IQ, QB & IQB
Inspection Qualification, Qualification Body and Inspection Qualification Body
IQ – Inspection Qualification is, according to the official definition: The systematic assessment of an NDT system, by all those methods that are needed to provide reliable confirmation, to ensure it is capable of achieving the required performance under real inspection conditions.
QB – Qualification Body is a body that conducts the NDT qualification or IQ.
IQB can represent either Inspection Qualification Body or Independent Qualification Body.
The NDT system to be assessed during IQ may be composed of any combination of the NDT procedure, the equipment and the personnel. The QB will assess the NDT system by the use of practical trials and/or a Technical Justification. The practical trials can be open trials, where the defect positions in the test-piece are known. Open trials are used for the qualification of procedures and equipment. Personnel qualification is undertaken using blind trials, where the positions of the defects in the test-pieces or data are kept secret from the operator applying the procedure.
The appropriate mix of trials and technical justification is judged separately for each particular case. The QB decides on the mix, prepares the IQ procedure, which describes how the qualification will be undertaken, and then implements the IQ. The QB will review the inspection procedure and the technical justification. It may witness the open trials and will design and supervise the blind trials.
Finally, the QB will issue the qualification certificates.
There are three types of QB:
For more information on QB see:
ENIQ Recommended Practice 7: Recommended General Requirements for a Body Operating Qualification of Non-Destructive Tests, which can be downloaded from:
http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/eniq-recommended-practice-7-pbLBNA20395
What the hec?! articles are not intended to be the definitive account on the topic or acronym in question. Readers’ comments and contributions are welcomed. Email: ndtnews@bindt.org
QB – Qualification Body is a body that conducts the NDT qualification or IQ.
IQB can represent either Inspection Qualification Body or Independent Qualification Body.
The NDT system to be assessed during IQ may be composed of any combination of the NDT procedure, the equipment and the personnel. The QB will assess the NDT system by the use of practical trials and/or a Technical Justification. The practical trials can be open trials, where the defect positions in the test-piece are known. Open trials are used for the qualification of procedures and equipment. Personnel qualification is undertaken using blind trials, where the positions of the defects in the test-pieces or data are kept secret from the operator applying the procedure.
The appropriate mix of trials and technical justification is judged separately for each particular case. The QB decides on the mix, prepares the IQ procedure, which describes how the qualification will be undertaken, and then implements the IQ. The QB will review the inspection procedure and the technical justification. It may witness the open trials and will design and supervise the blind trials.
Finally, the QB will issue the qualification certificates.
There are three types of QB:
- Type 1: which is independent of both the plant owner and the NDT vendor.
- Type 2: which is in the plant owner's organisation but is independent of the manufacturing or operating division. Type 2 QBs are set up on a permanent or long-term basis.
- Type 3: which is just put together for a specific qualification.
European Methodology for Qualification of NDT, 3rd Issue, which can be downloaded from:
http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/european-methodology-for-qualification-of-non-destructive-testing-pbLDNA22906For more information on QB see:
ENIQ Recommended Practice 7: Recommended General Requirements for a Body Operating Qualification of Non-Destructive Tests, which can be downloaded from:
http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/eniq-recommended-practice-7-pbLBNA20395
What the hec?! articles are not intended to be the definitive account on the topic or acronym in question. Readers’ comments and contributions are welcomed. Email: ndtnews@bindt.org
