NDT Technical Procedure Development

Method-specific NDT procedure writing for UT, PAUT, TOFD, RT, MT, PT, ET, VT, LT and AET — per ASME Section V, EN ISO, AWS, API and major client specifications. ASNT Level III + API AI signed. Accepted first-time at Aramco, ADNOC, Petronas, ONGC, KOC and KIPIC pre-qualifications.

A defective procedure means rework, rejected inspections, lost bids and — when the procedure is invoked on safety-critical equipment — real safety consequences. The most common audit findings on NDT procedures are: missing technique sheets, calibration that does not match the relevant ASME V Mandatory Appendix, acceptance criteria that conflict between code and client spec, personnel qualification gaps, and absence of procedure qualification where the code or client requires it.

Atlantis NDT writes procedures for every common NDT method — UT, PAUT, TOFD, RT (film, CR, DR), MT, PT, ET, VT, LT, AET — under every relevant code body. Each procedure is signed by an active ASNT Level III with the relevant method-specific certification, supported by technique sheets, calibration block specifications, PQRs where required, and a client-specific submission pack designed to clear review first-time.

60-minute scoping call — free, no obligation, NDA available. Bring your construction code, client spec and weld matrix — we will scope a procedure pack that clears review the first time.

What this page covers

Code-conformant procedures, audit-defensible the first time
Methods + codes covered
What you get
Methodology
ASNT Level III + API AI credentials
Industries served
Sample client outcomes
Engagement model
Frequently asked questions
Procedure due for a major bid?

Key points covered

Sectorial + linear scanning, weld inspection, encoded corrosion mapping
Audit-ready procedure document with scope, applicable codes, personnel, equipment, calibration, technique, acceptance criteria, reporting and records — structured to match ASME Section V Article 1 + the method-specific Article requirements.
Detailed technique sheets for each weld configuration, geometry or component type — wedge selection, frequency, beam angle, gain settings, scan pattern, calibration block, sensitivity reference, indication evaluation.
Specification + drawings for calibration blocks per the relevant code (ASME V Mandatory Appendix, IIW, ISO, ASTM, NAVSHIPS, etc.) — sourced from approved suppliers or fabricated to spec.
Procedure qualification record demonstrating that the procedure produces consistent, reproducible results on representative geometry — required for ASME V Article 4 Mandatory Appendix III PAUT and many TOFD/PAUT applications.
Examiner qualifications mapped to the procedure — visual acuity, method-specific training hours, examination scores, practical demonstrations on representative geometry.
Procedure submitted in the format the client expects — Aramco SAEP-1135 review pack, ADNOC AGES-SP-09-007 conformance matrix, ASME Section V cross-reference, EN compliance statement.
Where required, witnessed field-trial demonstration on representative weld coupons before procedure is released to production.
Component type, material, geometry, accessibility, applicable construction code (ASME B31.3, B31.4, B31.8, Section VIII, AWS D1.1, API 1104, etc.) and the client / regulator specification overlay are confirmed at kick-off.
Every ASME Section V clause invoked by the construction code is identified. Where the client requires a more rigorous reference (EN, ISO, API), the additional requirements are mapped.
For UT/PAUT/TOFD: wedge, frequency, element count, beam angle, scan pattern selected against representative geometry. For RT: source / kV, IQI sensitivity, film density or digital DDA selected. For MT/PT/ET/VT: equivalent technique decisions documented.
Reference blocks (IIW V1/V2, NAVSHIPS, custom side-drilled-hole blocks, etc.) specified or fabricated. Calibration procedure documented step-by-step.
Procedure document drafted to match ASME Section V Article 1 structure + method-specific Article requirements + client specification overlays. Reviewed by ASNT Level III.
Where required (PAUT, TOFD, advanced UT, in-service NDE), procedure qualified on representative weld coupons or production samples. PQR documented.
Procedure submitted to client / Authorized Inspector / Notified Body. We support review-comment resolution until acceptance.
ASNT Level III in UT, RT, MT, PT, VT, ET, LT, AET — every method we write procedures for
API 510 / 570 / 653 Authorized Inspector credentials — to sign in-service inspection procedures
AWS CWI (Certified Welding Inspector) for weld-specific procedures invoking AWS D1.1 / D1.5
CSWIP 3.1 / 3.2 / PCN / ISO 9712 third-party Level III for clients requiring international certification
100+ procedures written and accepted by Aramco, ADNOC, KOC, KIPIC, Petronas, Pertamina, PEMEX, ONGC, Boeing supplier qualifications
First-time acceptance rate by Aramco Inspection Department on PAUT procedures (last 24 months)
Typical delivery for a single method, single component type (UT or PT for piping)
Procedure-driven Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs) on accepted procedures over the last 36 months
Lost-bid cost from procedure deficiencies at major contractor pre-qualifications
A written procedure is required any time the applicable code mandates it — ASME Section V Article 1 T-150 requires written procedures for every method covered. Technique sheets are a subordinate document that capture the specific settings for a particular geometry / component / weld configuration. A single procedure typically has multiple technique sheets — one per weld type or geometry — referenced by procedure number.
For most basic methods (UT pulse-echo, RT, MT, PT, VT) ASME Section V does not require formal procedure qualification — the procedure is demonstrated and accepted by the AI. For PAUT under ASME V Article 4 Mandatory Appendix III, full procedure qualification on representative samples IS required. TOFD under Mandatory Appendix V similarly requires demonstration. Many client specifications (Aramco SAEP-1135, ADNOC AGES) tighten these requirements further.
Sometimes — depends on the essential variables defined by the code and the client spec. For PAUT, changes in thickness, material, weld geometry or scan plan typically require re-qualification. For basic UT and RT, minor geometry changes can usually be accommodated by an addendum or supplementary technique sheet. We assess this case-by-case and document the rationale.
Standard practice: the procedure is written by an ASNT Level II or Level III qualified examiner, technically reviewed and signed by the responsible ASNT Level III, and (for in-service work) co-signed by an API Authorized Inspector. Some client specifications (e.g., Boeing aerospace) require additional approval signatures from a NAS 410 Level III. The procedure pack includes the Level III / AI credentials and signature page.
Yes — extensively. ASME B31.3 invokes ASME Section V via paragraph 341.3.1, with method-specific acceptance criteria in Table 341.3.2. We routinely write UT, RT, MT and PT procedures for B31.3 process piping fabrication and field installation, with the client / Authorized Inspector approval cycle managed end-to-end.
Both. Conventional film RT remains the default for many code applications and is governed by ASME V Article 2 + relevant material/joint specifications. Computed RT (CR) and digital RT (DR) using DDAs are increasingly accepted, with ASME V Article 2 Mandatory Appendices IV (CR) and V (DR) defining the qualification requirements. We write procedures for all three modes — film, CR and DR — including the qualification packages.

