Another case of a little knowledge being dangerous

I do enjoy reading a magazine covering the topic of classic cars and, every now and again, there will be a reference to crack testing. In a recent article, the front suspension lower wishbones and upper arms were stripped and crack tested. To perform the crack testing, they used a Magnaflux ‘paint’, which contains fine ferrous particles. The next part of the process involved putting a mild magnetic field across the arms, which would result in the particles being drawn along the edges of any cracks when viewed under ultraviolet (UV) light. They say a little bit of knowledge is dangerous and this could one of those situations. The article would have been better to have used the term ‘non-destructive testing (NDT)’, explaining that it can be used to find a range of defects, including cracks, when applied correctly. The paint is most probably a fluorescent ink, as there is mention of viewing under a UV light; however, the jury is still out on the mild magnetic field concept. I would guess that the author has limited or no experience of NDT and the company applying it has very limited knowledge without any formal training, procedures, etc, in place. If the component were to fail, it would be all too easy for the crack testing to be blamed rather than the lack of knowledge; perhaps the cost of an expert would appear too much in the short term.

One of my neighbours loved his garden and greenhouses and decided that it would be a good idea to heat the greenhouses by gas. To do this, he tapped into the domestic gas supply in his kitchen and ran a garden hose to each of the greenhouses; this went on for a few years until he needed to call a plumber in to do another job. The plumber immediately shut off the gas supply and informed the gas board, who came out and rectified the damage to the gas piping, giving the neighbour a stern lecture and a large bill. Apparently, the hosepipe was degrading and could have failed at any time. Another case of a little knowledge being dangerous. As a footnote, he did live to a good old age and always had a good crop of vegetables, but not so early in the year due to the lack of heating in the greenhouses.

The conferences and events team is busy facilitating online Branch meetings, which can increase a person’s knowledge, provide points for certification renewal and demonstrate continuing professional development (CPD) for Engineering Council registration and are free to attend; other organisations do charge for some of their events. The NDT of Composites Through Life Workshop will have happened in Poole, UK, by the time this issue of NDT News is released and I expect it will have been a success following on from the previous event. The planning for this year’s 60th anniversary conference in September in Northampton, UK, is very much underway. In fact, the preparations never stop from one event to the next. More opportunities for knowledge, CPD and points!

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