CSWIP or ASME plant inspection courses

[Moiser]

Hey guys,
I am a time served NDT apprentice that has moved into plant inspection (UKAS Cat4B) around 12months ago. I am currently studying for a HNC in mechanical engineering. I'd like to complete an API but don't want risk taking on too much work and wasting my money. I'm looking into completing either a CSWIP or ASME plant inspection course. Could anyone offer any advice as to how the courses are valued.

Kind regards,
Dave

 

[ndeguy]

All 3 names - ASME, API and CSWIP are well-recognised globally. If the ticket fits the job description then a potential employer can use it. You could contact Matthews Engineering and CSWIP to hear their relative claims and counter-claims.

Dave, why do you want to quit NDT for plant inspection - I know that they overlap in areas but only on conventional NDT. As a "time-served NDT apprentice" you can choose from all that fancy equipment and weird acronyms (CHIME, ACFM, LRUT, GWUT, PA, CR, TOFD, AE are part of an ever-increasing list). Whereas with plant inspection its climb up, get inside, switch on the torch...Just kidding, but as a specialised NDT engineer - if you are going for HNC you can be incorporated IEng through BINDT - the world is your oyster.

To paraphrase Dr Johnson - the man who is tired of NDT is tired of life! Black Adder III - Ink and Incapability.

 

[Moiser]

Hey,
Thanks for your advice. I did contact Mr. Matthews before posting but he seemed to get defensive when I asked if he could tell me alittle bit about his ASME courses compared to the CSWIP.

I don't really want to turn my back on NDT at the moment and moving into specialist techniques would be interesting but it would mean leaving the company I work for. I did plan on becoming incorporated through BINDT.


Regards,
Dave

 

[ndeguy]

Hello Dave

I assume you are a young man - late 20's or early 30's (please forgive me if I am wrong), so you have plenty of time ahead of you to allow for experiment and diversity - both should put flesh on to your career profile so I wouldnt fret over which path to take - just do it!

I was Level III in an aerospace detail part manufacturing facility aftera stint as a Quality Engineer in a PV company. I was approaching 50 and decided I did not want to be there for the rest of my career so I joined a North American AUT company, ostensibly to manage inspections from the UK base. This never happened so I went offshore as a 50 year old "head-humper" on the lay-barges. We scanned 300 8" joints in one 12 hour shift!

Now I am preparing a team for Phased Array and TOFD inspections in Saudi Arabia. Other advanced inspections will come on board as time and circumstance allows. So just keep open-minded, flexible to try your hand at what comes along - it helps a lot if you get lucky to work for a while in a good cross-discipline team to learn from the smart guys - design, process, corrosion, materials, welding, inspection and quality engineers.

Dont worry about making the right decision - just be proactive! You have to be unlucky to suffer long term from such decision. Throw a dice if you need some extra support!

Best of luck for now and for the future Dave

Nigel

 

[Moiser]

I'm actually 24 so your pretty close to the mark there. It sounds like you've done some hard graft in your times! Thanks a million for your advice, its something that is lacking in the company I presently work for. Things have got better since I moved into the client's inspection dept. so there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Best regards,
Dave