Luis Montoya wins industrial ultrasound competition at ASNT 2025
During the ASNT 2025 annual conference, held in Orlando, INSPENET CEO Francesco Solari interviewed Colombian engineer Luis Montoya, who emerged as the champion of the industrial ultrasound competition organized at the event. His triumph represents a personal victory, reflected also as a boost for the entire technical community of non-destructive testing (NDT) in Latin America.
Montoya, originally from Pereira and an active member of the Latin American technical community, demonstrated precision in his measurements and a deep understanding of non-destructive testing. His performance positioned him as one of the current references in the field of industrial ultrasound applied to the integrity of metallic materials.
Ultrasound Competence in ASNT 2025
The technical challenge consisted of using advanced simulators to detect and size defects in specimens, calibrate from scratch and operate new equipment, a system that, according to Montoya, differs from traditional ultrasound but effectively replicates real conditions. In a format of eight participants and only two finalists, Montoya proudly pointed out that he achieved the
Luis Montoya: a technical reference in Latin America
Luis Montoya represents a new generation of nondestructive testing professionals. He is CWI (Certified Welding Inspector) welding instructor and engineer, and entrepreneur. In addition, he founded NDT Team, an organization that seeks to connect NDT technicians in Latin America through training, standardization and collaboration.
The interviewee, who had already been runner-up in the previous edition of the competition, managed this year to exceed both his personal expectations and those of his environment, thus consolidating his position as a figure of growing recognition within the international technical community.
Industry challenges: standardization, technology and visibility
During the interview, Montoya identified several structural challenges in the industrial ultrasound and nondestructive testing sector. Firstly, he pointed out the lack of standardization between countries and companies, a problem particularly evident in Latin America where procedures vary significantly between regions.
As a second challenge, he mentioned the scarce integration between inspection methods, highlighting that techniques such as radiography and ultrasound often operate with divergent technological standards. In view of this situation, he considered it essential to move towards unified documentation and common criteria to strengthen the sector.
Finally, he highlighted the transformative role of technologies such as artificial intelligence and automatic translators, which are facilitating the overcoming of traditional barriers such as language.
Training, community and future of the NDT technician
Throughout the conversation, Luis Montoya stressed the importance of getting more young professionals aware of and involved in the field of industrial ultrasound and nondestructive testing. For him, participating in events such as the ASNT conference represents a strategic investment rather than an expense, as they offer access to emerging technologies, opportunities to establish relevant professional contacts, and high-level specialized training.
In this context, he highlighted the work of organizations such as NDT Team in strengthening the presence and recognition of Latin American technicians. He mentioned that this entity organizes biweekly online presentations, participates in annual events and collaborates with international institutions such as AAMP, ASNT and AWS; seeking with these initiatives to reduce regional fragmentation and promote a continuous exchange of knowledge among professionals from Mexico to Argentina.
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Source: Inspenet.
