Non Destructive Testing, Structural Testing
Non- Destructive Testing | Ultrasonic Testing
NDT is a critical component, important in everyday life and is necessary to assure safety and reliability of structures at plants and facilities. Pipelines, bridges, trains, power stations, refineries, buildings, industrial chimneys, smokestacks, towers and oil platforms are all subject to wear & tear after years of use and exposure. Non destructive testing can be used to monitor the integrity of these structures to ensure they are safe and not posing a hazard.
Non destructive testing should be considered a quality assurance tool which provides impressive results when used correctly. Temperature excursions, wind loading, harsh weather conditions, extended operation, seismic occurrences and chemical attacks can all lead to deterioration of a structure.
Using rope access allows Industrial Access, Inc. the ability to perform NDT services for large or cumbersome structures that are hard to access due to height or sheer size.
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Services - Houston TX
In order to maximize on investments and reduce operating costs and maintenance expenses, adequate NDT and inspection by trained & certified technicians are essential on a regular basis for industrial structures like chimneys & stacks.
NDT methods improve the probability of detection(POD) of discontinuities in a structure over its useful operating life . The Rope Access Division of Industrial Access, Inc. in Houston TX locates these indicators and discontinuities that may cause failures or shut downs. The tests are performed in a manner that does not affect the future usefulness of the object or material, which is why they are considered non-destructive.
Our qualified technicians use NDT methods to establish baseline measurements to compare subsequent periodic readings of a structure’s characteristics, including material’s surface hardness, density, thickness and temperature. These details can support sound choices for future repair or replacement expenditures to keep maintenance budgets down and minimize emergency repair needs.
Types of Non-Destructive Testing Methods
There are a number of NDT methods that allow our crew to determine structural integrity:
- Laser Surveys - A laser beam is used to scan across the surface of a structure and reflects back to sensors that record the differences in the surface created by that stress. These measurements are compared to prior laser survey tests to identify differences.
- Ultrasonic Thickness Testing -This examination uses high-frequency sound waves which are transmitted into a material to detect discontinuities or locate changes in material characteristics.
- Hot Camera Inspections - allows technicians to view the inside of a chimney or stack while it is still online to identify and detect large deficiencies like damaged or missing brickwork and corroding or cracked liners.
- Schmidt Hammer Testing - Using a rebound hammer, our technician will estimate the strength of concrete based on surface hardness and resistance to penetration.
- Infrared Thermography - IR is used to measure surface temperatures based on the infrared radiation given off by an object as heat flows through, to or from that object. We use it to identify missing or damaged refractory holes or leaks and failing joints or expansion areas.
Since non-destructive tests are comparatively inexpensive, efficient, and require little to no facility outages, they have become a popular choice for testing structural integrity.