With over 1860 participants from around the globe, a professional program featuring 112 papers presented, three short courses and 132 exhibiting companies, ASNT’s 2007 Fall Conference and Quality Testing Show had more overall attendance than any ASNT conference since 1991. The 2007 event in Las Vegas, NV, provided the forum for networking, learning, and exchanging NDT applications and techniques.
Israel Vasquez taught the short course Understanding NADCAP. Two more short courses took place during the week: Hussein Sadek taught Electromagnetic Testing and Bernard Lyon, Jr., taught Techniques, Tips and Tricks: Operating a Modern Radiometric Thermal Imaging Camera. Sadek also facilitated the week’s third short course, entitled Electromagnetic Testing Technologies. Joshua Jones chaired a post conference seminar, Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar.
Dr. Rod Stanley presented the Mehl Honor Lecture Keynote Address, Thirty Years in Oilfield Tubular Inspection. Stanley focused on the research and development of some of the tools that are currently in use in oilfield tubular inspection. His address also traced the early attempts to get magnetic flux leakage as a leveled ASNT method.
The professional program sessions focused on topics including digital radiography, aerospace testing, ground penetrating radar, magnetic particle and liquid penetrant testing, manufacturing, personnel and training issues, petrochemical applications, laser methods, ultrasonics and many others. Much credit for the outstanding program goes to ASNT National Conference General Chair and Professional Program Chair Claudia Kropas-Hughes.
With 132 vendors, the Quality Testing Show displayed a wide array of technologies with knowledgeable vendors on hand tackling a variety of questions. A special thank you goes out to ASNT’s conference program sponsors, Carestream Health-NDT Solutions Group and KJTD (USA) Company.
The tradeshow was also the location of a poster competition held by ASNT to encourage participation by students enrolled in NDT programs. One dozen students presented their work to the judges. The third place winner for the work entitled, Data Acquisition in Tube Inspection went to Cole Morehead from Southeast Community College. UT Signal Interpretation and Classification, presented by Brandon Rosberg of Southeast Community College, was the second place winner. The first place award went to Brandon Schultz, also from Southeast Community College, for his project, Rotating Scanner Versus Manual Bolt Hole Inspection. They each received plaques and cash awards.
During ASNT’s Annual Business Meeting, the membership was appraised of the current state of the Society’s activities and accomplishments. It was reported that ASNT membership includes 9499 individual members and 435 Corporate Partners. Membership is active around the world, with 70 domestic sections and 14 located outside the U.S. ASNT is increasingly international in composition, with 30 percent of total membership residing outside the U.S.
A highlight of the week was the Annual Awards Banquet, during which members of the NDT community were recognized for their contributions to the science of NDT or to the Society itself. Award recipients were granted the Society’s highest honors. The banquet program was topped off by the ceremonial changing of the presidential collar with the installation of 2007-2008 ASNT President Victor Hernandez.
ASNT thanks all of the volunteers who helped make the 2007 Fall Conference and Quality Testing Show an exciting and successful event. The concepts shared, equipment shown, services presented and committee work achieved live long after the conference as they generate further ideas and discussion. The Society invites the global NDT community to the 2008 Fall Conference in Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
For more information visit www.asnt.org.
