EWGAE2002

TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION ON THE FIELD OF ACOUSTIC

EMISSION TESTING (AT) IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EUROPEAN
STANDARDISATION (EN 473)

P. TSCHELIESNIG

Institute for Technical Physics, TÜV Austria, Vienna, Austria

Abstract

A brief overview of education and training of NDT personnel on acoustic emission (AE) in
Europe is given. New courses prepare Levels 1 to 3 in accordance with EN 473.

Introduction and Historical Overview

The education and training of NDT personnel on acoustic emission (AE) in Europe was
first given in Germany. The courses were held at the “Battelle Institut” in Frankfurt from 1975
till 1981. Through these courses, approximately 250 persons within the German speaking
countries learned about the fundamentals of AE. This situation deteriorated in the following
years, because of the growing refusal of AE within Germany.

Although this was a German problem, the training of AE personnel, which is one important
step for the acceptance of a non-destructive testing method, was more or less absent within
Europe. Also the new attempt by the German Working Group for AE failed especially due to
the fact that within the EN 473/1993, “qualification and training of NDT personnel” was not
accepted as a standardised NDT method, although Acoustic Emission Testing (AT) was
mentioned under all NDT methods, for which the rules of EN 473 could be used. This decision
was a considerable setback for the efforts to establish a common European and comparable
training for AE. The efforts continue and the first European training course in acoustic
emission was given at CETIM in France. This course combined the training of the Level 1 and
Level 2. The new attempt in Germany to establish an “Information course about AE” led in
1999 to the first training course in AT Level 1 (AT1) in Germany, organised under the
umbrella of the German Society of NDT.

Basis for the AT Training and Certification

During preparation of the training course and the examination for an AT1, the new edition
of the EN 473 was under preparation. In this new standard, AT became a standardised NDT
method with requirements for all three levels of certification.

Based upon the EN 473, minimum requirements for experience and training time were
defined. Furthermore, beside the number of questions for the general and specific examination
the minimum number and type of test specimens for Level 1 and Level 2 practical examination
were standardised. Because the personnel, which shall be trained, was coming from mainly
from service companies and the chemical and petrochemical industry, the examination shall be
performed in the industrial sector of “Pre- and in-service testing of equipment, plant and
structure.”

J. Acoustic Emission, 20 (2002) 129 © 2002 Acoustic Emission Group

 The content of the training courses was based on an ICNDT draft about the minimum
requirement for the training of NDT personnel “Acoustic Emission”. Meanwhile the TC138
AHG8 established a training syllabus for NDT methods – minimum requirement, which shall
be published as CEN Technical report in 2003. These are shown in Tables 1 - 3.

Table 1: Minimum experience requirements

NDT-method Level 1 Level 2
AT 6 months 12 months

Table 2: Minimum training requirements

NDT-method Level 1 Level 2
AT 40 h 64 h

Table 3: minimum number and type of test specimens for the practical examination
NDT method Number and type Declaration
and level of specimen
AT1 1 For AT examinations the discontinuities are normally
replaced by artificial sources. The level 1 candidate shall
demonstrate the ability to install the equipment, verify
its sensitivity and record the test data.
AT2 1 + 2datasets The level 2 candidate shall also demonstrate the ability
to interpret and evaluate previously recorded test data.

EN 473/2000 “NDT – Qualification and Certification of NDT Personnel – General

Principles”

The EN 473 establishes a system for the qualification and certification of personnel, who
perform industrial NDT. In this standard, levels of qualification with defined competencies
will be introduced.

The Level 1 personnel may be authorised to:

a) set up NDT equipment;
b) perform the tests according to written instructions;
c) record and classify the results of the tests in terms of written criteria, and
d) report the results.
Level 1 certified personnel shall not be responsible for the choice of test method or technique
to be used, nor for assessment of test results.

The Level 2 personnel may be authorised to:

a) select the NDT technique for the test method to be used;
b) define the limitations of application of the testing method;
c) translate NDT standards and specifications into NDT instructions;
d) set up and verify equipment settings;
e) perform and supervise tests;
f) interpret and evaluate results according to applicable standards, codes or specifications;
g) prepare written instructions;
h) carry out and to supervise all Level 1 duties;
i) provide guidance for personnel at or below Level 2, and
j) organise and report the results of non destructive tests.
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 An individual certified to Level 3 may
a) assume full responsibility for a test facility and staff:
b) establish and validate NDT instructions and procedures;
c) interpret standards, codes, specifications and procedures;
d) designate the particular test methods, procedures and NDT instructions to be used, and
e) carry out and supervise all Level 1 and Level 2 duties.

