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Proceedings of the ASME 2018
ASME ANDE-1 - A COMPLETELY NEW APPROACH TO PERSONNEL QUALIFICATION
Tomáš ZAVADIL
ATG (Advanced Technology Group), s.r.o.
Prague, Czech Republic
ABSTRACT
ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers)
Nondestructive Examination (NDE) and Quality Control (QC)
Central Qualification and Certification Program (ANDE-1
Standard) is a new independent qualification system for NDT
and QC personnel. It is the first to come with a requirement of
performance-based experience of Nondestructive Testing
(NDT) personnel on the basis of practical demonstration to
perform all required activities rather than length of experience.
It also adds unflawed samples to the test sets in order to
simulate real situation in industrial practice, where decisions
about the acceptance is necessary. This article analyzes the
ANDE-1 Standard and compares it with other relevant
qualification standards used in the European Union (EU).
1 INTRODUCTION
The qualification of NDT personnel is, together with the
qualification of welding personnel and welding coordination
and inspection personnel, one of the most elaborate in industrial
practice. The reason is the crucial role of NDT (and welding) in
industry. Every company which delivers products to the
European market is responsible for the operational safety of
their products. This requires skilled and experienced NDT
personnel who can reliably verify the quality requirements of
the semi-products and/or the final products.
There are many of qualification systems, often distributed
into following two groups: independent qualification and
certification and employer qualification and certification. ISO
9712 (1) (independent), SNT-TC-1A (2), and EN4179 / NAS
410 (3) (employer) are the most used in the EU. However, there
are in fact even more qualification systems.
ASME introduced in 2015 a new qualification standard,
which approaches in a brand new way to collection of
experience and requires independent verification, which is the
key weakness of most of the current qualification systems. This
1 Copyright © 2018 ASME
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Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference
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July 15-20, 2018, Prague, Czech Republic
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Michael L. TURNBOW
Tennessee Valley Authority (Retired)
Hixson, TN
document, called ANDE-1 (4), represents one of the
permissible qualification systems accepted by ASME Boiler
and Pressure Vessel (BPV) Code 2017 (together with SNT-TC-
1A and ANSI / ASNT CP-189). For the ASME BPVC, ISO
9712 is also acceptable, but only in limited extent.
This article analyzes the ANDE-1 standard and compares
it with other relevant qualification standards used in the EU,
especially ISO 9712. This article deals exclusively with the
NDT personnel qualification section and its conclusions
therefore cannot be related to QC personnel.
2 THE BACKGROUND OF CREATION
The task of each qualification system without exception is
to prepare the NDT inspectors / operators to be able to carry out
their assigned tasks correctly and responsibly, to fully
understand their role of the NDT process and also to
comprehend their own personal roles and responsibilities and
behave accordingly.
However, NDT personnel often lack some of the above-
mentioned qualities. The basic cause of most problems appears
to be their lack of quality experience. This issue first appeared
widespread in the power industry 1982, when NDT personnel
failed to detect intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC)
at the Nine Mile Point nuclear power plant. This leaded to a
pipe failure on March 20, 1982 and a two-year plant shutdown.
Even when the defects were clearly visible (the water leaking
from the pipe), NDT personnel were unable to detect those
defects by the Ultrasonic Testing (UT). Subsequent assessment
(IGSCC qualification on service-removed samples) revealed
that only ~18% of the personnel tested were able to reliably
detect >80% of the IGSCC despite the fact, that they were all
certified Level II or III (mostly according to SNT-TC-1A) and
with many years of work experience.
Since 1982, there has been a growing concern about the
competence of NDT personnel. In an effort to address the
qualification weaknesses, ASME published Section XI,
Appendix VIII (Performance Demonstration for Ultrasonic
Examination Systems) in 1989. Appendix VIII was
implemented as Performance Demonstration Initiative (PDI) in
1992 to evaluate NDT personnel eligibility to perform
inspections in nuclear power plants. Studies show, that “pass
rates for experienced certified personnel is rarely above 50% on
the first attempt for demonstration test that simulate field
examinations“ (6).
