The Need for Quality Training in NDT

by Charles J. Hellier, P.E., Level III
General Manager, Hellier Technical Training and Consulting

What is Meant by Quality NDT Training?

Today, there are many organizations and individuals offering NDT training courses. Most claim that their programs meet the "requirements" of SNT-TC-1A. Those who understand SNT-TC-1A are aware that there are no training requirements in SNT-TC-1A, only recommendations. Further, there are no guidelines or defined rules regarding qualified trainers or training organizations. Virtually anyone can hang out their "NDT School Shingle" and be in business. This is a major problem. So then, what constitutes Quality NDT Training?

After 35 years in the NDT training business there are, in my opinion, several key ingredients that determine the quality level of an NDT Training organization, whether it's an individual or a large NDT company. They include, but are not necessarily limited to the following:

1. Qualified Instructors. A qualified NDT instructor should be more than just a "Certified Level III" individual. There are many Level III's who are technically competent but can't present an effective training course. There's a general misunderstanding that all Level III's are supposed to be able to teach NDT courses. This comes from the Level III Levels of Qualification section in SNT-TC-1A (2006 edition) that states that "the Level III, in the methods in which certified, should be capable of training and examining Level I and II personnel for certification in those methods". The term "should" implies a desirable characteristic but is not mandatory.

On the other hand, there are certainly those individuals who are not certified to any NDT Level who can teach. So, what is meant by a "Qualified NDT Instructor"? In my opinion, a Qualified Instructor is one who is competent and experienced in the method(s) he or she will be teaching. Ideally, the Instructor will have sufficient "hands-on" experience in the real world of NDT. In other words, they should have had the distinct privilege of knowing what it means to crawl through dark dirty boilers and pressure vessels, to climb scaffolding to new heights, to feel the sensation of sticky ultrasonic couplant, to smell the aroma of developer and fixer, and of course to know how difficult it is to remove penetrants from their hands and clothing! NDT is a "hands-on" technology (even for the Researchers) and Qualified Instructors should be able to present this to their students in order to prepare them for the "real world".

To summarize, I believe a Qualified Instructor will be an individual with an in-depth technical and practical knowledge of the method being taught and be able to present it in such a way that the students not only learn the subject, but are excited about the process.

Interaction between the Students and the Instructor Is Essential

2. Certified Instructors. Certainly there are those who have completed Instructor Training courses such as some of the Train the Trainers programs that are offered. But attendance in these programs does not "Certify" them as NDT Instructors. It is my opinion that a formal instructor certification program would greatly benefit the NDT technology and raise the quality of the practitioners. Prerequisites for such a certification should include a minimum of ten (10) years of practical NDT experience, at least two (2) years of attendance at a technical college, and satisfactory completion of a forty (40) hour instructor development course. A minimum of five (5) years as a certified Level II or III in those methods the individual will be teaching should also be a qualification requirement.

For the written certification examination, the candidate would be required to pass an examination tailored to what an NDT instructor should know in order to effectively teach a given subject. The practical examination should consist of two (2) parts;

a. The candidate would demonstrate their "hands-on" knowledge for each method they will be teaching by using actual equipment and materials with "real-world" specimens. There are those who are teaching NDT courses today who would have to do some "hands-on" preparation themselves before attempting this examination!

b. The candidate should present a defined lecture on a selected subject to demonstrate their teaching and presentation skills. Candidates would be able to select from a list of specific subjects such as; principles of magnetism, Snell's Law, the theory of electromagnetism, characteristics of radiation, etc.

3. Qualified Training Centers. An NDT training organization should include a suitably outfitted facility with ample state-of-the-art equipment, accessories, expendables, and "real-world" test specimens. The equipment should be in good working condition and representative of the equipment the students will be using after the training is completed. In addition, there should be a formalized process for qualifying an organization. At the present time, ASNT evaluates organizations as a prerequisite to become Authorized Examination Centers (AEC). Certainly, with some additional effort, this could be expanded to include training facilities (AET)!

No matter who approves training centers, it is my opinion that the key elements for such an approval would include the following:

a. The staff - including the instructors and their qualifications, the support personnel, and adjunct instructor qualifications if they are used.

b. The facility - the classroom(s), the laboratory, student break room, support facilities such as hotels, restaurants, and transportation, etc.

c. The equipment - including the quantity and quality of the instrumentation, accessories, test samples (are they real world?), inventory control, safety aspects, etc.

d. The training materials - course manuals, handouts, text and reference books, quality of quizzes and end of course examinations, audio-visual quality (is it current and does it flow with the course materials?), home study and homework projects, etc.

e. Laboratory sessions - planned and organized exercises which are relevant to the training objectives to prepare the students for job performance.

f. Administration - ease and completeness of registration, availability of advance information sent to the student (hotel details, directions, etc.).

g. Quality Control - calibration of equipment to current standards, control of examinations, internal and external audits.

Effective Laboratory Sessions are Essential

4. Training Course Content. A review of the training materials should be made to assure that the courses cover the recognized body of knowledge and that the number of hours as recommended or required is being met. An effective NDT training program should be dedicated and focused to assure the course objectives are met. In far too many cases, the number of contact hours is far less than recommended and the minimum contact hours are not completed. Training that begins 30 minutes after scheduled start times, along with a number of long "10 minute" breaks, a lunch hour that extends an additional 15 minutes, and classes that are dismissed early, all add up to insufficient course time. This needs to be controlled. To a certain extent, home study/assignments help to overcome these non-productive times but nothing tops quality classroom and laboratory time spent with a qualified instructor who cares for their students.

Keeping the Students Involved

5. Certification versus Training. Most knowledgeable people involved with NDT understand the need to keep training separate from the certification process. Training is a key element in the process of becoming qualified. Yet there are NDT training organizations that administer General, Specific and Practical examinations at the end of the course which are construed by companies as something that can be used to satisfy their certification examinations. This is why an end of course examination should be called just that! This minimizes confusion and separates training from the certification process. This is one of the reasons training course examination grade(s) should not be used for any aspect of certification. In addition, this is generally not permitted by most codes and specifications. Training should be accomplished for its benefits. Certification is the process that attests to the qualification of the individual which includes both the training and the experience.

The other key element of course, is experience. Sometimes this is referred to as "on-the-job training. And it's something that must be monitored, controlled and documented. This is an area that requires involvement on the part of the companies Level II and management. NDT experience must be a well structured process that capitalizes on the training which has been accomplished. And if the training, which provides the foundation for experience is unsatisfactory, the qualification process will be inadequate.

So what is the answer to the question "What is Meant by Quality NDT Training"? Certainly all five of the subjects mentioned in this article are factors related to achieving quality in NDT training but the real test is whether or not the students be able to effectively perform the examinations after the training has been completed. This is the final examination!

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