This clear regulation for the distribution of the different duties sets forth that a test
organisation needs all three levels of NDT personnel and also defines which competence have
to be trained and examined during the required courses.

Beside the technical knowledge about AE, the Level 1 has to be trained in the equipment
set up and how to use a written test instruction properly. The Level 2, which must have gained
test experience during the 12-month experience time, has to learn how to write a test
instruction based on the QM – NDT procedures and shall be able to perform the assessment of
the test results. The Level 3, which is an absolute must for a testing organisation to retain, has
to be the head of the complete organisation with the competence to evaluate and interpret
results in term of existing standards, codes and specifications and a general familiarity with
other NDT methods.

CEN/TC138 AHG8 “Training Syllabus”

Because the comparable applications all over Europe need for the training and certification
the same minimum requirements for the education, the CEN/TC138 establish the AHG8,
which became responsible for the creation of a training syllabus for all NDT methods, as
mentioned in the EN 473. Table 4 shows the unified format for all NDT methods, which was
created by the AHG8 during its “kick-off” meeting last year (2001) in Paris.

Table 4: Unified format

Contents Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
1 introduction, terminology, purpose and X X X
history of NDT a
2 physical principles and associated X A A
knowledge b
3 product knowledge and capabilities of X A A
method and its derivate techniques c f
4 equipment f A X X
df
5 information prior of test A X X
f
6 testing A X X
7 evaluation and reporting f A X X
f
8 assessment A X
9 quality aspects e f X A A
10 environmental and safety conditions A A X
11 developments X A

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 A for the considered level, it is a very important point.
a
(Brief history of NDT in general + introduction to the various NDT method, common
standardised terminology)
b
(chemistry, mathematics, …)
c
(include metallurgy)
d
(including e.g. written instruction, standards, procedures, acceptance criteria, relevant
indications, performances, …)
e
is dealing with responsibilities and guidance
f
include codes, standards and procedures

note: For Level 3 basic the contents have to be taught for at least four methods including at
least one volumetric method.

Based upon this unified format the different Working Groups of CEN/TC138 started to
establish minimum requirements for the content of the training courses and the examination.
These minimum requirements shall be used also as a basis for an ISO standard, which shall
make the comparable training applicable worldwide.

AT Training within the German-speaking Countries

As an example for the first EN473 conform training courses on the AT field, the following
training courses were given under the umbrella of the German Society of NDT (DGZfP) in co-
operation with the Austrian Society of NDT (ÖGfZP).

The training courses given in accordance with the EN473 before June 30th, 2002.
Level year location number of candidates
1 1999 Ismaning (D) 15
2 2000 Dortmund (D) 10
3 2000 Puchberg (A) 15
1 2001 Wien (A) 12
1 2001 Dortmund (D) 10
2 2002 Dortmund (D) 11

The courses are under preparation.

Level year location
1 2002 Wien (A)
1 or 2 2003 Dortmund (D)
3 2003 Puchberg (A)

We shall be proud on the fact that till today no other testing was able to hold the first
training courses with examinations starting from level 1 to 3, within a time period of one year,
with attendees from Germany (D), Austria (A) and Switzerland (CH).

Prospects of the Future

The training and examination in conformity with the EN473/2000 is a very important step
for AT to become a more accepted non-destructive testing method. Because this bring AT on

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the way from the “so-called experts” to real trained and certified NDT personnel not only in
the service organisations as well as in the user industry.

In the future the user industry shall have at minimum one trained AT1, 2 or 3, which is able
to recognise the problem and to evaluate a possible solution in conjunction with a service
organisation. He also shall be able to validate the service organisation and the proposed written
procedure and supervise the testing people during their work.

A further demand for the future is, that all AT testing organisation have the responsible
AT1, AT2 and AT3, because only their teamwork, with their different competence can
guarantee a proper execution of the test order. This give the potential customer the opportunity
to decide, which testing organisation is able to perform the job, this one, which is accredited
and have certified AT testing personnel, or this, which nominates themselves as experts,

References

EN473/2000 Non-destructive testing – Qualification and certification of NDT personnel –

General principles.

CEN/TC138 AHG8 training syllabus “unified format”.

“Die Ausbildung auf dem Gebiet der Schallemissionsprüfung (AT) – Historie, Inhalte und
Ausblick” - P. Tscheliesnig, TÜV Österreich, Wien (A); W. Schmidt, DGZfP, Dortmund (D)
presented at the annual DGZfP conference, Berlin (D) 2001.

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