However, PDI only monitors the current state and does not
increase the quality of the qualification and experience. Despite
this, the industry has invested an estimated $150,000,000 USD
in performance demonstrations (5).
Recommended Practice SNT-TC-1A encourages the
employer to modify the recommendations in the employer’s
Written Practice and is one of the most common qualification
systems implemented globally. However, Written Practice
requirements vary from employer to employer and provide the
opportunity for abuse. The multitude of variation makes it
essentially impossible to address weaknesses industry wide and
implement appropriate corrective action. The ASME/ANDE
project team was founded in 2012 with the task of preparing a
criteria document for the needs of pressure equipment industry.
In 2012 this objective was re-evaluated and the required output
became a completely new ASME/ANSI standard for the central
(independent) qualification of NDT personnel.
The first version was released on November 18, 2015. The
document was originally created as a universal one (8), but the
pressure equipment remained an essential building component.
3 HOW ASME ANDE-1 DIFFERS FROM OTHER
INDEPENDENT QUALIFICATION SYSTEMS
Like ISO 9712, ANDE-1 qualification is divided into
methods (ANDE-1 recognizes only ET, MT, PT, RT, UT, VT
methods, i.e. methods with relevant industrial impact) and three
qualification levels. Similar to ISO 9712 that divides the
qualification to industrial sectors, ANDE-1 recognizes
industries (e.g. energy), which are further divided into sectors
(e.g. power plants, fossil fuels, renewable sources, offshore,
etc.) and characteristic applications (e.g. production,
construction, maintenance, commissioning).
For each combination of industry-sector-task ANDE-1
defines method and level requirements for knowledge and
skills, and the corresponding need for qualification of
personnel. This includes content of classification using the Job
Task Analysis (JTA) methodology that is performed by a
Specific Industry Sector (SIS) committee (The SIS is a group of
experts from industrial practice in the particular sector) (5,9).
Therefore, it is clearly defined what abilities the operator must
possess to be able to perform in the particular sector / industry /
task.
2 Copyright © 2018 ASME
Figure 1 Example of JTA requirements for the UT method for
specific activities as the resulting knowledge requirements (K)
and skills (S) and determination of difficulty (D), importance
(I) and the appropriate frequency (F) (10).
3.1 ELIGIBILITY
The primary requirement for eligibility is minimal
education. Qualification systems generally require basic
education (ability to read) with sufficient knowledge of
mathematics (ISO 9712 paragraph 7.2.3). Nevertheless, training
centers often meet with problems of understanding basic
mathematics such as simple proportion, trigonometric
functions, or single variable equations. ASME ANDE-1
therefore requires from all applicants at least secondary
education (paragraph 1-5.2).
Training requirements, experience verification, final
examination and any other certification requirements must be
based on the JTA (ANDE-1 paragraph 1-2.3). Thus, unlike ISO
9712, the certification body is not completely independent, but
requirements of the SIS committee must be implemented
(ANDE-1 paragraphs 1-3.7). This approach is partly similar to
the role of National Aerospace NDT Board (NANDTB),
represented by primary contractors and type certificate holders,
who may partly enter the NDT qualification process, otherwise
performed by the employer (EN4179 paragraphs 3.19 and 4.4.2
(3)).
ANDE-1 also demands more strict vision requirements
than most other systems. There are requirements for near as
well as far vision acuity, and color differentiation / contrast.
When vision correction is necessary to pass the vision acuity
examinations, the same vision correction device shall be worn
during all testing (paragraph 1-1.6.a4). The employer is then
required to create a Written Practice or Eye Examination
Program that defines internal vision requirements that will not
be in contradiction with this standard (paragraph 1-1.6.b1).
3.2 TRAINING
Training shall agree with the JTA program approved by the
Certification Authority (ASME) and SIS committee.
