PCN NDT Ultrasonic Testing Level 2 Exam exam-day guide
PCN NDT Ultrasonic Testing Level 2 Exam · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo identification
Bring the same government-issued photo ID you registered with. Name spelling must match your registration; if your ID name differs from your registration record, contact the provider before test day to correct it. Confirm the accepted ID types with the provider - rules vary by test centre and country.
Admission or appointment confirmation
Print or save the confirmation showing your candidate number, test location, and reporting time. Some centres require the printed copy rather than a phone screen; confirm the format with the provider.
Approved calculator
Confirm with the provider which calculator models are permitted and whether a calculator is supplied or must be brought. If permitted, bring a basic non-programmable unit and spare batteries. Do not assume your usual engineering calculator is allowed.
Writing materials
Bring two pencils, an eraser, and a pen unless the provider states they are supplied. For a practical station you may need to record readings and sketch indications, so confirm whether rough notes are permitted and on what medium.
Personal protective equipment
For any hands-on or practical element, bring safety glasses, safety shoes, and hearing protection if the provider does not supply them. Confirm the provider's PPE policy and dress code in advance; do not assume site-standard gear is acceptable in the test hall.
Method-standard familiarity (no loose notes)
Review the relevant standard clauses on calibration, scanning coverage, and acceptance criteria beforehand. Loose notes, printed procedures, and reference cards are normally prohibited in the test room; confirm what reference material, if any, the provider supplies.
Calibration-block and reference-standard knowledge
Be ready to explain and, where the practical permits, demonstrate reference-block selection, velocity and zero calibration, and DAC/TCG setup from memory of the applicable standard. Confirm which blocks and equipment the provider supplies so you do not plan to bring your own unnecessarily.
Defect-sizing and evaluation method review
Rehearse the amplitude-based and length-based sizing techniques your procedure permits, plus how you classify and record a discontinuity. The practical station is usually scored on technique and documentation, not only on whether you found the flaw.
Report-writing practice
Practise a concise written report: equipment and serial numbers, calibration data, scan plan, indications with amplitude, length, depth, and classification, and a clear conclusion. Confirm the provider's expected report format and time allowance.
Time-management plan
Know the number of questions or stations and the total time. Plan a first pass answering confident items, a second pass on harder ones, and a final review. Confirm the exact format and timing with the provider; do not rely on secondhand accounts.
Rest and travel plan
Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes early, with a backup route and the centre's contact number. A late arrival may forfeit your seat; confirm the provider's late-arrival policy.
Provider policy confirmation (needs_review)
Items marked needs_review on this list - ID types, calculator model, PPE, supplied reference material, and late-arrival rules - are centre-specific. Confirm each one in writing with the provider before test day rather than relying on this guide.
Plan the day
Shift from learning to consolidating. Re-read your own summary of calibration, scanning coverage, and acceptance criteria for the applicable standard, and work through a timed practice set under exam conditions. Review the equations you will need - acoustic velocity, wavelength, near-field length, beam spread, and decibel ratios - and confirm which of them the provider supplies on a formula sheet. Stop introducing new material 48 hours out; last-minute novelties raise anxiety without improving recall. Confirm your appointment time, address, and what the provider supplies.
If your exam includes a practical element, rehearse the full sequence out loud: equipment check, reference-block selection, velocity and zero calibration, sensitivity setting, scan plan, indication marking, sizing, and reporting. Practise writing one complete report within the stated time. Confirm with the provider which equipment, blocks, and couplant are supplied and whether you may bring your own; do not plan around assumptions.
Lay out ID, confirmation, approved calculator, pencils, eraser, pen, and any permitted PPE in one bag. Re-read only your one-page summary of key numbers and standard clauses - no new topics. Check the route and journey time, set two alarms, and eat and sleep at your normal times. Avoid heavy study the evening before; a rested candidate outperforms a cramming one.
Eat a normal meal and arrive at least 30 minutes early. Leave phones, smart watches, and loose notes in the car or locker as the provider directs. Read the candidate instructions and any supplied formula sheet before the clock starts. If a station's equipment is faulty or a block is missing, raise it with the invigilator immediately rather than losing time.
Read each question fully and watch for negation words such as 'not' and 'except'. Answer confident items first, flag uncertain ones, and return to them. For calculations, show units and sanity-check the magnitude. If the format penalises wrong answers, leave a doubtful item blank only if that is the stated rule - confirm the scoring rule with the provider beforehand.
State your technique as you perform it; assessors score observable method as well as results. Follow your procedure exactly: calibrate, set sensitivity, scan the required coverage, mark and size indications, then record them. Watch the clock and reserve time to complete the written report. Do not dismantle equipment until your results are recorded and checked.
Note any question or station you found unclear and report it to the provider through the proper channel if you believe it was faulty. Ask the provider when and how results are issued, and keep your candidate number safe for any resit or appeal window.
Rules to check
Bring the photo ID that matches your registration exactly. If your name or ID type does not match the registration record, you may be refused entry; confirm accepted ID types with the provider before test day.
Electronic devices - phones, smart watches, earbuds, and programmable calculators - must be switched off and stored as the provider directs. Unauthorised devices in the test room are typically treated as misconduct; confirm the exact policy with the provider.
Reference material is normally restricted to what the provider supplies. Do not bring loose notes, marked standards, or written procedures into the test room unless the provider explicitly permits them.
Follow invigilator instructions on seating, timing, and breaks. Break policy and whether food or drink is allowed at the desk vary by centre - confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Maintain test integrity: no communicating with other candidates, no copying, and no sharing of question content afterwards. Suspected misconduct is handled under the provider's procedures and can void your result.
Scoring rules - including whether wrong answers are penalised, how practical stations are weighted, and the pass mark - are set by the provider. Confirm them in advance; do not rely on secondhand accounts.
If equipment is faulty, a block is missing, or a question appears defective, tell the invigilator immediately and follow their instruction. Do not attempt repairs or substitute equipment without permission.
Arrive by the stated reporting time. Late-arrival, rescheduling, and refund rules are centre-specific; confirm them with the provider, as late candidates may forfeit their seat and fee.