- We tend to take the appliances and devices we use for granted. People expect to be able to turn on the TV, or use a laptop, without getting an electric shock, or having the lid snap shut on their fingers. The fact is that all of these things that we use every day have to be tested. Much of this testing is done using the latest NDT equipment. Using this equipment, the testers make sure that products are safe to be used by anyone who purchases them.
- Chances are that you are not familiar with non-destructive testing (NDT). The aim of this article is to explain what NDT is. We are also going to take a look at why developments in NDT have made the world around us a safer place.
What happens during NDT?
Historically, it was often necessary to take electronic equipment apart to make sure that the components were working as they should. It was also necessary to damage structures in order to take a look at what was happening behind them. Obviously, this was not ideal, but it was necessary, especially from a safety point of view.
As we all know, technology has developed at an astonishing pace over recent years, and it continues to do so. It’s these developments that have led to the availability of the NDT equipment that we have today; equipment that enables devices, structures and appliances to be examined without the need for any invasion or destruction. Procedures such as magnetic testing, ultrasound and x-ray, are used instead.
How all of this makes the world a safer place?
When people turn on their laptop, or communicate using social media, using a smartphone, they expect to be safe when they do so. This safety is enabled using NDT. There are occasional problems, but these are usually resolved by the use of further testing. Generally, we are all a lot safer because NDT equipment is available.
Usually, we do not even consider the safety of using day to day items, which tells you how safe they are. Using NDT testing also makes things a lot easier for product manufacturers, as well as other professionals, such as surveyors. They do not have to take apart items, or make holes in walls, to check safety and get the full picture. They can use imaging and scanning instead.
Hopefully, you are now aware of what NDT is, and how useful it can be. The items that we use on a regular basis can be tested by manufacturers, without the need to undermine their performance or structure, by testing invasively. Devices and appliances can remain intact while safety is established. NDT is not something that we see happening but it’s something that happens twenty-four hours a day, all over the world. It’s also something that enables all of us to remain safe when we use all of those items that we take for granted.