Linn-Benton Community College
Alabany, OR, United States
Whether you’re driving down the highway or boarding a plane, you probably aren’t thinking about the safety of the parts holding the car or plane together. In fact, most of us take it for granted that those parts were manufactured to keep us safe.
This is where Nondestructive Test (NDT) Technicians come in. NDT technicians play a critical role in making sure our modes of transportation, bridges, buildings and infrastructure are safe, helping to prevent accidents and potentially save lives.
Rather than putting parts and products through tests to see how long they hold up before breaking, nondestructive technicians perform tests without damaging the part or product. They work to detect internal and external flaws that may lead to part failures down the road if not caught and corrected while at the factory.
LBCC’s Non-destructive Test and Evaluation program provides students with hands-on training on state-of-the-art equipment using ultrasonic and x-ray testing, similar to those used by doctors and dentists looking for bone or tooth fractures.
Students learn to find surface and sub-surface flaws and anomalies using ultrasonic phase array 3D imaging, radiography, penetrating dyes, magnetic particle inspection and visual inspection.
NDT technicians test and impact the quality, durability and reliability of materials and goods in the areas of aerospace, construction, transportation, turbine and power generation, petrochemical industry, structural, plant infrastructure, manufacturing and many more areas.
The local job outlook is good. Career opportunities include industries such as ATI Cast Products, Selmet Inc., WestPro Lab and others. Opportunities also exist for NDT technicians who want to move up in the industry.
Program graduates will be certified to work in accordance with the American Society for Nondestructive Testing standards, the world's largest technical society for nondestructive testing professionals.