Study Materials

If Self Study is your path to certification whether it is NDT ASNT Level III or IRRSP then ASNT’s book
store offers Study Guides, Questions and Answers Books, Training books and Handbooks that have the
body of knowledge for you to be successful in seeking your credentials. Pick your NDT Method and the
reference material best suited for you.

Level III Titles

Acoustic Emission Testing

 NDT Handbook: Volume 6, Acoustic Emission Testing (146)

 Supplement to Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A (Q&A Book) - Acoustic Emission Testing
Method (2032)

Eddy Current Testing

 Level III Study Guide: Eddy Current Testing (2257)

 NDT Handbook: Volume 5, Electromagnetic Testing (145)
 Fundamentals of Eddy Current Testing (470)
 Supplement to Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A (Q&A Book) - Eddy Current/Flux Leakage
Testing Method (2030)

Infrared and Thermal Testing

 NDT Handbook, third edition, Volume 3, Infrared and Thermal Testing (143, 144CD, 144WCD)
 NDT Handbook, second edition, Volume 9, Special NDT Methods (134A)
 Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer (952)
 ASNT Level III Study Guide — Infrared and Thermal Testing Method (2265)

Leak Testing

 NDT Handbook: Volume 1, Leak Testing (141, 141CD, 141WCD)

 ASNT Level III Study Guide — Leak Testing Method (2266)
 All Four Leak Testing Methods - Supplement to Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A (Q&A Books) —
Leak Testing Methods (2033A)

Magnetic Flux Leakage

 The MFL Compendium: Articles on Magnetic Flux Leakage (212)

 NDT Handbook: Third Edition, Volume 5, Electromagnetic Testing (145)
 NDT Handbook: Third Edition, Volume 8, Magnetic Testing (148)
 Supplement to Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A (Q&A Book) - Electromagnetic Testing
Method(2030)

Magnetic Particle Testing

 Level III Study Guide: Magnetic Particle Testing, Second Edition (2253)
 NDT Handbook: Third Edition, Volume 8, Magnetic Testing (148)
 Supplement to Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A (Q&A) Book — Magnetic Particle
Method,Second Edition (2027)

Liquid Penetrant Testing

 Level III Study Guide: Liquid Penetrant Testing (2255)

 NDT Handbook: Volume 2, Liquid Penetrant Tests (142, 142CD, 142WCD)
 Supplement to Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A (Q&A Book) - Liquid Penetrant Testing Method,
Revised Edition (2029)

Radiographic Testing

 Level III Study Guide: Radiographic Testing (2259)

 NDT Handbook: Volume 4, Radiographic Testing (144, 144CD, 144WCD)
 Supplement to Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A (Q&A Book) - Radiographic Testing
Method(2026)
 Working Safety in Radiography (232)

Ultrasonic Testing

 Level III Study Guide: Ultrasonic Testing (2261)

 NDT Handbook: Volume 7, Ultrasonic Testing (147)
 Supplement to Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A (Q&A Book) - Ultrasonic Testing Method (2028)
 Ultrasonics: Fundamentals, Technology, Applications (341)

Visual Testing

 Level III Study Guide: Visual and Optical Testing (2263)

 NDT Handbook, 3rd Edition, Vol. 9, Visual Testing (149)
 ASM Handbook Vol. 17, NDE and QC (105)
 Supplement to SNT-TC-1A: VT (Q & A Book) (2034)
 Materials and Processes for NDT Technology (2250)
Basic and Method Exams

ASNT NDT Level III certification candidates are required to pass both the NDT Basic and a method
examination in order to receive the ASNT NDT Level III certificate.

Exam Specifications

The table below lists the number of questions and time allowed for each exam. Clicking on an exam will
take you to an abbreviated topical outline and reference page for that exam. For the full topical outlines
and complete list of references, see the topical outlines listed in the American National
Standard ANSI/ASNT CP-105, Standard Topical Outlines for Qualification of Nondestructive Testing
Personnel.

No. of
Exam Time Certification
Items*

NDT Basic Required for ASNT NDT Level

135 4 hrs
Nondestructive Testing III Certification

ET
135 4 hrs NDT only
Electromagnetic Testing

IR
90 2 hrs NDT only
Infrared/Thermal Testing

LT
135 4 hrs NDT only
Leak Testing

MFL
Magnetic Flux Leakage 90 2 hrs NDT only
Testing

MT
90 2 hrs NDT and ACCP
Magnetic Particle Testing

NR
Neutron Radiographic 135 4 hrs NDT only
Testing

PT
90 2 hrs NDT and ACCP
Liquid Penetrant Testing

RT
135 4 hrs NDT and ACCP
Radiographic Testing

UT
135 4 hrs NDT and ACCP
Ultrasonic Testing
 VT
90 2 hrs NDT and ACCP
Visual Testing

* Up to 20% of the examination items (questions) may be “provisional” questions that do

not count towards the examinee’s examination score but are included to develop
statistical data. These items are included as part of ASNT’s efforts for continuous
examination improvement in accordance with industry-accepted psychometric principles.
The number of graded items still exceeds the minimum number of questions required by
industry certification standards.

Level III
NDT Basic

Topical Outline

This examination is 4 hours in length, having 135 questions of equal value.

 Administration of NDT personnel certification programs

 SNT-TC-1A, 2011 edition
 ASNT CP-189, 2011 edition
 General familiarity with other NDT methods
 Radiography (safety, X-ray, and isotope methods)
 Neutron radiography
 Ultrasonic testing
 Eddy current and flux leakage testing
 Liquid penetrant testing
 Magnetic particle testing
 Leak testing
 Acoustic emission testing
 Visual testing
 Thermal/infrared
 Materials, fabrication, and production technology
 Properties of materials, origin of discontinuities, and failure modes
 Materials processing (casting, welding, forging, brazing, soldering, machining, heat treatment, surface
treatment, adhesive bonding, etc.)
 Dimensional metrology
 References

The number in parentheses following each reference is the ASNT catalog number.

 Level III Study Guide: Basic (2251)

 SNT-TC-1A (2011 edition) (2071)
 Supplement to Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A: Complete Set of Supplements,
PlusRecommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A (2011 edition) (2192)
 Materials and Processes for NDT Technology (2250)
 ANSI/ASNT CP-189 (2011 edition) (2508)
 NDT Handbook: Volume 10, NDT Overview (140)
 ASM Handbook Vol. 17, NDE and QC (105)

About Radiographic Testing (RT)

Industrial radiography involves exposing a test object to penetrating radiation so that the radiation passes
through the object being inspected and a recording medium placed against the opposite side of that
object. For thinner or less dense materials such as aluminum, electrically generated x-radiation (X-rays)
are commonly used, and for thicker or denser materials, gamma radiation is generally used.

Topical Outline

This examination is 4 hours in length, having 135 questions of equal value.

 Principles and Theory

 Equipment/Materials
 Electrically generated sources
 Particulate radiation sources
 Radiation detectors
 Techniques/Calibration
 Imaging considerations
 Film processing
 Viewing of radiographs
 Judging radiographic quality
 Exposure calculations
 Radiographic techniques
 Interpretation and Evaluation
 Procedures
 Safety and Health
 Exposure hazards
 Methods of controlling radiation exposure
 Operational and emergency procedures
 Dosimetry and Film Badges
 References

The number in parentheses following each reference is the ASNT catalog number.

 Level III Study Guide: Radiographic Testing (2259)

 NDT Handbook: Volume 4, Radiographic Testing (144, 144CD, 144WCD)
 Supplement to Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A (Q&A Book) - Radiographic Testing
Method(2026)
 Working Safety in Radiography (232)