Possible Pathways from NDT Level II to NDT Level III

by Robert Henchar

Author’s Note

• For this article, the reference to level of certification will be per ASNT Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A (NDT Level I, II, or III). If your qualification requirements are in accordance with NAS 410 – National Aerospace Standard Certification & Qualification of Nondestructive Test Personnel the applicable level of certification would be indicated as Level 1, 2, or 3.
• The intended audience of this article are those aspiring to be a successful Level III, or a company’s management in need of a Level III willing to “grow their own.”
• I would encourage companies to sponsor candidates for ASNT NDT Level III certification by paying for their testing. I’ve found the loyalty demonstrated by the employer is most often “repaid” with a long-term employee, provided the employer recognizes the value of an ASNT NDT Level III in today’s employment market.
• For NAS 410 certification, the ASNT NDT Level III certification is not required, although it may be accepted as satisfactory evidence of a General examination, if defined as such in an employer’s written practice.
• As indicated within this article, not all steps within the lists provided are applicable to all candidates; the quality manager, mentor, etc., needs to build their own pathway, which may be put into a project timeline spreadsheet, for example.
• The mentor should be a qualified/certified Level III—one who understands the role of the Level III for the employer.

Introduction

Over the past 13+ years of Level III consulting, probably the most common questions I’m asked are:

• How does a Level II progress to a Level III?
• What are the needed skills/competencies?
• What subject matter does an individual need to study?

The answers are complex, as not one answer fits all Level III opportunities. What will the individual’s role be as a Level III for the employer? What is the individual’s educational background? What type of manufacturing experience do they have, or need to have? Are they knowledgeable in wrought materials, castings, forgings, and additive manufacturing materials? What “soft skills” are needed to fit the Level III role? Is the role more administrative, more hands-on, or both?

A Level III is usually an individual who is a “go to” person at the company, and the expectations are high. The Level III needs to be prepared—when you accept the role of a Level III, you’ll be challenged from day one. The more prepared you are, the more success you’ll have within the organization, gaining the trust of your peers.

First-hand experiences within all supporting departments of an organization will allow the Level III to be more responsive to internal/external customers.

The roles and responsibilities of a Level III vary greatly from employer to employer and from industry to industry. While an individual may have been successful at Company A, they may need additional skills to be successful at Company B.

The intent of this article is to provide a general pathway from Level II to a Level III. The identified steps within the pathway contain recommended training and skills development during the time requirement from Level II to Level III, regardless of which certification standard is flowed down by your customer base. The timeframe for this journey should be over a period of months and perhaps years, not days or weeks. Both certification documents—SNT-TC-1A and NAS 410—indicate timeframes after Level II certification prior to Level III certification, based on the candidate’s educational background; it is during this time that the skills identified in the lists should be developed. There may be more skills you will want to add, and there may be some skills that need not be further explored. For example, if you are already well-versed in Microsoft Excel and Word, you can skip those steps. I highly encourage you to adapt these steps to your own pathway to success.

These lists outline a “should,” not a “shall” pathway. The elements addressed herein should be developed in conjunction with a mentor, such as a supervisor, current Level III, Responsible Level III, or your human resources (HR) representative. It must be stressed that becoming a successful NDT Level III requires far more than meeting the technical requirements (although make no mistake, successfully passing a Level III method examination is an accomplishment to be celebrated). The skillsets addressed herein will help a Level III candidate meet the expectations of an NDT Level III, developing into an NDT professional, prepared to represent the company and lead a team of NDT technicians from day one.

Guiding the individual along the pathway to a Level III should be the essential core values of any NDT professional, such as honesty; integrity; leadership; responsibility; treating people with respect, dignity, and fairness; personal and team safety; teamwork; and a commitment to excellence. Core values are not only key for an NDT Level III, but will also ensure success in all of life’s endeavors.

Pathway to Level III

Let’s get started on the journey from Level II to Level III. Use training resources applicable to the method(s) of inspection. Use internal quality documents specific to your company. Copy these lists into your own documents and adapt as needed; when applicable, hyperlink training resources within the lists for ease of use.

Each step along the way should be verified/witnessed by the mentor. Remember, not every “step” along this path will be necessary. As previously mentioned, we all come from different backgrounds, with different experiences in life. Not all steps mentioned herein are applicable to all Level III candidates.

Pathway from Level II to Level III

The following lists represent categories of knowledge to be acquired on the pathway from Level II to Level III. All activities should take place under the guidance of a mentor.

Technical Study Material

• ASNT Nondestructive Testing Handbook (applicable method)
• ASNT Level III Study Guide
• ASNT Questions & Answers Books
• Materials & Processes for NDT Technology
• Personnel requirements: NAS 410 and/or SNT-TC-1A

Internal Auditing

• Assist with an internal audit using a method-applicable checklist, such as Nadcap AC7114/X.
• Lead an internal audit using a method-applicable checklist, such as Nadcap AC7114/X.
• Assist in writing audit report, NCRs, and/or opportunities for improvement.
• Write the audit report, including NCRs and opportunities for improvement.

Nonconforming Report (NCR); Corrective Action

• Assist and/or lead an NCR team investigation.
• Engage in a root cause corrective action (RCCA) training course.

Base Documents for Review

• Most industry specifications are based on the method-applicable ASTM Standard Practice. Read, then reread the applicable base document(s): ASTM E709, ASTM E1417, ASTM E1444, ASTM E1742, ASTM E3024, etc.
• Thoroughly review and be familiar with the company’s specifications and procedures (if applicable).

