Aviation Maintenance: Back Shop: Tool Crib

More Good NDT Tools, Too Few Inspectors

There’s a worldwide shortage of nondestructive testing (NDT) inspectors in major industry segments — such as aerospace, petrochemical, nuclear, infrastructure and manufacturing — and speakers at the annual Quality Testing Show sponsored by the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) take the problem seriously. Having too few inspectors directly impacts the level of safe operations of equipment and facilities within these industries. During technical sessions at the late 2007 conference in Las Vegas, one speaker estimated that over the next three to five years in the U.S. and Europe, there will be 4,000 more inspection jobs at ASNT certification Levels I, II, III and above than people to fill those jobs. Another speaker suggested the gap worldwide may be as high as 6,000 inspectors needed.

Joseph Sorrentino, president and CEO of Lean Quality Systems in Dana Point, Calif., expressed his concern that the dearth of new inspectors and changes in the structure of today’s aerospace industry is causing "a loss of tribal wisdom" that has been essential to the integrity and high standards of performance in NDT inspection. "With many subcontractors providing airframe, parts, hardware and components and an OEM acting as the prime assembler, more automated manufacturing processes are used," Sorrentino says. "At the same time, there is less reverse training to help inspectors fully understand the manner in which manufacturing can create the origin of a defect or discontinuity. This spells the potential for disaster."

Attrition is taking its toll, with inspectors over age 55 retiring at a more rapid rate than younger, new hires are coming into the inspection field. This may be related to salary potential in part, says Hussein Sadek, president of Technologies Consulting International of Matthews, N.C. The aerospace industry doesn’t match the pay rates NDT inspectors receive in the petrochemical and nuclear industries, and Sadek ties this to the extremely high liability insurance aircraft carriers are paying.

His company’s client base is split evenly between aerospace and petroleum/manufacturing. These clients are receiving NDT inspector training to ASNT certification or hiring him as a contract inspector. "There are opportunities for NDT inspection in aerospace resulting from the need to maintain aging aircraft in both civil and military operation, and to meet new safety requirements," he says. "However, we’re in a bottom-line economy so everyone is looking for the cheapest answer to inspection that they can find." Sadek is a member of the NDT Management Association (NDTMA), and notes there was more interest from aerospace management attendees at this February’s annual NDTMA Conference. "Helping those managers see the value of NDT may be one answer to getting more effective inspection programs underway at their companies," Sadek notes.

Michael Serabian, president of Arlington, Mass.-based PQNDT, discussed the preliminary results of his company’s annual NDT salary and benefits survey. Since the survey was first published in 1999, wages for NDT inspectors in all industries have increased by 62 percent. Within the three ASNT certification levels, the survey tracks 12 different job positions, ranging from NDT technicians through sales and quality inspectors and managers, as well as scientists/engineers. Contract inspection services are also covered in the survey. Overall, the aerospace industry as represented in this survey offers full-time compensation between $49,000 and $89,000 among Level I through III certified inspectors, for an average annual compensation of $68,925.

Among the eight primary industries tracked in the PQNDT 2007 survey, aerospace showed the highest concentration of NDT Level III professionals. Further, 20 percent more Level I technicians were employed in this sector in 2007 compared to 2006, and despite a 5 percent decrease among the total number of Level II NDT technicians working in aerospace compared to 2006, full-time Level II wages increased by about 20 percent over 2006.

Concurrent to the Quality Testing Show technical sessions, suppliers exhibited the latest tools available for improving the accuracy of NDT inspections, from boroscopes and thickness gauges to array sensors, bond testers, flaw detectors and other feature-packed equipment for each of the inspection technologies. Those applicable to aerospace MRO include eddy current, ultrasonic, X-ray, magnetic particle, fluorescent penetrant, and laser shearography.

