ASNT NDT Level II study guide
ASNT NDT Level II · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
ASNT NDT Level II is one of the certifications offered through ASNT Certification Services, which describes its Level II and Level III certifications as globally recognized, impartial qualifications that validate an NDT technician's competence. ASNT calls these "comprehensive, two-part certifications": candidates sit an NDT General computer-based exam plus specific computer-based exams for one or more test methods. The ASNT NDT Level II study guide has 6 sections and about 1,830 words.
01Electromagnetic Testing (ET) - Level II Study Guide
Eddy current testing induces circulating currents in a conductive part with an alternating magnetic field from a coil. The technician reads the coil's electrical impedance, displayed as amplitude and phase angle on an impedance plane; discontinuities, geometry, and material properties each perturb that signal differently.
323 words, about 2 min02Magnetic Particle Testing (MT) - Level II Study Guide
Magnetic particle testing detects surface and near-surface discontinuities in ferromagnetic materials only, such as carbon steel, cast iron, and some nickel alloys. The part is magnetized and ferromagnetic particles are applied; they collect at leakage fields where a discontinuity interrupts the field.
321 words, about 2 min03Liquid Penetrant Testing (PT) - Level II Study Guide
Penetrant testing reveals discontinuities open to the surface in nonporous materials. The sequence is pre-clean, apply penetrant, allow dwell, remove excess, apply developer, inspect, and post-clean.
290 words, about 1 min04Radiographic Testing (RT) - Level II Study Guide
Radiography uses X-rays or gamma radiation from isotopes such as iridium-192, cobalt-60, selenium-75, or cesium-137 to penetrate material; differential attenuation produces a latent image on film or a digital detector. Know source selection and half-life, the inverse square law, geometric unsharpness given by Ug = F times t divided by d, where F is source size, t is object-to-film distance, and d is source-to-object distance.
276 words, about 1 min05Ultrasonic Testing (UT) - Level II Study Guide
Ultrasonic testing uses high-frequency sound, typically 1 to 10 MHz, generated by a piezoelectric transducer. Know wave modes (longitudinal, shear, surface, and Lamb), how velocity depends on material and mode, acoustic impedance and reflection at interfaces, couplant function, near field length N = D squared times f divided by 4v, beam spread with sine of the half angle equal to 1.22 lambda over D, and refraction by Snell's law.
312 words, about 2 min06Visual Testing (VT) - Level II Study Guide
Visual testing is examination by the eye, alone or aided by optical instruments, and it underpins every other method because a surface must be seen before it can be tested. Understand direct versus remote viewing, lighting requirements, contrast and resolution, magnification aids, viewing angle, and equipment such as borescopes, fiberscopes, magnifiers, and cameras.
308 words, about 2 min