Non-destructive testing equipment is a must when you're trying to determine a problem in your equipment. When your stomach hurts, you don't automatically get a doctor to perform major surgery to figure out the problem. The same logic goes for detecting problems inside complex setups of tubing, pipes, wires and other machine parts. Non-destructive testing equipment enables you to do just what the name suggests: ensure equipment is working properly or detect problems before they become serious without damaging or destroying the parts in question.
Ironically, NDT testing equipment for industrial needs comes in forms similar to the types of equipment used to examine the human body, such as ultrasound and x-ray machines. In addition, non-destructive testing machines also come in the form of component testers that determine important attributes such as depth, crack detection, surface hardness and more. You can use non-destructive test equipment to:
- Detect defects on or below the equipment or piping surface.
- Look for vacuum, pressure or liquid leaks.
- Determine electrical distribution in equipment by detecting heat.
- Detect variations in metal.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Use non-destructive test equipment to evaluate safety
NDT testing equipment can help you evaluate the structural soundness and safety of aerial booms, support platforms and other equipment used by people to perform work. In addition, it can provide vital safety information for airplanes and other transportation.
I recommend: Certified Inspection Services Ltd. offers non-destructive testing equipment and will perform the testing themselves on fork lifts, man lifts and other equipment.
Olympus offers NDT testing solutions for airplane landing gear, car fuel tanks and more.
Use non-destructive testing equipment to evaluate high-temperature equipment and materials
When working with pressurized equipment or with tanks that hold extremely hot materials, use non-destructive testing machines that are able to evaluate this equipment despite the highly volatile contents.
I recommend: Non-destructive testing equipment companies such as
Team Industrial Services offer high-pressure testing solutions.
Namicon offers probes, transducers and other non-destructive testing supplies for high-pressure materials.
Apply NDT test equipment to electrical distribution
NDT equipment can be used to ensure electricity is conducting properly through a machine or other piece of equipment. Investment in this type of NDT equipment can help prevent small problems from turning into large ones.
I recommend: Centurion offers an online NDT equipment list for electrical applications, while
Tri State Nondestructive Testing Inc. offers Eddy Current NDT equipment.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- If you're not sure how to read the results rendered from various types of non-destructive testing equipment, find an expert that can. Reading NDT testing results with an untrained eye can be catastrophic.
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