Quality Systems

• Review the applicable quality systems requirements, such as AS9100D, ISO 9001:2015, ASME BPV-GUI-01, etc.

Walk in the Shoes of the Customer Service (CS) Department

• Fulfill the role of the CS department for a minimum of 8 hours.
• Log in incoming material/receipt inspection.
• Prepare product for shipment.
• Review customer complaint logs.
• Review on-time delivery (OTD) metric; how does NDT affect OTD?

Walk in the Shoes of the Contract Review (CR) Department

• Fulfill the role of the CR department for a minimum of 8 hours.
• Review blueprints (B/P)and purchase orders (PO) for prime approvals, specifications, lead time, etc.
• Review orders for release to the floor.
• Review your customer’s quality scorecard, if applicable.
• Review NCR/escape records due to contract review.

Equipment Standardizations

• Review NDT equipment standardization requirements.
• Review POs for flow down of standardization requirements.
• Review of equipment standardization certifications: what to look for?
• Perform in-house standardizations to the requirements.

NDT Material Procurement

• Review NDT material certification requirements.
• Review POs for material specification requirements.
• Review of material calibration certs: what to look for?

Drawing (B/P) Interpretation

• Attend a class on B/P interpretation. Many community colleges have offerings.
• Review welding symbols.
• Review surface finishes.
• Interpreting dimensional requirements.

Microsoft Word Computer Training

• Introduction to Word
• Intermediate training for Word

Microsoft Excel Computer Training

• Introduction to Excel
• Intermediate training for Excel

Microsoft Outlook Computer Training

• Introduction to Outlook
• Intermediate training for Outlook

Procedure Development

• Attend a technical writing class at a community college.
• Write a part-specific process procedure in accordance with your quality requirements with the following elements, as applicable: scope, purpose, references, personnel qualifications and certifications, materials and equipment, safety, process parameters, calibration and process controls, acceptance criteria, documentation requirements, part marking, records, and procedure approval.

Technique Approval Process

• Develop a part-specific technique and submit to the method Level III and/or customer for approval. The approval process ensures that all technical aspects of the processing standard have been met.
• Review a completed technique from supplier, if applicable, and/or provide comment for approval or nonapproval. Review with the method Level III and/or mentor.

Examination Questions

• Review A Guide for Developing NDT Certification Examinations.
• Write 10 examples of method-applicable general questions without using true/false or similar intent answers.
• Write 10 examples of method-applicable specific open-book questions that require thought, rather than look-up questions, without using true/false or similar intent answers, unless accompanied by “why.”
• Develop a minimum 10-point practical examination checklist; method applicable.

Personnel Performance Reviews

• In accordance with the quality requirements, perform random personnel performance audits as directed by the method Level III.

Interpersonal Skills

• Many community colleges offer adult education courses, and numerous resources may be available from local libraries regarding leadership and building relationships.
• Develop verbal, written, and supervisory skills, such as conflict resolution. Work with your HR department for guidelines.
• Another great resource to develop interpersonal skills are the many offerings from Dale Carnegie.

NDT Industry Engagement

• Be a professional; get engaged! Check out local and national opportunities with ASNT, Nadcap, ASTM, American Welding Society, American Foundry Society, and/or American Society for Quality.
• Attend a local or national industry-applicable conference or seminar.

Quoting

• Where applicable, assist with quoting time and materials for new opportunities.

Instructing/Training

• Engage with trainees and Level Is with on-the-job training; take responsibility for sign-off of OJT hours.
• Assist with instructing a method-applicable classroom theory course.
• Instructing and training often requires the use of Microsoft PowerPoint; develop introductory and intermediate PowerPoint skills.

NDT Equipment

• Review with appropriate personnel and method Level III NDT equipment preventive maintenance (PM). If a PM program has not been developed, this is an opportunity for improvement to implement one.
• Know how to communicate with the applicable NDT equipment emergency contact(s), such as electrical, plumbing, mechanical, etc.

Safety and EPA

• Review all safety, regulatory, and EPA requirements associated with the method (for example, state radiation regulations, disposal of waste and chemicals, noise levels, etc.)

Leadership

• There are numerous elements that are essential to being a leader; consult with the manager or HR representative for guidance.
• Research successful industry leaders; read at least two biographies on their success story.
• Who do you view as leaders in your life, and why?

Be a Professional

• Demonstrate passion about your career as a professional NDT Level III: Live it! Commit to it! Always exude a positive attitude!
• Remember where you came from and mentor the next generation of NDT professionals.
• Core values: What are yours? Let them guide you in your journey to a Level III professional.

Conclusion

These are only a guideline to help prepare an individual for the challenging role of an incoming Level III. There are undoubtedly more steps that can be added to meet the needs of any one specific employer’s opportunity. The journey toward becoming a Level III is an opportunity for continual personal growth, providing a lifetime of financial security. As well, there’s a lifetime of rewarding experiences ahead of you as an NDT Level III. Make it happen!

_______

Robert Henchar, ASNT NDT Level III (PT, MT, and RT)/NAS 410 Level 3 (PT and MT), Quality Manager at Milan Tool Corp., Cleveland, OH; R.HencharL3services@gmail.com

The technical study materials mentioned in this article can be purchased from the ASNT Store.