Curiosity and collaboration will get you everywhere. That was the theme of keynote session at the ASNT Annual Conference. NASA’s Adam Steltzner gave an inspiring keynote about his work landing the Curiosity Rover on Mars, and described the importance of being vulnerable and open to doubt. Watching the rover land on Mars was an exciting start to the conference.  

Colleen McClanahan of the FBI described radiological threats, including a case study of a disgruntled employee purposely exposing a colleague to radiation. In addition to presentations by NASA and the FBI, the conference included technical presentations on topics such as NDT training for the next generation, certifications, NDT around the world, SNT TC 1A, weld inspection and modeling.

On the show floor, robots made an appearance at a number of booths, showcasing the rise of automation in NDT. In addition, the use of computed tomography inspection for additive manufacturing was an increasing trend. The event drew more than 200 exhibitors, featuring demonstrations on eddy current robots, X-ray computed tomography systems, ultrasonic thickness gages, and many more new technologies.

Next year’s ASNT Annual Conference will be held November 9-11 in Lake Buena Vista, FL.