Non-destructive testing (NDT)

The term non-destructive testing or non-destructive inspection (the latter more closely evokes the industrial quality aspect than the former, which refers to laboratory examinations) covers all techniques and processes designed to provide information on the health of a part or structure, without causing any alterations that could be detrimental to its subsequent use. While the term "health" may bear a certain resemblance to the field of medical diagnostic examinations such as radiology or ultrasound, it clearly delimits the objective of non-destructive testing, which is to highlight any defects likely to alter the availability, safety of use and/or, more generally, the conformity of a product to its intended use.

In this sense, non-destructive testing (NDT) is a major component of product quality control. It differs from laboratory and industrial instrumentation in that its purpose is to detect heterogeneities and anomalies, rather than to measure physical parameters such as the weight or dimensions of a part.

Situated at the crossroads of metrology, industrial, scientific and medical instrumentation, non-destructive testing is a specific sector of scientific and industrial activity with its own professional structures, grouping together industrial manufacturers or specialized distributors, research and training organizations, service companies, as well as the specialized departments of a number of large industrial companies which are major users of these techniques. In France, this represents the activity of almost 5,000 people, and a market with a good medium-term growth rate.