT methods is essential for NDT technicians to perform effective and reliable testing. Many NDT professionals hold certifications in only one or two methods, creating the potential for knowledge gaps that can impact critical decision-making. Since each NDT method has unique strengths and limitations, a defect that may produce a low signal or be difficult to detect in one method might be easily identified by another. To deliver consistently accurate insights, NDT professionals should possess a broad knowledge base across multiple NDT methods. Even when specializing in a particular method, NDT professionals should pass a general and practical exam to test their grasp of multiple NDT methods. This approach will bridge knowledge gaps among inspection personnel and facilitate the practical achievement of NDE 4.0 standards at the operational level.

In addition to the importance of having a general knowledge of each inspection method, technicians must be aware of the differences in technique application in each sector. NDT methods vary widely by industry, each having unique requirements. Today, most training programs are too generalized, resulting in professionals who may lack specialized knowledge for specific sectors. This oversight does a disservice to NDT professionals who may become confused if they switch sectors. It can be challenging, but technicians who change sectors can become proficient in different methods with participation in focused classroom training, ongoing supervision from experienced personnel and hands-on monitoring. Industries need comprehensive adjustments –like these–to achieve the goals of NDE 4.0. Organizations like the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) offer training for NDT technicians to learn how to perform a variety of NDT methods and stay up to date on the latest technologies. 

Industry-specific training programs and sector-focused training centers could significantly improve industry and career readiness. Experts from different sectors can share experiences and insights with NDT technicians in-training to help give them a better understanding of the specific challenges and requirements in their respective fields. Third- party organizations like ASNT are leading inspection education advances across industries. They are already providing valuable platforms for training and mentorship and constantly evolving these programs, but addressing the remaining gaps requires additional data and resources. For example, when switching sectors, having access to a database of potential technical challenges or an AI-based assistance tool could provide critical support for technicians who lack specific sector knowledge. ASNT’s recent launch of the AI chat assistant ANITA is a promising step in this direction, with future enhancements aimed at bridging these gaps even further.

Despite these technological advancements in NDT, an inspector’s expertise can make the difference between detecting or overlooking critical defects, particularly with methods like manual ultrasonic testing (MUT) where human interpretation is essential. In some cases, an NDT technician’s judgment is the final authority, emphasizing the importance of experienced and competent personnel in maintaining high inspection standards. Establishing clear guidelines for evaluating the competency of NDT professionals to ensure high quality testing will play a crucial role as we advance toward NDE 4.0. 

Certification alone, such as the certifications offered by third parties like ASNT, is different from demonstrated competency. If someone holds an NDT certification, they must still prove their competency to meet the specific needs of each project. Certification provides a general foundation, but competency assessments ensure that technicians are truly prepared for specialized requirements. For example, someone certified in ultrasonic testing (UT) and working in civil engineering would need to verify their competency if transitioning to aerospace applications. Competency checks are typically required by companies based on criteria like job role changes or sector shifts and can be obligated for renewal on an annual basis. Assessments for competency, in addition to the completion of certification courses, are essential to enhance the seamless adoption of NDE 4.0.

The skill and judgment of technicians are important for accurate defect detection. To achieve consistency across industries, from major corporations to smaller enterprises, a standardized competency check is required of all certified personnel to assess and verify their experience and decision-making abilities. Technicians are required to pass a practical exam by project managers before they can begin their work. This approach reinforces the reliability of NDE 4.0 to ensure high standards are upheld by skilled, competent personnel. However, experienced NDT professionals may find it challenging to adapt to the advanced digital tools used in modern NDT methods as outlined by NDE 4.0. While their expertise is invaluable, there’s often a gap in digital skills that needs to be addressed. Tailored training programs can help bridge this gap by leveraging experienced professionals’ knowledge and gradually introducing new technologies.

In the past few decades, highly experienced NDT technicians have begun to feel devalued in the new age of digitalization. While industry standards require that certified NDT professionals oversee testing processes, the distinction between newly certified and seasoned professionals is often overlooked. Many companies prioritize cost-saving measures over experience, undervaluing the insights and practical skills seasoned NDT technicians have developed through years of fieldwork. To uphold the highest standards of quality and safety, companies must recognize and value the expertise of highly experienced NDT professionals.

While newly certified individuals have the technical qualifications, seasoned professionals offer invaluable insights, practical problem-solving abilities, and a nuanced understanding of complex scenarios that only hands-on experience can provide. Through professional programs like ASNT’s Mentoring Program, new NDT professionals can learn from more experienced personnel to help advance themselves in their careers. Respecting the value of these experts enhances decision-making, reliability and workforce retention, fostering a culture that appreciates the impact of veteran expertise on the success and safety of NDT operations.

The NDE 4.0 Future is Bright

Nondestructive testing is an indispensable part of ensuring safety and quality across industries, including construction. With the successful integration of NDE 4.0, NDT technicians can provide better data and better insights to provide operators with the most accurate and reliable information. However, non-technical challenges such as competency, training, awareness and mentorship are critical to NDT’s success in the NDE 4.0 era. Addressing these hidden challenges will allow the NDT industry to evolve and maintain its essential role in supporting innovative safety and reliability.