Pipes expertly welded together

A global provider of industrial services to the oil and gas industry had experienced some complicating setbacks involving its own Gulf Coast NDT Services team and one of its largest customers: a leading engineering, procurement, and construction company. On multiple occasions, the service provider’s NDT team had failed to pass its customer’s rigorous automated ultrasonic testing (AUT) performance demonstration trials in order to qualify its NDT personnel and inspection protocols. As a result, the service provider faced the prospect of losing its approved vendor status with its customer—putting at risk future major projects and millions of dollars in future revenue.

Leaders of the service provider’s NDT team (a.k.a., the client) approached Sound NDT Solutions (SNS) and Top Notch EDM Services (TNE) to discuss a comprehensive training and support solution that would meet the construction company’s demanding project specifications and NDT performance demonstration qualification process.

Our subject-matter experts (SMEs) met with the client's leadership team and proposed a package of goods and services that would fill the gaps in their existing examination procedures and testing samples, and equip their NDT personnel to meet the construction company’s needs. The full suite of deliverables included:

  • Training in advanced ultrasonic testing for the client’s NDT personnel, conducted onsite at the SNS/TNE facility
  • Access to SNS training center and TNE machining resources, with SME support
  • A full complement of AUT welded flaw samples and calibration blocks from 1.5"–5” T
  • Development, training, and support for performance demonstration and procedure validation
  • Application-specific procedures for advanced PAUT, TOFD, and AUT techniques, as specified by the construction company
  • Custom applications for advanced UT of exotic and heavy wall materials and weldments (e.g., austenitic steels, dissimilar metal welds, duplex materials, and corrosion resistant alloys)
  • Intensive training on SNS’s specialized automated UT scanners
  • Post-training qualification testing of client’s NDT personnel, including general, specific (code), and practical (hands-on) examinations
  • Full support during performance demonstration qualification process

 

PDQ blocks standing in a row

To meet the client’s imminent project requirements, we needed to begin delivering the program immediately and demonstrate compliance within three months. Fabrication of AUT blocks and samples by TNE commenced at once. SNS’s Level III SMEs personally met and interviewed the client’s NDT team, ultimately selecting five technicians to receive advanced AUT training.

TNE delivered the AUT calibration standards and welded performance demonstration blocks within the first month, and SNS completed the full program of personnel training and development within the 90-day time frame. The client’s technicians were subsequently tested by the construction company’s quality assurance team, using the training, equipment, and procedures we had designed and developed for them. All five candidates successfully passed the qualification on time, allowing our client to retain its status as an approved vendor with its customer and enjoy uninterrupted access to major project opportunities.