The training instructor is required to be a Level III
qualified in each NDT method he instructs to be eligible to
conduct the qualification of the personnel. Eligibility for
training is given either by the experience of an instructor at a
state educational institute or by an additional qualification with
a minimum of 40 hours of formal instruction including
communication skills and teaching abilities (paragraph 1-4.5).
This requirement reflects the fact that not everyone who is
a certified NDT professional is also a good instructor, who can
deliver the correct content in the limited time such that the
trainee understands it, and will be able to successfully apply it
in the future (11). Request for additional training in the field of
communication activities is therefore absolutely relevant.
Unfortunately, this requirement should also be mandatory for
college professors, who often do not know how to pass on their
knowledge adequately, and this requirement sadly does not
apply to them, according to ANDE-1.
3.3 EXPERIENCE
An important change compared to other independent
qualification systems is the demonstration of experience based
on performance, rather than on the length of time in industry.
Each candidate, when submitting a request for the ANDE
examination, must also submit a completed Qualification /
Continuity Card (abbreviated Qual Card; paragraph 1-4.2).
This document details the individual knowledge (must
understand and be able to implement) and the skills (must be
able to do) that the candidate must master before being
admitted to the examination. Thus, ANDE-1 requires
experience prior to the examination, unlike ISO 9712, which
permits the acquisition of part of the experience after the
examination and allows reduction in experience as per the
decision of the certification body (see ISO 9712 paragraph
7.3.1 and 7.3.3).
The Qualification Card must be completed and signed by
the responsible person, which may be either an ANDE Level 3
(5) or, in selected cases, an Authorized Inspector (e.g. Nuclear
Power, ANDE-1 Mandatory attachment 1, Section I-2.5).
3 Copyright © 2018 ASME
Figure 2 Example Part of Qual Card for UT personnel
(conventional ultrasound), for testing of austenitic steel welds.
(12)
This new approach brings a fundamental change to assure
sufficient practical experience of NDT personnel. It is, of
course, possible that one signature of sufficient experience
based on time range will only be replaced by a large series of
signatures from professional scope. For such copying,
Responsible Level 3 will only have to get a good "potato"
stamp. However, a completely different situation occurs, if
there will be demonstrated, that the operator was not able to,
let’s say, calibrate an ultrasonic device or set the DGS curve on
site. In the case of ISO 9712, the demonstration of experience is
not binding to the employer and his Level 3 (if he even has one)
to ensure the ability of his personnel to perform such tasks.
However, in the case of ANDE-1, there will be a documented
record before the inspection itself, that the operator had
properly demonstrated his abilities to the Level 3. If during the
inspection he would not be able to replicate such knowledge,
there is irrefutable proof that the employer through his Level 3
inadequately prepared his NDT operator and can thus be driven
to direct responsibility. Sole worry about the simple
demonstration of possible fraud can lead to an increase in
employers' demands on the competence of their employees.
3.4 FINAL EXAMINATION
The ANDE-1 examination is divided into two parts, a
written examination and a practical demonstration of abilities.
It does not distinguish between general and specific parts, but
the knowledge of regulations, standards, specifications and
codes continues to be required (paragraph 2-2.2.c). In both
cases, 80% is required in order to pass (2-2.2.d and 2-2.3.a1c),
unlike other systems, that usually require only 70% from each
test. Additionally, the examinations shall be developed and
validated using psychometric principles.
 ANDE-1 requires that the content of the final examination
shall be in compliance with the JTA and the SIS committee, and
the questions cover the full application of the method (ISO
9712 requires only a minimal number of questions, see
ISO9712, paragraph 8.2). Per ANDE-1, the number of
questions for individual methods and their endorsements
mandatories can be divided according to the Quality Manual of
the certification body (Table 2-2.2-1). The examination is
carried out without aids, norms and standards, with only
exception being reference materials defined by the certification
body (paragraphs 2-2.2.b).
The Practical Demonstration test samples used shall be
representative of those encountered in the performance of NDT
for the SIS activities that the applicant is seeking to qualify.
