Surface Warfare Officer School Unit (SWOSU) Great Lakes hosted a Nondestructive Testing (NDT) working group to review processes as they apply to Navy ships, May 22-24.

In addition to SWOSU Great Lakes Staff, personnel from Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Naval Shipyards, Regional Maintenance Centers, Supervisors of Shipbuilding, Contractors who apply NAVSEA specified NDT, Type Commanders/Fleet Activities, and Defense Contract Management Agency were present to share ideas, information, successes, best practices and failures.

"I attended workshops in past years in different locations," said Senior Chief Hull Maintenance Technician Sean Huston, NAVSEA Testing Agency Level III NDT Examiner at SWOSU Great Lakes. "I invited the group out to SWOSU Great Lakes because I am proud of the work and training we provide to the fleet and civilians that we have been training from repair maintenance facilities and shipyards using our military course. It was nice to bring the group here to collaborate, show them our facilities, show them the curriculum that we provide and see if there is a way that we can work better together."

NDT is the method of inspecting welds and materials without harming the product so the quality is built into the product from the beginning is not destroyed.

It is an integral part of quality control and quality assurance in procurement, construction, overhaul and maintenance of ships of the U.S. Navy. NAVSEA recognizes the value of an NDT Working Group dedicated to improving NDT processes as they apply to naval ships' systems and components, and considered an essential part of the Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command Vice Adm. Tom Moore initiative to improve cost, schedule, quality and technical excellence.

"The purpose of the working group is to get all the stakeholders that use NAVSEA NDT documents; whether private, public, shipyards, active duty, civilian and vendors; together to spur improvement in the NDT community," said Jason Hence, NAVSEA NDT and welding programs manager. "We also spent a lot of time this week with all the experts, vendors, people from headquarters and users to share information on new technologies like computer radiography, ultrasonic testing, and more advanced eddy current testing techniques so we can move forward and implement the equipment at the deck plate level."

The NDT Working Group is the catalyst and instrument for improving, or recommending improvements, to NDT processes specified in NAVSEA Technical Publications, Standards or Specifications associated with NDT. The group addresses, resolves, and recommends resolution to the proper technical authority, those NDT issues associated with building, maintaining and operating naval ships.



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