NDT Level III consulting
NDT documentation requirements
An NDT programme is judged on paper as much as on the weld. Codes, clients and auditors expect a set of documents that shows who was qualified to do the work, to which procedure, with which equipment, and what they found. Atlantis writes, reviews and organises that document set so it stands up when someone asks for it.
Document topics
Detailed pages on the documents that cause the most trouble.
Written practice
The document every SNT-TC-1A certification rests on.
ExploreNDT procedures and technique sheets
Procedures written to the governing code, approved by a Level III.
ExploreProcedure qualification by demonstration
Flawed blocks and qualification records where a code or client asks for them.
ExploreNDT report validation
Independent review of issued reports against the procedure and acceptance criteria.
ExploreWhat an outside Level III can sign
Which documents an outside Level III may approve, and which the employer must.
ExploreWhen your Level III leaves
Which documents stop and which continue when a Level III resigns.
ExploreThe document set and who owns it
| Document | What it shows | Who signs or owns it |
|---|---|---|
| Written practice | How personnel are trained, examined and certified | The employer; reviewed and approved by the Level III |
| Personnel certification records | Training and experience hours, examination results, vision, certification letter | The employer |
| NDT procedures | Method, technique, code edition and acceptance criteria | Approved by the Level III |
| Technique sheets and scan plans | Settings for a specific part, weld or geometry | Level II or Level III, as the written practice states |
| Equipment calibration and verification records | Instruments, probes, reference blocks and image quality indicators, with due dates | The employer |
| Procedure demonstration records | Evidence that a technique finds what it must, where a code or client requires it | The Level III |
| Inspection reports | What was examined, coverage and limitations, indications and their disposition | The Level II who performed or interpreted the examination |
| Audit and corrective action records | Internal audit findings and their closure | The quality function |
Where documents usually fail
- Procedures that cite a superseded code edition or a code the contract does not use.
- Encoded PAUT, TOFD or corrosion mapping work with no technique sheet or scan plan.
- Reports that give readings but no coverage, limitations or acceptance criteria.
- Calibration certificates that cannot be traced to the instrument or block used.
- Certification letters that do not state the method, level and expiry date.
- Records not kept for the period the code, contract or regulator requires.
Retention
How long records are kept is set by the governing code, the contract or the regulator, and the written practice should state it. Personnel certification records, including examination papers and answer keys, are worth keeping beyond the certification period, because reports signed by that person may be audited long after.
Free templates and checklists
Who does the work
Consulting is led by ASNT NDT Level III personnel. Our founder holds ASNT NDT Level III in UT, RT, MT, PT and VT, with more than eleven years of international NDT field experience. Aerospace work that needs a NAS 410 Level 3 is led through our associate who holds NAS 410 Level 3.
A Level III signs only within the methods they are certified in. Where a scope needs another method or scheme, the proposal names who will cover it before work starts. Under SNT-TC-1A the certifying authority always remains the employer; an outside Level III writes and approves the technical documents, prepares and grades examinations and signs in the capacity the written practice assigns.
Governing codes and standards
- ASNT SNT-TC-1A, ANSI/ASNT CP-189 or ISO 9712
- ASME Section V
- AWS D1.1
- API 510, API 570 and API 653
- ISO 9001 clause 7.5 (documented information)
What you receive
- Document register for the NDT programme
- Reviewed or rewritten procedures
- Templates for technique sheets, reports and calibration logs
- Retention schedule
Frequently asked questions
Who must approve an NDT procedure?
Under SNT-TC-1A the Level III is responsible for establishing and approving techniques and procedures. The written practice and the referencing code can add requirements, such as demonstrating the procedure on a qualification block.
How long should NDT records be kept?
As long as the governing code, contract or regulator requires, and the written practice should say so. Certification records are usually kept well beyond the certification period, because reports signed by that person may be audited later.
Talk to an ASNT Level III
Tell us what the audit, the client or the code is asking for, and by when. We reply within one business day.
Request a consultationRequest a Level III consultation
Tell us what the audit, the client or the code is asking for, the methods and sites involved, and your dates. We reply within one business day.
Send your enquirySpeak to an ASNT NDT Level III
Atlantis NDT provides ASNT Level III consulting, NDT training to ASNT SNT-TC-1A, inspection management software and independent report validation. Request a free consultation and we will return a tailored quote — affordable, accessible and fully customizable to your programme.