Inspection Trends

AWS Hosts CWI Seminars

AWS held a CWI nine-year recertification seminar and a Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) seminar at AWS World Headquarters in Miami, Fla.

Jim Greer taught the AWS CWI nine-year recertification Jan. 14–19. Greer is a Certified Welding Educator (CWE), a Senior Certified Welding Inspector (SCWI), and the president of Techno-Weld Consultants.

Attendees of the nine-year recertification seminar included Adrian Suarez Diaz, Chandler Renken, Daniel A. Prado Pinzon, Jared C. Prange, Jarrad E. Brayford, Jason J. Iacono, Joey Eshwar Ramdath, Lucien A. Brown, Nicholas Leckemby, and Nicholas T. Williams.

Rick Munroe led the AWS CWI seminar March 10–15. Munroe is an SCWI, a CWE, the owner of National Welding Lab & Inspection, and an instructor at Asnuntuck Community College.

Attendees of the CWI seminar included Edward Costello, John E. Auten, Kenneth D. Erickson, Robert Steinocher, Ryan F. Healy, Jake Fulgham, and Christian G. Horodynski.

AWS Workshop to Produce CWI Certification Items

AWS will hold an item-writing workshop for AWS Certified Welding Inspectors (CWIs), Senior Certified Welding Inspectors, and Certified Welding Educators to produce quality questions (also called items) for the CWI Part A fundamentals exam.

The workshop will be held at AWS Headquarters in Miami, Fla., from Aug. 27 to 29. Participation includes the following:

• Opportunities to network with other welding professionals
• A paid hotel stay at a nearby establishment
• Breakfast and lunch each day of the workshop
• An invitation to the group dinner on the first evening

Following successful completion of the workshop, attendees will receive credits toward one renewal or recertification of any AWS certification, hours (in place of professional development hours) toward any recertification or renewal, and recognition in Inspection Trends.

Those who are interested can email their current résumé to cwiitemwriter@aws.org by May 30 for consideration. As spots are limited, we cannot guarantee selection; however, there will be several opportunities to participate in the future.

Those who teach or train individuals who plan to take any of the AWS certifications are not eligible to participate.

Penn College Offers Pathways for Aspiring NDE Inspectors

Pennsylvania College of Technology (Penn College or PCT), Williamsport, Pa., offers an associate degree and competency credentials in nondestructive examination (NDE).

“When we started this program, we had numerous companies come and say, ‘We will hire everyone who graduates from this program. We’re just desperate for trained NDT inspectors,’” recalled Bradley M. Webb, dean of engineering technologies.

While the college has offered some NDE classes since the mid-1980s, Penn College began the NDE associate degree major in fall 2022. The initiative was part of a three-year, $599,816 National Science Foundation grant devoted to advanced technology education in fields that drive the economy.

The college purchased industry-standard equipment to enhance practical experience for students in a variety of NDE processes: radiographic, ultrasonic, phased array ultrasonic, magnetic particle, liquid penetrant, and visual inspection.

“Our degree is unique in that we’re giving students hours of training. They know how to use the equipment. They know how to inspect parts and accept and reject parts,” said Michael J. Nau, a welding instructor and former Level II radiographic NDE inspector. Nau and James N. Colton II, assistant professor of welding, developed the NDE curriculum.

The NDE degree is intertwined with Penn College’s welding program. NDE students learn welding basics in the college’s 55,000-sq-ft lab before using their NDE skills to test the work produced by welding majors.

Graduates of the NDE associate degree earn essential classroom hours toward American Society of Nondestructive Testing certification in both radiographic and ultrasonic testing, the two most common NDE procedures. The college also offers a one-semester competency credential for either method. ASNT certification is achieved following on-the-job training.

“Depending on whether you want to work out in the field traveling for an inspection company or whether you want to work in-house somewhere, there are two different avenues you can take,” Nau said.

Williamsport-based Lycoming Engines, a manufacturer of piston engines for aviation fleets, employs several in-house NDE inspectors. Over 30% of the company’s workforce consists of Penn College graduates, a fact Shannon Massey, senior vice president of Lycoming Engines, credits to the company’s diverse technical needs aligning with the school’s commitment to applied technology education.

