In-Service Inspection Training and Certification

In general terms, inspection may be applied to three main sectors of industry: Manufacturing, Fabrication and In-Service.

The Manufacturing and Fabrication sectors have developed inspection regimes specific to their products. These products are in many ways repetitive, predictable and inspection procedures have been proven to be effective when applied by competent inspection personnel.

In-Service has not been subject to the same level of development and scrutiny. With ageing assets and capital investment at a premium, it is necessary to try and develop non-invasive inspection techniques to locate and quantify failure mechanisms at an early stage in order to manage and control the possible interruption to production and possibly safety and revenue.

By identifying the defined possible failure modes and mechanisms in a timely manner, it is then possible to re-schedule planned maintenance shutdown of plant to accommodate repair and if necessary replacement of components.

TWI recognises the importance of in-service inspection and the need for appropriate and relevant personnel training and certification, including Employer Specific Schemes in accordance with BS EN 473 and ISO 9712. Recent developments include:

• Specific training and certification in corrosion monitoring using manual ultrasonic techniques
• Training and CSWIP certification scheme for personnel inspecting drillstem components (rotary tool and drillpipe).

For more information, please contact: bill.brown@twi.co.uk