Guides
NDT certification, explained without the jargon.
Plain-English guides to the nondestructive testing personnel standards — NAS410, SNT-TC-1A, CP-189 and the rest — and to running a program where every certification stays current and every record is ready for the auditor.
The standards
What each personnel qualification scheme asks of you, in plain English, with the clause to check in your own copy.
NAS410, SNT-TC-1A, CP-189 and ISO 9712 compared
How the four main nondestructive testing (NDT) personnel certification schemes differ: who certifies, the levels and their numerals, exams, vision checks and how long a certification lasts.
8 min readRead the guideSNT-TC-1A explained: the written practice, the levels and the hours
A plain-English guide to ASNT's SNT-TC-1A for nondestructive testing (NDT) personnel: the employer's written practice, Levels I, II and III, training and experience, exams, vision and the five-year recertification.
9 min readRead the guideANSI/ASNT CP-189: the standard, not the recommended practice
What makes ANSI/ASNT CP-189 different from SNT-TC-1A for nondestructive testing (NDT) personnel, where contracts invoke it, and what a CP-189 program has to keep on file.
5 min readRead the guideNAS410 explained: aerospace NDT certification, Levels 1 to 3
A plain-English guide to NAS410 for aerospace nondestructive testing (NDT): the Responsible Level 3, Levels 1, 2 and 3, training and experience minimums, exams, vision, recertification and the records to keep.
10 min readRead the guideRunning your program
The day-to-day of running a certification program: tracking, exams, the written practice and the records around them.
How to track NDT certifications without a spreadsheet
What "current" really means for a nondestructive testing (NDT) technician, why spreadsheets miss it, and how to track every method, level, vision exam and recertification date so nothing lapses before an audit.
6 min readRead the guideRunning NDT certification exams: written, practical and proctored
How nondestructive testing (NDT) certification exams work under SNT-TC-1A and NAS410: general, specific and practical exams, question counts, grading, who may examine, retakes and records.
6 min readRead the guideWriting and maintaining an NDT written practice
What a nondestructive testing (NDT) written practice has to cover under SNT-TC-1A and NAS410, how to approve and revise it, and how to keep it and your certification records telling the same story.
6 min readRead the guideThe guides summarise published standards in our own words and quote none of them; check every figure against your own licensed copy. Standards bodies are named for reference only — TRACE is not affiliated with, endorsed by or accredited by ASNT, the Aerospace Industries Association, ISO, ASME, ABS, NAVSEA, PRI and the Nadcap program, the NRC, the FAA or any other organization whose documents they describe.
Put it into practice.
TRACE keeps every technician's certifications, vision exams and recertification dates in one place, and tells you before anything lapses.