The inspector

Summary.

Brief dissertation about the characteristics of the Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) inspector and the peculiarities of our work as industrial inspectors; which is not only limited to detecting discontinuities, or defects, but also provides empirical knowledge in the solution of technical problems at an industrial level.

Introduction.

The work of a Non Destructive Testing (NDT) inspector is usually little known. We will talk a little about some of its aspects, both for those professionals who are already experts, and for novices who want to know a little more about this vast universe that is Non-Destructive Testing. Magical name, which has captured more than one curious person with that definition. Including who signs. For those of us who have been doing this work for some time, with so much water under the bridge that has passed since the time of the hammer blows to “detect” casting defects in train wheels based on sound, defining our profession was done gradually. more complicated.

From simple straight beam UT, to super advanced techniques still under investigation, our profession has become incredibly endowed with technology of all kinds.

It seems that medicine is one of the fields that can be compared in terms of the development of elements, techniques and diagnostic methods available in our line of work. And it remains to be seen how the development of drones of all kinds, Narrow AI, and machine learning will impact us. We can already see how advanced signal processing and image analysis has helped us. In the area of medicine, with the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), diagnoses have already become much more precise. Advances that over time become part of our lives on a daily basis.

In many cases, the inspector is not limited to detecting discontinuities or defects and sizing them up, but rather we provide (sometimes with certain reservations due to not very positive experiences), empirical knowledge that has cost us ours.

Meditating a little about our profession, it strikes me to see how many new engineers or technicians are unaware of what we Non-Destructive Testing inspectors do. It’s not like it’s an occult science, right? Nor that you have to be part of a secret lodge to be an NDT inspector. At least not yet.

How many of us have not been innocently interrogated in a meeting asking us something like… and you… what do you do?

After having thought about it a couple of times looking for a short answer, many of us say “I am a quality control inspector” or something more or less like that to avoid giving many explanations.

And it is that the inspector is accustomed to activities such as climbing 60 meters up a vertical ladder with a team in tow, or working on an empty 100,000 barrel crude oil tank. for 8 hours with an organic vapor mask. Entering places that many people would not, such as a vessel, fractionation tower, inside a pipeline, or the like. It is already our habitat. Part of the day to day. And we know that it requires self-control, discipline and a lot of common sense. Which is not necessarily abundant, to tell the truth.

Every time I watch an “inspector” (a term that in my opinion is too short, too short) carry out their work, I think of all the downstream consequences of that work. How much confidence in the work of the inspectors must have the operators who shift after shift do their thing in the perimeter of your plant. Although the work of the inspector is not necessarily as visible as that of others involved in maintenance work, its importance is still very high. And of course the associated responsibility.

To fully fulfill that responsibility, our profession requires a high level of attention to detail. The devil is in the details, the saying goes. Ignoring something that at first glance seems unimportant can have serious consequences in the medium term. And it is something that novice inspectors must understand and assimilate almost as well as the rejection criteria that a client demands of us.

Much can be transmitted to the generations that come with the express intention of dedicating themselves to this area of engineering. For example, an NDT inspector who does not have the will to be self-taught will hardly be able to exploit his potential 100%. We know how expensive training and certifications are, and how essential they are when executing a service.

Therefore, the better our willingness to learn, or to refresh knowledge in our “free” time, the more and better tools we will have when carrying out an inspection in the field.

A decidedly undervalued factor is the inspector’s communication skills. Not so much the oral expression, but the written one. A written report with a monologue-like narrative is not a good sign. Its importance is high and it is a feature that can (and should) be improved, if it is a point of improvement by our inspector. Ambiguities or wording that may seem remotely vague can draw unnecessary attention, overshadowing excellent field work by a highly experienced and knowledgeable inspector.

And it is that the result of an inspection will surely be subject to analysis by a team of engineers from different disciplines, with experience, preparation and some even with a taste for dissections. Readers with more time in the area will know exactly what I mean, right?

The reports and reports will be considered by specialists as if they are necessary to support important maintenance actions; The word of an inspector is a fundamental basis for his credibility in the future.

And speaking of the future, it is important for our esteemed profession to spread certain truths, at least among young professionals who are just starting out in the area, or whose work is somehow linked to Non-Destructive Testing (NDT).

Among these facts we have: that the security and confidence that a good inspector has are achieved based on positive experiences in the results.

That technical knowledge, obtained with dedication to study, is essential for this. The certifications consist of formalities to guarantee minimum knowledge requirements, it is true. But its character and even the methodology applied in the evaluations, such as the Gaussian bell, allow us to reach a good degree of tranquility when having an overview of the tools that an inspection professional has.

That a good mentor should be appreciated and that the best tool is honesty when issuing results. In the industrial world, unfortunately, we will find a vast fauna and sadly, not all its inhabitants turn out to be honest and trustworthy.

This leads us, to conclude, to emphasize how key another trait that a good inspector must possess is: honesty. As important as all the aspects mentioned. Your credibility, and your willingness to execute correctly, are only as good an asset as the experience and knowledge you can display.

See you in the next article!

successes!