Cheat sheet
ASNT NDT Level III Cheat Sheet
Certification & Qualification
- 17% of exam
- Certification Levels ASNT Documents Level III Duties SNT-TC-1A vs CP-189 Employer vs Central Cert
Application of NDT Methods
- 40% of exam
- NDT Methods CP-105 Surface vs Volumetric UT Essentials RT Essentials MT & PT Essentials Method Picker
Materials & Processes
- 15% of exam
- Discontinuity Origins Discontinuity by Process Volumetric vs Planar Casting Defects
Codes, Standards & Procedures
- 15% of exam
- Codes & Procedures Essential variables Acceptance criteria Procedure vs Technique Sheet
NDT Training
- 15% of exam
- Training & Exams Job task analysis General vs specific Practical oversight
Quick Facts
- Credential NDT Level III
- Structure Basic + method exam
- Basic Exam 135 questions
- Basic Time 4 hours
- Pass 70-80% range
- Method Exam 90 or 135 Q
- Standards SNT-TC-1A, CP-189, CP-105
- Delivery Pearson VUE CBT
- Valid 5 years
Level Duties CE
- I performs | II interprets | III approves
- I: setup + record II: interpret + report III: approve + train
SNT-TC-1A vs CP-189 CE
SNT-TC-1A
- Recommended practice
- Employer certifies
- Guideline language
CP-189
- ANSI standard
- Mandatory language
- Contractually invoked
- Guideline vs standard
Standard Picker CE
- Employer certifies personnel → SNT-TC-1A ( Recommended practice )
- Mandatory contract standard → CP-189 ( ANSI accredited )
- Training topic outline → CP-105 ( Method topics )
- ASNT central certification → ACCP ( Third-party )
- ISO 9712 program → CP-106 ( International )
- Aerospace personnel → NAS-410 ( Aviation )
Certification Levels CE
- Trainee Supervised, not certified
- Level I Performs setup, records data
- Level II Interprets, evaluates, reports
- Level III Approves procedures, trains staff
- Employer Certifies under SNT-TC-1A
- ASNT Central Level III cert
Employer vs Central Cert CE
Employer
- Employer is authority
- Written practice
- In-house exams
Central (ACCP/9712)
- Body certifies
- Standard exams
- Portable credential
- In-house vs third-party
ASNT Documents CE
- SNT-TC-1A Recommended practice guideline
- CP-189 ANSI accredited standard
- CP-105 Training topical outlines
- CP-106 ISO 9712 program
- ISO 9712 Central certification standard
- ACCP ASNT central certification
- NAS-410 Aerospace NDT personnel
Level II vs Level III CE
Level II
- Performs to procedure
- Interprets results
- Sets up equipment
Level III
- Approves procedure
- Trains and examines
- Selects method
- Execute vs authorize
Level III Duties CE
- Procedures Write and approve
- Techniques Select method + technique
- Exams Develop and administer
- Training Train and evaluate staff
- Codes Interpret specs, acceptance
11 CP-105 Methods ME
- Six common: VT PT MT ET UT RT
- Plus LT: leak Plus AE: acoustic emission Plus IR: thermal Plus NR: neutron Plus VA: vibration
RT vs UT ME
RT
- Volumetric flaws
- Permanent image
- Two-side access
UT
- Planar flaws
- Depth and sizing
- One-side access
- Image vs echo
Method Picker ME
- Surface crack, any metal → PT ( Capillary action )
- Surface crack, ferromagnetic → MT ( Faster than PT )
- Subsurface planar flaw → UT ( Angle beam )
- Internal volumetric flaw → RT ( Permanent image )
- Thin conductive tubing → ET ( No couplant )
- Steel floor thinning → MFL ( Fast scan )
- Active crack growth → AE ( Under load )
- Sealed system leak → LT ( Tracer gas )
- Naked-eye surface check → VT ( First line )
NDT Methods (CP-105) ME
- VT Visual testing
- PT Liquid penetrant
- MT Magnetic particle
- ET Eddy current
- UT Ultrasonic testing
- RT Radiographic testing
- LT Leak testing
- AE Acoustic emission
- IR Infrared/thermal
- NR Neutron radiography
- VA Vibration analysis
Surface-Reach Methods ME
- VT PT surface | MT ET near
- VT: visible surface PT: surface-breaking MT: surface + near ET: surface + near UT RT: deeper
MT vs PT ME
MT
- Ferromagnetic only
- Near-surface too
- Flux leakage
PT
- Any nonporous
- Surface-breaking only
- Capillary action
- Magnetic vs capillary
Surface vs Volumetric ME
