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Everything You Need to Know About Careers in Non-Destructive Testing

2020NDT August 12, 2016

According to the Canadian Institute for Non-Destructive Examination (CINDE), Canada is facing a shortage of NDT professionals. See what it takes to start your career. When you enter the job market, you face countless paths. While itâ€™s useful to have options, the sheer number can overwhelm many people. You have a few questions that narrow down that field, though. Will you enjoy the work? Do you have the necessary educational experience? Would the salary support your lifestyle? But one of the most important is if you can actually find a stable job once you finish training. If you want a career that Canadian employers seek, consider non-destructive testing. According to the Canadian Institute for Non-Destructive Examination (CINDE), Canada faces a shortage of NDT professionals. This shortage can be your gain when if you start you career in this field. However, if you donâ€™t know where to begin, you might

3 Ways to Prevent Pipeline Problems

2020NDT August 5, 2016

The cost of fixing damage caused by pipeline failure can be astronomical. Learn about the ways your company can avoid pipe failure. Pipeline failure is a serious concern. Chemicals in pipes can cause destruction to the surrounding land – not to mention the price tag. The costs of fixing environmental damage and getting your pipes working again can be astronomical. Needless to say, the consequences of neglecting your pipes may put your company in a serious financial situation. Some damages are unavoidable, but there are steps you can take to ensure your pipes are strong and safe. To begin, you need to understand exactly what can damage your pipes. There are various causes of pipe failure that you may not be aware of. Some include: Equipment failure. If you fail to perform proper upkeep on your pipe equipment, you risk damages due to wear and t ear on the

The Basics of Dye Penetrant Testing

2020NDT July 29, 2016

Dye penetrant testing helps determine flaws in a structureâ€™s integrity, including metal, glass, ceramics, plastic and rubber. As a builder, architect, or other professional overseeing a structure’s integrity, you want to make sure you deliver a quality product. This means that you need to find any existing flaws before you let anyone near your buildings. Not only do you want to avoid lawsuits, but you don’t want anyone to sustain injuries either. So you’ve turned to non-destructive testing for help. You may have thought of non-destructive testing or NDT as simple before, but suddenly you have a variety of testing options before you. You see ultrasonic, radiographic, or magnetic particle testing in the list, and you may even see some other options, like dye or liquid penetrant testing. And as you look at this list, you think to yourself, “How do I know which one works best in my

Magnetic Particle Testing 101: What You Need to Know

2020NDT July 22, 2016

Magnetic particle testing provides one of the most reliable ways to test any metal structure. Whenever you build or repair a product or structure, you do everything you can to deliver quality work. You don’t want that product to fail, and you certainly don’t want your work injuring anyone. This would weigh heavily on your conscience, not to mention spell disaster for your business. So, to ensure you provide quality work, you turn to non-destructive testing. In previous blogs, we’ve addressed a few different non-destructive testing techniques. We’ve done this help you decide which techniques and teach you about how each technique works. However, we have yet to cover magnetic particle testing, which represents one of the most reliable ways to test any metal structure. To learn more about this NDT technique, explore the information below. How Does Magnetic Particle Testing Work? The Basics Magnets produce a field around

What You Should Know About Pipeline Corrosion

2020NDT July 8, 2016

If you work in the gas or oil industry, you already know that corrosion is one of the leading causes of pipeline failure. It’s also one of the public’s primary concerns about the oil industry. Below, we’ll talk about what happens when corrosion goes undetected, how companies can detect corrosion, and how to prevent future corrosion. Undetected Corrosion Corrosion is one natural result of your pipeline’s exposure to water or air. It can also happen to underground pipelines. Anything from bacteria to oxygen can cause corrosion. Plus, since your pipelines transport potentially corrosive substances, corrosion will occur no matter what, which means you need to stay on top of pipeline maintenance, corrosion detection, and corrosion prevention. Why do you need to prevent corrosion? Your pipelines transport hazardous materials that can endanger the surrounding area if they spill, especially if they result in fires or explosions. Pipeline corrosion can cost

