USA and Canada are both North American countries and Canada does not get as much attention in ‘Letter from America’ as articles about the USA in these publications. Despite recent threats from President Trump, it is highly unlikely that Canada will become the 51st state, in my lifetime.
So, in the interest of comparison with UK and European standards, I am providing a brief review of the separate standards.
In the USA, non-destructive testing (NDT) standards are developed and published by the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT). ASNT works to advance the field of NDT through the development and promotion of standards, as well as through education and training programmes.
Some examples of American NDT standards published by ASNT include:
SNT-TC-1A Personnel qualification and certification in nondestructive testing
CP-189 ASNT Standard for qualification and certification of nondestructive testing personnel
AC-7B Standard for qualification and certification of NDT inspection agencies.
These standards provide guidelines for the qualification and certification of NDT personnel, as well as the accreditation of NDT inspection agencies. They are based on international standards, such as ISO 9712 and ISO 13588, but may include additional requirements specific to the USA.
In addition to these standards, there are also many sector-specific NDT standards in the USA, such as those for the aerospace industry (for example NAS 410), the automotive industry (for example ISO/TS 16949) and the construction industry (for example ASTM E329). These standards provide specific requirements for the use of NDT in these industries and may be used in conjunction with the general NDT standards published by ASNT.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an international standardisation organisation that develops and publishes standards for a wide range of industries, including NDT. ISO NDT standards provide guidelines for the proper use and interpretation of NDT techniques, as well as for the qualification and certification of NDT personnel.
Some examples of ISO NDT standards include:
- ISO 9712 Non-destructive testing – Qualification and certification of NDT personnel
- ISO 13588 Non-destructive testing – Qualification and certification of NDT inspection agencies
- ISO 15549 Non-destructive testing – Eddy current testing – General principles.
These standards are widely recognised and used in many countries around the world and are often adopted as national standards by countries that are members of ISO. In addition to these general NDT standards, there are also many sector-specific ISO NDT standards, such as those for the aerospace industry (for example ISO 17359), the automotive industry (for example ISO 16810) and the construction industry (for example ISO 12706). These standards provide specific requirements for the use of NDT in these industries and may be used in conjunction with the general ISO NDT standards.
In Canada, NDT standards are developed and published by the Canadian standards association (CSA Group), which is a national standards organisation that works to develop and promote standards in a variety of fields, including NDT.
Some examples of Canadian NDT standards include:
CAN/CSA-SNT-TC-1A Personnel qualification and certification in non-destructive testing
CAN/CSA-CP-189 CSA Standard for qualification and certification of nondestructive testing personnel
CAN/CGSB-48.9712-2022 Non-destructive testing – Qualification and certification of NDT personnel.
These standards provide guidelines for the qualification and certification of NDT personnel, as well as the accreditation of NDT inspection agencies. They are based on international standards, such as ISO 9712 and ISO 13588, but may include additional requirements specific to Canada.
As well as these standards, there are also many sector-specific NDT standards in Canada, such as those for the aerospace industry (for example CAN/CSA-S-531), the automotive industry (for example CAN/CSA-ISO 16810) and the construction industry (for example CAN/CSA-S806). These standards provide specific requirements for the use of NDT in these industries and may be used in conjunction with the general NDT standards published by the CSA.
Although, over the past 65 years, I have conducted many NDT activities in Canada using my USA certifications, I have never been questioned about why I was not referencing the Canadian version. Perhaps a Canadian reader could enlighten us on this subject?
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