- VT Surface, visible only
- PT Surface-breaking flaws
- MT Surface and near-surface
- ET Surface and near-surface
- UT Subsurface, sizing
- RT Volumetric, internal
UT Essentials ME
- Frequency 1-10 MHz range
- Couplant Transmits sound in
- Straight beam Laminations, thickness
- Angle beam Weld fusion flaws
- A-scan Amplitude vs depth
- Dead zone Shallow flaws hidden
RT Essentials ME
- X-ray Powered, tunable source
- Gamma Ir-192, Co-60, Se-75
- IQI Checks image sensitivity
- Density Film darkness level
- Best for Volumetric flaws
- Blind to Tight parallel cracks
MT & PT Essentials ME
- MT needs Ferromagnetic material only
- Field angle Perpendicular to crack
- Two directions Catch all orientations
- Demag Remove residual field
- PT steps Clean, penetrant, developer
- Pre-clean Most decisive step
ET, AE & LT Notes ME
- ET Conductive materials only
- Skin effect Higher frequency, shallower
- No couplant Works through air
- AE Detects active growth
- LT bubble Gross leaks only
- LT tracer Helium, tiny leaks
Discontinuity Origins MA
- Inherent | Processing | Service
- Inherent: from ingot Processing: from making Service: from use
Volumetric vs Planar MA
Volumetric
- 3D voids
- Porosity, slag
- RT preferred
Planar
- Flat 2D
- Cracks, LOF
- UT preferred
- Volume vs plane
Discontinuity Origin Picker MA
- From ingot solidification → Inherent ( Pipe, inclusions )
- From welding or casting → Processing ( Manufacturing flaw )
- From fatigue or corrosion → Service ( In-use flaw )
- Rolled plate separation → Lamination ( Straight-beam UT )
- Weld fusion-face flaw → Lack of fusion ( Angle-beam UT )
- Forged metal fold → Lap ( Surface method )
Discontinuity Origins MA
- Inherent From ingot solidification
- Processing From manufacturing steps
- Service From use, fatigue
- Volumetric 3D voids, porosity
- Planar 2D cracks, laminar
- Linear vs rounded Shape classification
Casting Defects MA
- Porosity | Shrinkage | Cold shut | Inclusions
- Gas: porosity Solidify: shrinkage Poor fusion: cold shut Foreign: inclusions
Discontinuity by Process MA
- Casting Porosity, shrinkage, cold shut
- Welding Lack of fusion, slag
- Welding Undercut, porosity, cracks
- Forging Laps, bursts, flakes
- Rolling Laminations, seams, stringers
- Service Fatigue, corrosion, creep
Procedure vs Technique Sheet CO
Procedure
- Approved framework
- Essential variables
- Governs method
Technique sheet
- Job-specific setup
- Instantiates procedure
- Cannot override
- Framework vs instance
Codes & Procedures CO
- Procedure Approved method + variables
- Technique sheet Job-specific instructions
- Essential variable Change needs requalification
- Acceptance criteria Pass or reject
- Document hierarchy Contract over code
- ASME/AWS/API Common referencing codes
Training & Exams TR
- JTA Job task analysis
- Blueprint Content area weighting
- General exam Basic method principles
- Specific exam Equipment and procedures
- Practical exam Hands-on demonstration
- Vision test Near and color
Common Traps
Recommend vs require
- SNT-TC-1A recommends ≠ CP-189 requires
MT material limit
- MT needs ferromagnetic ≠ PT any nonporous
RT vs UT flaws
- RT finds volumetric ≠ UT finds planar
Surface vs subsurface
- PT MT surface only ≠ UT RT go deeper
Who certifies
- Employer certifies I/II ≠ ASNT certifies Level III
Couplant need
- UT needs couplant ≠ ET needs none
Crack orientation
- RT misses parallel cracks ≠ UT catches perpendicular
Last Minute
- 1. Basic exam has 135 questions
- 2. Basic exam lasts 4 hours
- 3. Passing score near 70 percent
- 4. SNT-TC-1A recommends; CP-189 requires
- 5. CP-105 lists 11 methods
- 6. MT needs ferromagnetic material
- 7. PT finds surface-breaking flaws
- 8. RT best for volumetric flaws
- 9. UT best for planar flaws
- 10. Level III approves procedures
- 11. Demagnetize part after MT
- 12. No official weight chart
ASNT NDT Level III
- Practice Questions 204 questions Study Guide 34 topics Cheat Sheet 83 facts Flashcards 50 cards Videos 1 video Blogs 1 blog Free CE Podcast