Non-destructive testing or NDT allows you to inspect and collect data about a certain material without damaging it. There are many inspection methods that are used under this testing category. The field of NDT encompasses inspection tools, methods and any type of non-destructive inspections.
In commercial applications, NDT ensures the maintenance of critical infrastructure to prevent future accidents or failure. These methods are also used in many industrial instances such as pinpointing weak points in oil refinery boilers. Special tools are not necessarily required for NDT methods as visual inspection also falls into this category. For example, the exterior of a pressure vessel in an industrial setting can be visually examined in order to get an idea of its condition. For deeper knowledge, you can use a special tool such as an ultrasonic sensor. Non-intrusiveness of the method is the common factor. There are many reasons why NDT is used in so many industries. You can save money and resources as you are not destroying the material you are testing. And many of these testing methods excluding radiographic testing are harmless to people so it is a relatively safe procedure. You can also evaluate your assets quickly and efficiently which helps carry out routine testing easily to keep up performance of the site. NDT methods are accurate and predictable so you can definitely use these methods to ensure the equipment at site is preserved for a long time.
NDT is used in many industries such as power generation, chemicals, mining, automotive, aerospace, oil and gas. There is a specified frequency at which mining equipment is to be stated. There are many companies that carry out mining and civil integrity testing. You will need to select a company that has a good reputation in the industry to ensure your mining operations are safe. There are different testing purposes and you may need to carry out NDT testing every six months or once within a period of years depending on the machinery. Not testing machinery routinely according to what is mandated by government or state regulations will increase the risk of equipment malfunction and damage. This can also cause injuries and fatalities to the staff members and mining operations can incur delays in production and costs due to repairs or replacements of machinery. There are also legal repercussions that will be included if you fail to test mining equipment.
A common NDT method in mining is automated ultrasonic testing. This uses a motorised inspection system. This scanner will manipulate and track the position of probes to inspect welding and also detect corrosion in hard to reach areas. This is a very dependable method and has a higher chance of detecting errors. And it will save you time as well as there is no need to disassemble equipment. The scanner can penetrate the internal structures without disassembly. Magnetic particle testing is another method and it detects discontinuities closer to the surface of a subject material by using magnetic fields. The magnetic field can be induced whether directly or indirectly which allows the operator to identify whether there are any leakages in the magnetic flux. This points towards surface discontinuities. This is a cheaper method compared to radiography.
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