Industrial Plant NDT Methods

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With increasing quality and production demand globally, industries should constantly focus on quality improvement opportunities to gain a competitive edge. This means not only utilization of advanced manufacturing technology but also a constant lookout for flaws in machinery and products. Hence, the role of nondestructive testing (NDT) technologies becomes to identify these weaknesses or flaws in industrial settings that can damage product quality, productivity, and cost for the industry at large. 

With advanced NDT instruments and probes, accurate inspection and analysis of the material, industrial components, and products can be achieved. In addition, industrial plant NDT methods can foster improvement in performance and efficiency goals through quality control and regulatory compliance in industrial plants.

Inspection in Industrial Plants: NDT Methods Ensure Quality Control

Effective manufacturing requires regular inspection of industrial assets as well as manufactured components. NDT not only serves as a quality control measure but also fosters flaw detection at an early stage. In heavy manufacturing industries where large components may be manufactured, NDT supports the production environment by reducing waste, ensuring operational safety, and improving cost-efficiency.

Learn more about NDT for heavy manufacturing solutions. 

Similarly, in automotive industrial plants, NDT methods like ultrasonic testing (UT) and eddy current testing (ECT) can accurately and reliably inspect welds and composites in the components, helping to improve productivity and reduce downtime at all stages of production. 

Learn more about NDT in the automotive industry. 

Plants manufacturing pipes, tubes, and other steel components seek assessment for material integrity throughout the production process. NDT ensures this by examining material and welds for cracks, pores, laminations, inclusion, or other flaws in the production line.

Learn more about NDT for pipes, tubes, and steel products manufacturing.

Verifying Material Integrity Through NDT in Manufacturing

Carefully engineered machined parts and components can be key to precise manufacturing. To ensure these parts can be flaw-free, industrial plants generally look for inspection opportunities in forged, heat-treated, and machined components. This is applicable for many industries including automotive, pipes and tubes, or other heavy-duty manufacturing. 

Forged components go through extreme stress and temperature changes. During the process, the probability of occurrence of flaws like cracks or grains is high. Phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) and corrosion scanning methods can evaluate grain structure and identify parallel cracks and other inherent discontinuities even at greater subsurface depth with accuracy and precision. With volumetric scanning ability even along unconventional surfaces, a large amount of data can be analyzed to ensure product integrity.

Learn more about how ultrasonic testing of forging ensures heavy manufacturing product quality.

Many metallic components going forward in the production line face heat treatment to optimize their mechanical properties. However, the constant heating and cooling during the process can result in flaws and irregularities that can be difficult to detect visually. In industrial plants, the NDT method of ECT can monitor heat-treated components for potential cracks, void, inclusion, or other flaws. 

In the automotive industry, this can be done for components like gears, shafts, axles, and wheel bearings. With multi-frequency testing capabilities of ECT instruments, parts with improper heat treatment can be identified. This can help manufacturers to rule out flawed components and products to ensure safety and quality compliance. 

Read more about the use of eddy current testing for improper heat treatment testing in automotive manufacturing.

Quality assessment of fasteners or welds and metals or composites is an integral part of the NDT process in industrial plants. The combination of different material layers can make it difficult to identify voids, inclusions, and fractures developed between the layers. Similarly, weld flaws in irregular surfaces and complex geometries can also be difficult for technicians to spot. 

Especially in high-stake industries like automotive or aerospace, the flaws in final products can have serious consequences. With ECT and UT, manufacturers can ensure quality control through regular inspection of industrial components and products during each manufacturing process step. Timely detection can help industries reduce downtime while ensuring safety and quality. 

Learn more on how NDT provides inspection and quality control in manufacturing.

NDT Ensure Compliance To Industrial Standards

A wide range of industrial plants have been utilizing various NDT methods to ensure manufacturing quality control. However, ECT and UT have been the most prominent choice for their ability to detect surface and subsurface flaws accurately, perform volumetric inspections, and precisely analyze the data for different types of flaws. Zetec’s TOPAZ Phased Array Ultrasonic Instruments, NDT Paintbrush Scanner, Weld Crawler Scanner, as well as the MIZ-200 and InSite Eddy Current Instruments provide advanced solutions for the inspection of complex and critical components during the product manufacturing process. 

With the right NDT solution and effortless assessment, industrial plants can address flaws early and efficiently, ensure quality control and meet industry standards.

Zetec, with decades of experience, can help you find the right solution for industrial plant NDT. Contact Zetec to learn more about the best NDT method for you and discuss the custom inspection plans that match your needs.