Quality has to be embedded in our culture

On Feb. 1 2003, space shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon reentering the Earth’s atmosphere killing seven crews. The cause of this catastrophe is attributed to the failure of the thermal protection system which was not tested properly before the launch. This speaks volumes for the significance of testing & inspection of critical components, says Mukesh Arora, Managing Director & CEO, NDTS India (P) Limited. As of now, Non-destructive testing is mandatory in construction for predictive and preventive maintenance, but it ought to be made an absolute must in other manufacturing activities as well so that quality, reliability and operational efficiency can be ensured in every sphere, he opines. Just as quality is in the DNA of Germans and Japanese, we must also infuse and ensure quality and reliability in our products, systems and procedures. Quality has to be embedded in our culture as a whole, he underlines in an interview with P.K. Balasubbramaniian Excerpts:

Q. Why NDT and what is its role in quality assurance?

NDT ensures that you get quality products invariably and consistently. This in turn ensures that the components function in high efficiency and they have an extended service life. There is no chance of your getting wrong parts.

Q. How would you describe your company in a few words?

NDTS India was established in the year 2006 with a motive of building a professionally managed enterprise dedicated to the challenging field of Non-Destructive Testing and Evaluation. Today our industrial services encompass Inspection Services, Third Party Inspection, Consulting and Training & Certification. We are an ISO 19001 certified company and believe in striving towards a strong customer satisfaction.

Q. What are the services you render under Inspection Services?

We provide 24/7 on-site inspection services by deploying world-class equipment with trained manpower as per various standards and customer requirements. Our team consists of ASNT Level III and Level II engineers and technicians.The Advanced NDT Services we carry out are Phased array ultrasonic testing, Time of flight Diffraction, Corrosion Mapping, Remote visual inspection or Boroscopy, Eddy current testing, Remote field eddy current testing, Eddy current array, IRIS – Internal rotary inspection system, Pulsed eddy current testing, Infrared thermography, Positive material identification, Wire rope testing, Thickness mapping of boiler tubes with EMAT, and High temperature thickness gauging with EMAT. Under conventional NDT Services we carry out are… Ultrasonic flaw detection, Ultrasonic thickness gauging, Magnetic particle inspection, Liquid particle inspection, Liquid penetrant testing, On-site hardness testing and Coating thickness measurement.

Q. Could you elaborate Thirty Party Inspection?

Under this, we conduct fabrication shop activities such as inspection of raw materials, pre-fabrication, on-going fabrication, and post-fabrication. We also undertake pre-, on-going and post-shutdown inspection.

Q. What all things come under the purview of your Consulting?

We help customers in selecting the right NDT techniques and equipment for specific applications, preparation of NDT inspection procedures for various methods, clients and jobs; preparation of test report formats & NDE technique sheets; preparation of written practices as per ASNT recommended practices, preparation of advanced NDT techniques and procedures for immersion ultrasonic testing, PAUT, TOFD, MFL, etc.; review & validation of inspection procedures, and simulation services using CIVA.

Q. Do you also impart training and certification?

Yes, of course. We provide Level II training & certification as per PCN/ISO9712 & ASNT SNT-TC-1A. We have both Conventional NDT courses, and Advanced NDT courses. These are based on practical exercises which when combined with the recording, reporting with the recoding, reporting and answering of quizzes, results in the understanding of a specific syllabus segment. Lecturing is reduced to a minimum, and the emphasis is on training to the precise, specific need of the individual. We also conduct tailor-made programs to suit the exacting needs of the customers.

Q. Your business is highly people-oriented. How do you motivate your people?

A technician or engineer absorbed in our company is given an opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in multiple streams. After all-round training, one can choose the stream one wants. We help them improve their skill set by training and certifying to Level II. This certification is done by ourselves. We also help the aspirants to acquire the highest qualification in NDT by passing Level III exams conducted by the British Institute of NDT of ASNT. We sponsor their studies by paying the fees and help them appear for the exams. We have a friendly work environment, 5-day working and flexible timings. We review their performance periodically during probation and then confirm their service.
Our people are a highly motivated and elated lot with great job satisfaction. This helps them go beyond call of duty to accomplish the tasks on hand and gain customer delight.

Q. Who are your major customers?

We have an ever-growing list of valued customers – greater than 500 as of today.They include L&T, Siemens, Godrej, Finolex, Reliance, Tecnimont, Essar, Wipro, ACC, GE, Volkswagen, Tata Power, Hindustan Unilever, Vedanta, etc. in the private sector and SAIL, NTPC, NPCL, RCF, Indian Oil, HPCL, ONGC, etc. in the public sector.

Q. What are the advances in NDT technology?

There are three components to NDT. One is physics, the 2nd is smart sensors and the 3rd is quick data analyzers. Physics remains the same. But when it comes to sensors and analyzers, developments in information technology have become a big enabler in data analyzing and data sharing in real time. Artificial intelligence is playing its part too in interactive communication. AI is a boon to the field of inspection as well. Technology is available today, but it is expensive. With passage of time, it will become economical.

Q. How big is NDT business in India today?

There is no accurate data available. However, in my estimation, it should be in the vicinity of Rs.1000 crores. There are about 6-7 major players in the organized sector, and quite a larger number in the unorganized sector.

Q. What’s your vision for NDTS India?

We want to build a global company – global in attitude, outlook and trait. Professionalism must permeate people, processes and systems.We must be known as a credible company, never ever taking short cuts or compromising on quality. We shall invest a whale of time, money and resources in training people, who would fortify our value chain, and build our brand. Commitment, trust, honesty and customer delight will be the main planks of our operating philosophy.