“We were beyond ecstatic when PCT added the NDT associate degree. That provides an avenue not only for our workforce but across industries that are looking for this,” Massey said. “Right now, if I had an individual asking, ‘What’s a degree path that I know I’m not going to have to worry about having offers when I graduate?’ NDT is absolutely one of those degree programs that you want to look into.” – Courtesy of Pennsylvania College of Technology

Mark Your Calendar: ASNT Upcoming Key Events

The American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT), Columbus, Ohio, organizes events to promote nondestructive examination (NDE) knowledge, collaboration, and education. Attendees can learn, network, showcase achievements, and contribute to the NDE community. Each conference also includes a trade show with exhibiting companies that offer NDE products and services.

32^nd ASNT Research Symposium: Beyond Boundaries, June 24–28 in Pittsburgh, Pa. ASNT’s Research Symposium is a forum for sharing advancements in NDE. Connect with the NDE community and learn about new research through keynotes and featured speakers, preconference tutorials, the student poster competition, and numerous networking opportunities. On Monday, June 24, a day of tutorials will feature sessions that delve into fundamental topics in NDE, each with extended durations. Early bird registration, with a savings of $200, ends on June 3. The event takes place at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

ASNT 2024 Engage, October 21–24 in Las Vegas, Nev. This year’s conference invites professionals from across the industry to connect. The theme “Engage” reflects the organization’s commitment to fostering meaningful interactions, sharing knowledge, and pushing the boundaries of NDE. ASNT 2024 will be hosted at Caesars Forum, Harrah’s, and The Linq. The event will feature more than 100 technical sessions, 210 exhibitors, and 2200 attendees.

Flyability Makes UT Probe Payload for Drone in Partnership with Cygnus

Flyability, a confined-space drones builder based in Paudex, Switzerland, has developed a new ultrasonic thickness measurement (UTM) payload for its flagship drone, the Elios 3. This payload was produced in partnership with Cygnus Instruments, an ultrasonic testing (UT) technology provider headquartered in Dorset, United Kingdom, to create a product that supports certified UT inspectors.

The new live A-scan UT payload is designed for spot thickness measurements of steel in ship hulls and inside tanks and between pipe ranks, among many other applications. With UT critical to many inspection processes, this new payload presents a safer means of accessing thickness measurement locations (TMLs). The drone can enter confined spaces or easily reach TML points at height, completing wall thickness gauging or corrosion surveys quickly and safely.

“Since our first projects with our oil and gas, maritime, and chemical industry customers, the ability to perform UTM in addition to visual inspections has been one of the most requested features,” Flyability CEO and Cofounder Patrick Thévoz said. “The complexity of this challenge involved four years of product development and research that was contingent on the Elios 3’s unique design. Now we can offer a reliable, safe, and effective UTM alternative for places unreachable with scaffolding, crawlers, or cherry pickers.”

The payload empowers operations under ISO 16809, Non-destructive testing — Ultrasonic thickness measurement, for thickness gauging.

This payload is the third unit for the modular Elios 3 and broadens the variety of industries served by Elios drones for mapping, surveying, and nondestructive examination needs.

Precision Aerospace Group Expands Portfolio with Aerofab NDT

Precision Aerospace Group (PAG), Aventura, Fla., a provider of products and value-added services to the aerospace, defense, and space industries, has acquired Aerofab NDT, a Kent, Washington-based company that engineers bespoke nondestructive examination tools to safeguard the integrity of aerospace components.

Aerofab NDT brings to PAG more than 50 years of expertise and a global customer base. It also comes with a comprehensive catalog of reference standards, eddy current probes, and ultrasonic transducers.

“This acquisition represents a significant milestone in our evolution, propelling us closer to expanding operations into fast-growing segments of the market,” said Maynard Hellman, Precision Aerospace Group chair. “Aerofab NDT’s expertise and reputation align seamlessly with our vision, and we look forward to leveraging this partnership for strong growth outcomes.”