Increasing Equipment Reliability Through Increased Nondestructive Testing Reliability

摘要

The reliability of equipment is determined by several factors including equipment condition, service history, failure modes, and maintenance. A subsection of equipment reliability is the ability to detect defects before they contribute to the failure of the equipment. In many cases, Nondestructive Testing (NDT) methods are utilized to detect and monitor these defects both in-service and during fabrication. However, the accuracy and reliability of detection using NDT is highly dependent on the quality of the process and personnel utilized during the examination. Because of this, it is necessary to develop a detailed approach to the management of NDT in order to increase reliability of fixed equipment. The following radial diagram (Figure 1) illustrates the key areas that can produce increased NDT reliability within a process. This article will discuss six areas of improvement, that when implemented consistently, can improve the results of your inspection program.