Feature

What’s in a Name? NDT Training and

Levels of Qualification
ver the years, ASNT has received had) and they also had to pass certain writ- holding those certificates are called “ASNT

O many questions regarding person-

nel who claim to be “ASNT certi-
fied” and about training courses that ad-
ten examinations. These Level III personnel
are commonly called “NDT Level IIIs,”
and have been certified in accordance with
NDT Level IIIs” to differentiate them from
those personnel who took and passed em-
ployer examinations.
vertise that they provide “ASNT training.” Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A. What, then, is the problem? It is simple:
Because of the evident confusion over the since ASNT publishes Recommended Practice
use of the ASNT name, this article will at- No. SNT-TC-1A, many employers mistaken-
tempt to clarify who may be called what
with regard to NDT certification and what
courses may be claimed as providing
Only those who have ly assume that personnel whom they have
certified under SNT-TC-1A are “ASNT cer-
tified,” when in fact they have been certified
“ASNT training.” passed examinations “in accordance with SNT-TC-1A.” Only
To set the stage for these differentia- personnel who have sat for and passed the
tions, a bit of historical background will be administered by ASNT examinations developed and administered
helpful. In 1968, the Society published the by ASNT and have received ASNT certifi-
first edition of the Recommended Practice No. may be considered cates may call themselves “ASNT certi-
SNT-TC-1A. This document was devel- fied.” This is a point of contention for
oped to provide guidelines for employers ASNT certified. ASNT because the use of the letters
to use to set up their own NDT certification “ASNT” by non-ASNT certified personnel
programs and listed three levels of qualifi- is not only a misrepresentation of how that
cation: Level I, Level II and Level III. (As an person was certified, but is also a violation
historical sidebar, the document name, of ASNT’s trademark. Because ASNT ex-
which is now a household word among aminations exceed the minimum recom-
NDT personnel, derives from the fact that However, an alternate method of quali- mended guidelines for examinations as
ASNT was then “SNT,” and the number of fication was permitted in paragraph 8.3.4, listed in SNT-TC-1A, ASNT is very particu-
the Technical Committee (TC) that devel- which allowed an employer to appoint a lar about this issue.
oped the document was “1A” — hence the person as a Level III based on documenta- To summarize, personnel certified by
name SNT-TC-1A.) tion of that person’s demonstrated ability, their employer are said to be certified “in
In the initial document, personnel wish- achievement, experience and education. accordance with Recommended Practice No.
ing to certify to Levels I or II were required While this paragraph was dropped from SNT-TC-1A.” Being employer based, these
to satisfy three recommended requirements: SNT-TC-1A in the 1988 and all subsequent personnel are NDT Level Is, IIs and IIIs and
a number of training hours in the applicable editions, there are still personnel in indus- have often been called “corporate” Level Is,
test method; an amount of experience time try who were appointed to Level III with- IIs or IIIs. If the Level III did not examine to
using that method; and having passed cer- out examination; under the guidelines of that Level, they are commonly called “ap-
tain written and practical examinations re- SNT-TC-1A editions prior to 1988, this was pointed” Level IIIs to distinguish that they
lated to the test method. Personnel so certi- permitted. have not gained certification through ex-
fied are said to be certified in accordance In 1977, ASNT inaugurated the ASNT amination. However, this is not a derogato-
with Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A. NDT Level III program, for which ASNT ry term, as appointment was permitted
For Level III status, personnel had to developed and administered its own writ- prior to 1988.
have documented a certain amount of time ten Level III examinations and began issu- Personnel who have taken and passed
as a Level II (that varied depending on the ing an ASNT certificate upon successful the ASNT NDT Level III examinations are
amount of formal education the candidate completion of those exams. Personnel called “ASNT NDT Level IIIs,” and those
who hold ASNT Central Certification Pro-
gram (ACCP) certificates are called “ACCP
Level IIs” or “ACCP Professional Level
What’s in a Name? IIIs,” depending on the level in question.
To ensure proper usage of NDT terminology, ASNT would like to remind readers that the Only those who have passed examinations
following terms should be used when referring to the certification status of NDT personnel. administered by ASNT may be considered
■ Personnel certified by examination by their employer (or through contracted examination ASNT certified.
agencies or training facilities other than ASNT) should be listed as being “certified in accor- With regard to NDT training, only
courses that have been developed by
dance with Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A.” In addition, employer certified Level IIIs
ASNT and are administered by ASNT or
may be called “Level IIIs.” an authorized representative may be called
■ Personnel certified by ASNT examination may be referred to as being “ASNT certified” and “ASNT training.” Courses by providers
may be called by the proper name “ASNT NDT Level III.” other than ASNT that have followed the
■ Personnel certified through the ASNT Central Certification Program (ACCP) may be said to recommended training course outlines
be “ASNT certified” or, more properly, to have been certified as an “ACCP Level II” or “ACCP found in the back of Recommended Practice
Professional Level III.” No. SNT-TC-1A may advertise that the
Adherence to these simple distinctions will reduce confusion in the industry. training is “in accordance with Recommend-
ed Practice No. SNT-TC-1A,” but may not
advertise it as “ASNT training.”
Ω

Materials Evaluation/March 2005