Advanced NDT
Advanced Non-Destructive Testing (ANDT) encompasses a wide range of NDT techniques based on innovative technologies to inspect assets for defects with minimal disruption to operations, enabling the detection of anomalies in pipes, welds, pressure vessels, and structures in service without interrupting production.
Compared to conventional NDT methods, Advanced NDT reduces inspection time, delivers results faster, improves accuracy, eliminates unnecessary shutdowns, and lowers the total maintenance cost. When a critical asset cannot be taken out of service, ANDT adapts the inspection to the operation, not the other way around.
At Applus+, we have over 80 years of experience in non-destructive testing, dating back to the founding of Röntgen Technische Dienst (RTD) in 1937 in the Netherlands, the first non-governmental organization in the world to offer commercial NDT services using X-rays to inspect welds on ships. In 2006, RTD became part of the Applus+ Group.
Since then, we have developed several technologies, applications, and inspection procedures, all of which are patented by ANDT. Our Technology Center works closely with customers through Applus+ operational departments to turn challenges into innovative and customized solutions. Each developed method has responded to a specific inspection challenge that existing solutions on the market could not solve, developed directly with customers' operations teams.
What is advanced non-destructive testing (ANDT), and how does it differ from conventional NDT?
Conventional NDT, including UT, MPI, LPT, and RT, comprises well-established techniques that, in many cases, require direct access to the asset or a process shutdown. ANDT uses higher-resolution and wider-coverage technologies such as phased array, real-time digital radiography, high-resolution eddy current, and continuous corrosion mapping to enable in-service assets to be inspected faster, with less operational disruption, and with more precise results.
The practical difference is significant: conventional NDT confirms whether a defect exists, while Advanced NDT characterizes its nature, precise location, dimensions, and evolution over time without interrupting the installation.
Which advanced NDT technique is best?
The ANDT technique to apply to each industrial inspection challenge will depend on the type of asset, its assessment and properties, the material, component, structure, process, or system, the challenge, and the specification. Based on our extensive experience, specialized applications accelerate the inspection process and often yield clear results without disrupting workflow. Applus+ evaluates each case individually to determine the technique that delivers the most accurate results with the least possible operational disruption, reducing overall inspection costs, maintenance costs, and ensuring reliable operational processes for people and the environment.
| Operational challenge | ANDT technique | Key advantage |
| "Unpiggable" pipelines with complex geometries | Free-floating internal inspection for pipes with 1D bends; no fixed launchers/receivers required. | |
|
High-precision material validation |
Provides real-time 3D imaging and "true-to-geometry" defect sizing, reducing interpretation errors. |
|
|
Tube bundle inspection (heat exchangers/boilers) |
IRIS (Internal Rotary Inspection System) | High-resolution ultrasonic thickness mapping of the full tube circumference. |
What are the proprietary ANDT technologies developed by Applus+?
Applus+ has developed a suite of advanced inspection technologies available exclusively to its clients. These methods have been designed to meet the most demanding inspection requirements in sectors including Oil & Gas, petrochemicals, LNG storage, and power generation.
| Technology | Description | Primary application |
| DTI Trekscan | Free-floating ultrasonic ILI |
"Unpiggable" pipelines with 1D bends; requires a liquid medium to operate. |
| PIT (Pipeline Inspection Tool) | Self-propelled ultrasonic crawler | Internal inspection from a single access point; no flow or pumping required. |
| Portable IWEX | Advanced 3D ultrasonic imaging (FMC/TFM) | High-precision defect sizing in welds and materials provides interactive 3D visual results. |
| Rotoscan | Automated ultrasonic scanner | Rapid girth-weld inspection (IWEX) |
| Push Pull System | Automated probe cable guidance | Rapid heat-exchanger tube inspection |
| Software | Inspection Software | Dedicated inspection software for proprietary ANDT technologies |
Can an Advanced NDT inspection be carried out during a plant shutdown or turnaround?
Yes. Plant shutdowns and turnarounds have a fixed execution window. Applus+ operates under Advanced NDT inspection protocols specifically designed for this context: rapid mobilization, technicians qualified in advanced methods, and real-time delivery of results, so that the final report does not hold up maintenance decisions.
If the next shutdown requires inspection of pressure vessels, pipelines, welds, or structures under API 510, API 570, or ASME standards, the Applus+ team can be integrated into the work plan from the planning stage.
Do Applus+ Advanced NDT services comply with API, ASME, and ISO standards?
Yes. Applus+ Advanced NDT services comply with the main international inspection standards, including API 510 (pressure vessels), API 570 (process pipelines), API 653 (storage tanks), and applicable ASME codes. Applus+ technicians hold the qualifications required by each standard and apply the same criteria across all locations where the company operates.
Why choose Applus+ for Advanced Non-destructive testing services?
- Proprietary technologies: methods developed in-house, not subcontracted or licensed to third parties.
- Regulatory compliance: API, ASME, ISO. The same inspection standards apply in any country where the client operates.
- Inspection without operational interruption: all Applus+ ANDT methods are designed for in-service assets.
- Real-time results: inspection data is available during the process, without waiting for the final report.
- Operations-focused R&D: the Applus+ Technology Center develops solutions based on real operational problems raised by client integrity and operations teams.
Which industries can benefit from Applus+ Advanced NDT services?
Our ANDT services are available for Oil & Gas (upstream, midstream, and downstream), petrochemicals, LNG storage, nuclear, thermal, and renewable power generation, mining, and the process industry in general. Applus+ operates in more than 50 countries with the same inspection protocols, accreditations, and quality standards across all locations.
Frequently asked questions about the ANDT service
Can Applus+ work under the client's own inspection procedures?
Yes. Applus+ can conduct inspections under client-developed procedures, provided they comply with the applicable standards. In Oil & Gas and petrochemical projects, it is common for plant operators to have their own approved procedures, and Applus+ can inspect those procedures without developing parallel documentation.
What qualifications do Applus+ ANDT technicians hold?
Applus+ ANDT technicians hold internationally recognized qualifications, including certifications under ISO 9712, PCN, and the qualification schemes required by standards such as ASME Section V. Depending on the project and region, client-specific qualifications required by major energy and petrochemical operators are also managed.
Are Applus+ Advanced NDT reports valid for integrity audits before the regulator?
Yes. Reports issued by Applus+ comply with the documentation requirements established by the applicable API, ASME, and ISO standards and are signed by technicians who hold the required qualifications. They are valid for integrity audits, equipment recertification, and regulatory reviews across the sectors in which the company operates.
Can Applus+ inspect assets across multiple countries under a single contract or service framework?
Yes. Applus+ operates in more than 50 countries with the same technical standards, accreditations, and inspection protocols. For clients with multinational operations, this enables standardizing the integrity program (the same method, same qualifications, same report format) regardless of the asset's location.
What happens if a defect requiring immediate action is detected during an Advanced NDT inspection?
Applus+ delivers inspection results in real time during the campaign. If an anomaly is detected that requires immediate assessment, the technical team can issue a preliminary field report so that the client can make maintenance or operational decisions without waiting for the final report to be closed. Where required, Applus+ can complement the inspection with asset integrity management services and fitness-for-service evaluation.
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