Practical demonstration abilities must be presented on at least
three samples (within ASME requirement is 5 (13)), which will
contain a maximum of 1/3 of the samples with obligatory
detectable defects (paragraphs 2-2.3.a2h). This represents a
major change in the practical examination, as the applicant may
not only decide which defect is unacceptable (ISO 9712
requires a reportable defect without exceptions, see paragraphs
8.2.3.3 and 8.2.3.4), but whether the defect in the test sample is
at all. Such a practical demonstration of abilities is much closer
to reality in industrial practice when the NDT operator is
pushed to find all relevant defects but also to minimize
evaluation mistakes that lead to increasing scrap rate and
therefore increased cost.
3.5 CERTIFICATION AND RECERTIFICATION
ASME ANDE-1 is an independent qualification system for
NDT personnel and QC inspection personnel. Certification is
carried out by an independent certification body, but at present
time only ASME has exclusive permission to do so (9).
The certificate is granted after all the certification
requirements have been met. The certificate is issued for a
period of 5 years (exclusive). In order to maintain validity of
the certificate the applicant must send an updated Qual Card
each year to ensure that the certificate maintains all the
knowledge and skills needed for work (paragraphs 1-6.2, or (9)
respectively). This principle is in compliance with Employer
qualification system principles: Annual Maintenance according
to EN 4179 (paragraph 8.6) or NAS410, respectively, and
Technical Performance Evaluation recommended by the SNT-
TC-1A (paragraph 10).
Similarly to ISO 9712 the ANDE-1 does not allow a
significant interruption (for more than 24 months) and a breach
of the Code of conduct (paragraph 1-6.5).
4 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
ASME ANDE-1, a new independent (central) qualification
system for NDT and QC personnel, has been created to answer
4 Copyright © 2018 ASME
long-term documented problems with the competence of NDT
personnel. In spite of its nature, however, it learned from many
mistakes of ISO 9712 and equivalent systems and was inspired
by the advantages of employer qualification systems, soon to
create a robust system able to examine the task of NDT
personnel to carry out their work properly and responsibly and
also to understand roles and responsibilities delegated to them.
In particular, the document tightens the requirements for
collecting experience in a fundamental way, because it changes
the whole concept of the satisfaction for the experience
requirement. ANDE-1 requires each candidate to demonstrate
knowledge and skills according to a defined Qual Card model,
which is obtained under the supervision of the responsible
person. This person confirms the verification of the acquisition
of the given knowledge and skills by signing each individual
task and thereby assumes responsibility for the full competence
of his trainee.
ANDE-1 examination concept places greater demands on
demonstrating knowledge (minimum 80%) using psychometric
principles and requires compliance with industry, sector and
related activities. At the same time, it requires the inclusion of
a sufficient number of examination specimens without
reportable defects in the examination kits so that the applicant
has to consider the possibility that the examination specimen is
without flaws. By this means the examination would get much
closer to the actual industrial practice.
ANDE-1 is fully aware that once acquired knowledge will
not last forever, and therefore requires its users to demonstrate
competence by annually updated Qual Cards, like Employer
qualification systems (Annual Maintenance at EN 4179 or
Technical Performance Review in SNT-TC-1A) and
accreditation according to PRI NADCAP and PRI TPG.
ASME system ANDE-1 is currently in the implementation
phase for the Nuclear Specific Industry Sector (SIS).
Provisional Level III applications are currently being accepted.
The SIS requirements for the Boiler Pressure Vessel and Piping
(BPVP) NDT is soon to follow.
The only certification body is ASME and there is a reason
to believe that it will stay that way for several more years. How
the qualification regulation will be successful depends mainly
on the ability to penetrate the international market. Time will
tell.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This article is based on the outcome of ATG task group
discussions to mark the 25th anniversary celebration of ATG
held in 2017 in Prague, which was attended by former ASNT
president and ANDE-1 project leader Michael L. Turnbow.
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5 Copyright © 2018 ASME