Advances in applications of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT): A review

Manufacturing processes such as casting, rolling, forging, extrusion, material removal processes, etc. are some of the common techniques used today in manufacturing industries. However, these processes must be carried out with utmost precision and precaution. Even the slightest negligence can give rise to anomalies which can be classified as defects or discontinuities depending upon their repairability. Non-Destructive Testing or NDT is amode of testing which has been adopted by industries for decades to test mass manufactured products for anomalies.This paper discusses various NDT methods, such as Visual Testing, Magnetic Particle Inspection, Penetrant Testing, Ultrasonic Testing, Radiographic Testing, Acoustic Emission and Eddy Current Testing. The paper also discusses how technical advancements have broadened the scope of NDT even in industries that may not be manufacturing oriented, indicating that NDT is not limited to detection of anomalies. Even though these developments have made NDT more favourable, this paper highlights the fact that these techniques are mostly manual and heavily dependent upon inspectors’ knowledge and experience, leaving room for errors. This paper also discusses the key challenges and future scope in the field of NDT.