Nondestructive testing (NDT) is the most important industry you’ve never heard of. That’s how I typically start a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) demonstration. We all know the importance of the work of scientists and engineers and health professionals. Few people are aware of the testing which is performed on the materials we use every day, and which affects every aspect of our lives.
NDT is a collection of test methods which detect defects in materials without damaging the materials. It is used in nearly every imaginable industry. The cars we drive, the bridges we cross, the aircraft we fly in, the power plants which supply our energy; NDT plays a critical role in ensuring the safety of nearly everything our modern world depends on.