What It Takes to Work in Non-Destructive Testing

2020NDT July 8, 2016

Your current career doesn’t excite you. When you clock in at the beginning of your shift, you know another unfulfilling day awaits you. You don’t feel like your job does anything worthwhile for the company, the community, or even you. It doesn’t challenge you, and you drudge through each day just because you need a paycheck. You need a career change, so you’ve considered several options, but you haven’t found one that appeals to you yet. Have you looked at non-destructive testing? NDT doesn’t fit most people’s idea of the typical alternative career, but you may find it not only fulfilling and challenging, but fascinating as well. NDT involves helping companies, cities, and other organizations find flaws in their pipes, buildings, and other structures. This ensures that everyone living or working near that structure stays safe. You’ll get to use a number of sophisticated technologies in the process as well.

Visual Testing 101: A Look at NDTâ€™s Oldest and Most Common Technique

2020NDT July 1, 2016

The non-destructive testing industry is large, diverse, and vital to the success of many Canadian businesses. With varied techniques like magnetic particle testing, dye penetrant testing, and radiographic testing, the NDT field plays a vital role in countless construction, pipeline, and manufacturing projects. But did you know that there is one technique at the heart of all NDT techniques? Visual testing is the first step in any non-destructive testing process. Whether your project needs ultrasonic testing or a concrete X-ray, NDT professionals will always perform a visual test before proceeding. In this blog, weâ€™ll tell you what you need to know about this integral part of the non-destructive testing process. What Is Visual Testing? Visual testing is the oldest and most common technique in the non-destructive testing field. Before performing any other test, NDT professionals perform visual examinations on all pipe castings, machine components, and ground elements. During a

Using Non-Destructive Testing for Weld Inspection

2020NDT June 24, 2016

In assemblies and structures, welds work to keep structural integrity strong enough to last through the decades. However, over time, weld connections suffer fatigue and encounter loads which can lead to weld failure if they’re not found in time. Many might assume that a weld is “good quality” if it looks secure. However, weld inspections involve far more than simple visual inspections to determine the quality of the weld connections. However, cutting into the weld to see if it’s strong enough would be counterproductive. Destroying the weld is not an option, as it would destroy the structure or assembly that the weld secures. Instead, technicians use nondestructive testing (NDT) to determine the quality of a weld. While standards of weld quality differ between industries and even between specific projects, proper examination techniques can ensure quality and safety. Technicians should inspect welds throughout the duration of the project. However, weld

Smartphones and Worksite Safety

2020NDT June 17, 2016

If your project managers and other employees work in remote locations, you have to keep everyone on guard and away from danger. How safe is your worksite? If your project managers and other employees work in remote locations, you have to keep everyone on guard and away from danger. In an earlier blog post, we mentioned that â€œcompanies must pass inspections and audits and perform necessary incident investigations to comply with government safety standards.â€ Although it can be difficult to pass the endless checklists of safety inspections, you must make safety your number one priority on the job. Fortunately, you can leverage mobile technology to help your workforce become safer and more efficient on your remote worksite locations. Here are five different ways a smartphone can improve safety on your worksites. 1. Download Apps for Protection If your workforce consists mostly of lone workers, you need to take extra

Safety Tips for Workers in the Oil and Gas Pipeline Industry

2020NDT June 10, 2016

Canada’s oil and gas industry provides crucial services to homes and businesses across the countryâ€”and even across the world. Each of Canada’s provinces generates billions of dollars of revenue in oil and gas alone, and oil and gas gives more than 550,000 Canadians a steady job. Because this industry contributes so much to the Canadian economy and livelihood, safety is one of its top priorities. Safety problems don’t happen often in the pipeline industry, but when they do, catastrophe often results. When safety standards fall, pipeline workers, Canadian citizens, the economy, and the environment all suffer. If you work in the oil and gas industry, both you and your employer have crucial roles to play in terms of safety. In past blog entries, we’ve given you tips on avoiding dangerous pipeline problems and overviews of Canada’s pipeline standards and regulations. In this blog, we’ll tell you specifically what your