NDT personnel certification
	RSNTTD training and certification centers
	Conferences
	List of NDT Instruments and Means subject to Voluntary Certification and List of Normative Documents upon which the Certificate of Conformity is issued

Reliability of nondestructive testing (NDT) is conditioned by testability of technical inspection objects, high metrological performance of testing means and qualification of the personnel carrying out this test.

Before 1992, training and certification of the NDT specialists in Russia were conducted in different training centers within numerous ministries and departments according to the 6-grade qualification rating.

Since the middle of 1980-ies activities for creating the international standard ISO 9712 have been conducted for qualifying and certifying the NDT specialists. The standard was adopted in 1991 and had an impact upon the next following national and regional norms and standards for NDT personnel certification.

Creation of the unified system of 3-level certification of the NDT specialists in the USSR was started at the beginning of 1980-ies in the context of the "Personnel Qualification" activities (professor A.K. Gurvich) performed by ISO Committee TC/135 (Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences V.V. Klyuev).

In December 1986 the Scientific Council of the USSR Academy of Sciences (Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences V.E. Scherbinin) dealing with the problem of "Nondestructive Physical Testing Methods" approved the first list of the qualification level III specialists in the USSR according to seven NDT methods.

1. Ultrasonic methods: N.P. Aleshin, A.K. Gurvich, I. N. Ermolov, M. V. Korolev, Yu. V. Lange, Yu. N.Mirzohi, G. B. Muravin, V. A. Troitskii, N. V. Himchenko, Yu. M. Shkarlet, L. M. Yablonik.
2. Eddy-current methods: V. G. Gerasimov, B. V. Goncharov, T. Ya. Gorazdovskii, V. V. Klyuev, A. I. Nikitin, V. V. Suhorukov, A. Ya. Teterko, V. S. Fastritskii, Yu. K. Fedosenko, V. E. Shaternikov, Yu. M. Shkarlet.
3. Magnetic methods: A. P. Deggerev, N. N. Zatsepin, N. N. Kachanov, M. N. Mel'gui, G. V. Lomaev, N. G. Leschenko, A. D. Pokrovskii, Yu. V. Seleznev, P. A. Halileev, G. S. Shelihov, V. E. Scherbinin.
4. Liquid penetrant methods: A. S. Borovikov, A. V. Kiryakin, K. S. Kasaev, L. E. Levina, P. P. Prohorenko, S. G. Sazhin, M. V. Kulakov, P. S. Hanzhin.
5. Optical, thermal, radio-wave methods: Yu. K. Grigulis, L. K. Dubitskii, I. A. Valyus, S. M. Maevskii, P. I. Markov, V. I. Matveev, P. R. Ismatullaev, V. A. Pavel'ev, A, I. Potapov, V. A. Rudakov.
6. Radiation methods: L. V. Vladimirov, V. A. Vorob'ev, V. N. Goncharov, E. A. Gusev, B. I. Leonov, A. N. Maiorov, O. I. Nedavnii, S. V. Rumyantsev, A. A. Petushkov, G. M. Pekarskii, F. R. Sosnin, V. G. Firstov, V. L. Chahlov, S. V. Shablov.
7. Electrical methods: P. I. Gos'kov, A. K. Denel', V. S. Kortov, A. A. Luhvich, I. G. Matis, Yu. P. Hvalebnov.

In 1988 the CMEA draft standard for training and certification of personnel in the field of nondestructive testing was prepared (A. A. Petushkov, A. P. Degterev and others, team manager V. V. Klyuev) in the context of the subject "Developing and Issuing the Methodical and Training Appliances of the CMEA Standard, Certificates of Competence for Education and Training the NDT Personnel".

Authorized Body - a body, independent of any single predominant interest, authorized by an independent certifying body to prepare administer examinations to qualify NDT personnel qualification level. An authorized body may be associated with a business sector.

Certificate - a document issued under the rules of the certification system provisions and certifying a specialist's competence to perform specific type of activity.

Applicant (in the field of certification) - a person applying to a certification body for a certificate of competence.

Examination Center - a center approved by the independent certifying body either directly or through the authorized body where qualification examinations will be carried out. An examination center may be situated at an employer's premises.

Examiner - an person certificated to level 3 in the method he is to examine and authorized by an independent certifying body either directly or through the authorized body to conduct, supervise and grade NDT qualification examinations.

Candidate for Certification - individual seeking qualification and certification and who works under supervision of certified personnel gaining appropriate experience for qualification.

Employer - the organization for which the candidate works on a regular basis; an employer may be a candidate at the same time.

Operating authorization - a written statement issued by the employer based on the individual's competence as specified by the certificate. In addition to the certification, amongst others the job-specific knowledge, skill and physical ability can be assessed for the specific tasks.

NDT method - discipline applying a physical principle in NDT (for example: ultrasonic method).

NDT technique - a specific way of using and NTD method (for example: immersion ultrasonic immersion technique).

NDT procedure - a written description of all essential parameters and precautions to be observed when applying an NDT technique to a specific test, following an established standard, code or specification.

NDT instruction - a written description of the precise steps to be followed in testing to an established standard, code, specification or NDT procedure.

Industrial sector - a particularsection of industry or technology where specialized NDT practices are used and requiring specific product related knowledge, skill, equipment or training directed to the production being tested. An industrial sector may be interpreted to mean a product (welds, castings,…) or an industry (aerospace, petrochemical, …).

Qualification examination - an examination administered by independent certifying body or the authorized body which demonstrate the general, specific and practical knowledge and the skill of the candidate.

General examination - an examination which connected with the principles a NDT method.

Specific examination - an examination which is concerned with testing techniques applied in a particular industrial sector, and knowledge of the product being tested, and of standards, codes, specifications and acceptance criteria.

Practical examination - an examination of skills in which the candidate of levels 1 or 2 demonstrates familiarity with and the ability to operate the necessary test equipment, to test the prescribed specimens, to record and to analyse the resulting information to the degree required, and in which the candidate of level 3 demonstrates the ability to draft one or more NDT procedures.

Basic examination - an examination, at level 3, which demonstrates the knowledge of the materials science and technology in relation to the field of activity of level 3, of this qualification and certification system and of the basic principles of NDT methods as required for level 3.

Main NDT method examination - an examination, at level 3, which demonstrates the general and specific knowledge of the level 3 candidate in the main NDT method, and the skill of writing and NDT procedure.