The PQNDT 2007 salary survey can be downloaded at www.pqndt.com. A sampling of the product diversity at the 2007 ASNT Fall Conference included:

Full Spectrum Ultrasonic NDT

Whether looking for flaws in thin aluminum or thick composites, the Masterscan series of digital, ultrasonic flaw detectors offer high near-surface resolution and amplification. This flexibility adds value for OEMs using multiple materials in aircraft. Made by Sonatest, the 350 and 380 detectors both feature 450-volt pulser activity and active edge transmitter capability, which drives the pulse on both the leading and trailing edge to enhance control and boost performance. Portability, ease of use and quick set up combine with a systems instrument design. Sonatest, 210-697-0335, www.sonatest.com

Thickness Gage Gets under Aircraft Skin

Thickness gauges using A and B scan ultrasonic waveforms may give incorrect readings if the gauge can’t distinguish or ignore the coating on thin-skin aluminum or a specific layer within a composite laminate. Danatronics’ hand-held EH-09 Color Wave gauge provides 50K thickness readings through a live, high-resolution waveform that changes color based on the thickness being measured. Echo-to-echo operation ignores coatings over aluminum or top plies when searching composite bonds or wall thickness for delaminations or foreign object damage. The vibration on alarm feature is helpful in a noisy environment, as are angle beam transducers for side view measurement capability, data logging of up to 5,000 scans and a compare function to previous readings, and onscreen calibration instructions. Danatronics, 978-777-0081, www.danatronics.com

Blue Light/White Light: Rework made Easier

To perform rework operations such as grinding, welding, or buffing, shop personnel using an ultraviolet (UV) light may only see an inspector’s mark of an area on a part that needs attention, but not the exact indication of a defect. The compact FL5000 inspection system from BlueLine NDT (including the high intensity light and yellow filter glasses) allows workers to use the highlight of fluorescence in daylight or with overhead shop "white" lighting, and provides equal or greater sensitivity than UV lighting. FL5000 inventor and president of BlueLine, Charles Mazel, reports that rework time can be cut in half using the light by reducing bounce back-between the inspection booth and the shop floor. "The job gets done better the first time when the rework personnel can see exactly what they are being asked to work on," he says. The company also offers the FPS-1 photography system, which Mazel calls an "out-of-the-box solution for in-house or FAA documentation of inspections." Preconfigured fluorescence exposure settings in the system’s camera means users don’t have to be photographers to take high-quality, instantaneous photos in most shop settings. Rechargeable batteries for both camera and flash, custom filters, and a rugged transit case are additional benefits. Unlike UV light inspection commonly specified and approved by multiple codes, the newer lighting system is proving useful in rework and pre-inspections and does meet some ASTM and ABS codes already. Several standards organizations, government agencies, and OEMs are now actively evaluating the new system. BlueLine NDT, 781-791-9511, www.bluelinendt.com

Videoscope Designed to go Anywhere

The Olympus IPLEX FX videoscope has impressive externals in its rugged magnesium alloy chassis and corner bumpers. At just 22 lbs, the system offers true flight line portability, along with a boroscope utilizing graduated coil flexibility to a diameter as small as 4 mm and with power-assisted scope tip precision articulation and SmartTip LED optical adapters. Ergonomically enhanced controls combine quick-access hot buttons, and dual recording buttons help capture inspection images for archiving and analysis. The 6.3-inch LCD works off XGA high resolution to display a sharp, color-rich look during every inspection. Olympus, 866-642-4725, www.olympusindustrial.com

Digital X-Ray Imager: Thin is in

At half an inch thick, the flat-panel foX-Rayzor amorphous silicon X-ray inspection system from Vidisco Ltd. has indeed optimized downsized design. Using digital radiography to provide near real-time images, the Rayzor and the larger format Flat foX-17 offer time and cost advantages compared to film-based or CR technology systems. This PC-based, battery-operated X-ray equipment, including the X-ray source, fits into a single suitcase and offers users cost-free images as well as infinite and immediate reshoots. With resolution to 3.5 lp/mm, the system runs for five hours on its lithium ion batteries. Vidisco Ltd., 011-97-235-33-3001, www.vidisco.com