NDT Level III consulting
Client audits for subcontractor approval
Before an operator, EPC contractor or fabricator puts an NDT company on its approved vendor list, it audits it. Atlantis works on both sides of that audit: we prepare NDT subcontractors to pass a client’s prequalification audit, and we audit NDT subcontractors for owners and contractors who want an independent Level III view before approving one.
Approval schemes and sector audits
Detailed pages on the approvals NDT subcontractors are most often asked for.
IACS service supplier approval
Class approval of service suppliers under IACS UR Z17: per society, renewed on a cycle.
ExploreUTM firm class approval
Thickness measurement firms are audited on operator files before procedures.
ExploreESP survey readiness
Enhanced survey programme gauging goes to firms already on the class approved list.
ExploreNAS 410 responsible Level 3
Aerospace primes expect one named responsible Level 3; it can be contracted.
ExploreFAA Part 145 repair station NDT
What an NDT rating means for a repair station and how auditors read it.
ExploreNAVSEA shipyard NDT
NAVSEA Technical Publication 271 and what Navy yards expect of NDT suppliers.
ExploreAAR M-1003 tank car facilities
NDT elements of AAR M-1003 quality assurance for tank car facilities.
ExploreWhat a client checks before approving an NDT subcontractor
- The supplier questionnaire, answered consistently with the documents behind it.
- The written practice and the certifications of the technicians proposed for the work, for the methods and levels quoted.
- The Level III arrangement: a staff Level III or an outside agency, named, with the methods each one is certified in.
- Procedures approved for the codes and specifications on the client’s contracts.
- Equipment lists with calibration and verification records.
- Sample reports that show coverage, limitations and acceptance against stated criteria.
- The quality management system and the corrective action records behind it.
For NDT companies being audited
We review your documents against the client’s questionnaire and specification, close the gaps, assemble the evidence pack the auditor will ask for and run a mock audit so the real one holds no surprises. Where the written practice assigns it, our Level III is available to answer the auditor’s technical questions on the methods we cover.
For owners and contractors approving NDT subcontractors
We audit NDT subcontractors on your behalf against your specification and the scheme they certify to: certifications checked against the written practice, procedures against your codes, a sample of reports and, where useful, a witnessed practical demonstration. The report gives our findings and a recommendation; the approval decision stays with you.
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, as the scope requires
- Client and operator specifications
- IACS UR Z17 (class service suppliers)
- ISO 9001 (supplier quality management)
- ASME, AWS or API codes on the contract
What you receive
- Gap review against the client’s questionnaire
- Evidence pack index
- Mock audit report
- For owners: subcontractor audit report with a recommendation
Industries served
- Operators and asset owners
- EPC contractors
- Fabricators
- Shipyards and class work
- Aerospace supply chain
Frequently asked questions
What do client auditors ask an NDT subcontractor for first?
Usually the written practice, the certifications of the technicians proposed for the job and the Level III arrangement behind them, then the procedures for the codes on the contract. If those line up, the rest of the audit is mostly records.
Can you audit our NDT subcontractors on our behalf?
Yes. We audit against your specification and the scheme the subcontractor certifies to, and report what we found with a recommendation. The approval decision stays with you.
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.