Procedure qualification and demonstration (Level III)

Writing a procedure is one step. Showing that it finds and sizes what it claims to, on your material and geometry, is another, and it is the step clients and auditors increasingly ask to see. Atlantis NDT supports procedure qualification and technique demonstration under the authority of an ASNT NDT Level III.

Who this service is for

Inspection companies bidding work whose client specification requires a demonstrated technique; fabricators moving from radiography to encoded ultrasonics; owner-users who need a contractor's procedure independently reviewed before it is used on their plant; and any team whose procedure has changed an essential variable since it was last qualified.

Scope: from essential variables to a signed qualification record

We start by fixing what the procedure must cover — material, thickness range, geometry, surface condition, temperature, and the flaws it must detect and size — and list the essential variables that a change would invalidate. We then write or revise the procedure and technique sheets, and plan the demonstration: which specimens, which reflectors, what detection and sizing results count as a pass.

Demonstrations are run on representative specimens containing known reflectors, supplied by you or sourced as agreed in the RFQ. Where a code sets the demonstration requirements, such as ASME Section V Article 14 for examination system qualification or a client performance-demonstration specification, those requirements drive the plan. Where no code sets them, the plan states the acceptance targets in writing before the demonstration, so the result cannot be argued afterwards.

Deliverables

The procedure and technique sheets, revision-controlled, with the essential-variable table.
The demonstration plan: specimens, reflector types and sizes, and the pass criteria agreed in advance.
The qualification or demonstration record: specimen identification, equipment and settings, detection and sizing results against each reflector, and the people who performed it.
ASNT NDT Level III approval of the procedure and the qualification record.
A short note on the limits of the qualification: what changes would require requalification.

How an engagement runs

Scope call: the method, component, governing code and client specification.
Document review of your existing procedure, if there is one, against the code and the specification.
Procedure and demonstration plan issued for your comment and, where needed, your client's approval.
Demonstration on specimens, witnessed by your client if the contract requires it.
Qualification record and approved procedure issued.

Mobilisation, qualifications and what we need

Document work is done remotely. Demonstrations are performed on site or at a facility you nominate within North America; confirm the location and dates in your RFQ. The approving Level III is company founder Anoop Rayavarapu, ASNT NDT Level III; demonstrations are performed by technicians certified under an ASNT SNT-TC-1A written practice.

We need the governing code and client specification, component drawings or representative geometry, material and thickness range, the existing procedure if any, the equipment you intend to use, and the specimen situation (available, to be sourced, or to be discussed).

Frequently asked questions: NDT Procedure Qualification and Demonstration (Level III)

What is the difference between writing a procedure and qualifying it?

Writing sets out how the examination is done. Qualification or demonstration shows, on representative specimens with known reflectors, that the procedure detects and sizes what it claims to within agreed limits.

When does a procedure need to be requalified?

When an essential variable changes beyond the qualified range — for example thickness, material group, probe or wedge type, scanning technique, or software version where the specification treats it as essential. The qualification record should list those limits.

Can you review a procedure written by another company?

Yes. An independent Level III review against the code and your client specification is a common engagement, with or without a follow-up demonstration.

Request a quote for ndt procedure qualification and demonstration (level iii) or use the RFQ form below. See all inspection services and ASNT Level III consulting.

Request an inspection quote (RFQ)

Tell us the asset, the method, where it is, the governing code, your dates, the size of the job and the report you need. We reply with questions or a quote. Affordable, accessible, fully customizable — no published pricing.

Or email the same details to info@atlantisndt.com. Mobilisation: North America; confirm your location in your RFQ.