Nondestructive Testing: NDT Jobs, Methods & Salary
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”15px” global_colors_info=”{}”]Published on June 15th, 2022
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https://www.codesteelacademies.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/NDT-at-work.jpg” title_text=”NDT at work” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|700|||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”1px||1px||false|false” custom_padding=”||21px|||” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”]Nondestructive technicians are critical to the continued safety and success of nearly every industry. While their careers can be incredibly fulfilling, they also tend to earn extremely attractive salaries.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”15px” global_colors_info=”{}”]Because NDT is present in so many industries, it has become one of the fastest-growing jobs and is expected to become a $34.1 billion industry by 2030. Today we’ll explore nondestructive testing jobs and find out just how much these technicians can end up making.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Rubik|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”35px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||8px|||” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”fade” header_2_font_size_tablet=”” header_2_font_size_phone=”36px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]What Is Nondestructive Testing?
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https://www.codesteelacademies.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Code-Steel-Academies-Radiographic-Inspection.jpg” title_text=”Code Steel Academies Radiographic Inspection” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”15px” global_colors_info=”{}”]Nondestructive testing, or NDT, is a category of wide-ranging inspection techniques used by many industries to evaluate the integrity and safety of products, components, infrastructure, or systems without damaging or compromising the subject in the process. These techniques are sometimes referred to as nondestructive evaluation/examination, NDE, nondestructive inspection, or NDI. These techniques save businesses ample time and money by allowing for quick analysis and repair of their most vital equipment without interrupting their day-to-day operations.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Rubik|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”35px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||8px|||” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”fade” header_2_font_size_tablet=”” header_2_font_size_phone=”36px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]What Industries hire Nondestructive Technicians?
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https://www.codesteelacademies.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Code-Steel-Academies-Industrial-building.jpg” title_text=”Code Steel Academies Industrial building” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”15px” global_colors_info=”{}”]Every company involved in scientific and infrastructure industries relies on NDT technicians to maintain their licenses and keep their businesses running safely at peak efficiency. Nondestructive technicians are commonly used in forensic, mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering and are also vital to petroleum, systems, and aeronautical engineering. Additionally, innovations achieved by NDTs have had far-reaching positive consequences in the medical field and in particular on medical imaging techniques like x-rays, echocardiography, ultrasonography, and digital radiography.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Rubik|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”35px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||8px|||” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”fade” header_2_font_size_tablet=”” header_2_font_size_phone=”36px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]What are the most common techniques used by an NDT?
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https://www.codesteelacademies.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/NDT-Remote-Visual-Inspection.jpg” title_text=”NDT Remote Visual Inspection” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”15px” global_colors_info=”{}”]While technicians rely on a variety of testing methods to assess a variety of structural and operational materials, the following techniques are some of the most commonly used.
Visual Testing: This technique relies on the technician’s raw senses of vision, hearing, touch, and smell to assess the quality and capture data for analysis on a wide range of critical infrastructure. Methods that harness the use of specialized equipment like ultrasonic, x-ray, or others do not fall in this category.
Liquid Penetrant Testing: Also known as Dye Penetrant Inspection, is a widely applied and low-cost inspection method used to check surface-breaking defects in all non-porous materials (metals, plastics, or ceramics). Technicians use this technique to detect casting, forging, and welding surface defects such as hairline cracks, surface porosity, leaks in new products, and fatigue cracks on in-service components.
Ultrasonic Testing: While there are many subtypes of this technique, they are all based on using acoustics, or ultrasonic sound waves, to test an object or material for internal flaws or simply to characterize it. Often, this technique is used on steel and other metals and alloys across a variety of industries like construction, manufacturing, aerospace, and automotive.
Eddy-Current Testing: Eddy current testing is an NDT method that uses the principle of electromagnetism in conductive materials such as metallic plates, sheets, tubes, rods, and bars to detect and size material discontinuities during manufacturing or in-service. It is applied across a variety of sectors such as nuclear, aerospace, power generation, petrochemical, and manufacturing industries. Monitoring the changes in the measured current allows technicians to detect very small flaws, defects, or material property variations. The surfaces need minimal preparation, but the technique itself can assess physically complex geometries and investigate them.
Magnetic-Particle Testing: This is a process technicians use to detect surface and shallow subsurface defects in materials such as iron, nickel, cobalt, and their other related alloys. The process places a magnetic field into the part which can then be magnetized via direct or indirect magnetization. If a defect exists, it allows the magnetic flux to leak, since air cannot support as much magnetic field per unit volume as metals. These defects are then evaluated to determine their nature, cause, and actions necessary to correct them.
Radiographic Testing: This technique uses ionizing radiation to inspect materials and components to locate defects and degradations that lead to the failure of engineered products and structures. This technique requires the use of x-rays, gamma rays, and sometimes neutrons. After crossing the specimen, photons are captured by a detector that can examine the object in 2D, 3D, and even 4D. Particular techniques such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and several other ones complete the range of tools that can be used in industrial radiography. These inspection techniques can be either portable or stationary.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Rubik|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”35px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||8px|||” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”fade” header_2_font_size_tablet=”” header_2_font_size_phone=”36px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]How much do NDTs make?
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https://www.codesteelacademies.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/NDT-Equipment.jpg” title_text=”NDT Equipment” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”15px” global_colors_info=”{}”]One of the single most important factors for assessing the average salaries of new nondestructive technicians is the level of certification they acquire before entering the workforce. There are three levels of NDT certifications, I, II, and III. Employers base their salaries on a technician’s level of certification because acquiring each level means that the technician has been able to demonstrate competency in skillsets, equipment, and overall abilities. For instance, while the annual salary for a Level I NDT ranges between $40,000 to $55,000, Level II Technicians can earn a baseline of around $70,000 and, through continued effort and certifications, can end up earning around $85,000 annually. Becoming a Level III technician may mean a lot of struggling through tests and continued education but the investment is well worth the award. Level III technicians have annual salaries starting at $100,000 or more and, with the right type of experience, these technicians can end up earning up to $150,000 a year.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”15px” global_colors_info=”{}”]NDT technicians play a critical role in a variety of industries, providing them with lots of job prospects and great financial growth opportunities. The best way to increase your value in this field is to focus on developing or nurturing a passion for continued learning. At Code Steel Academies, we offer NDT certifications in Levels I, II, and III through comprehensive courses or via flexible individual seminars. Our instructors have decades of industry experience which, when coupled with our Direct Path Program ™, means your future career is just a few clicks away.
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