Product tools · Inspection stage
BetaNDE coverage review: check every weld has the right RT, UT, MT or PT report
The NDE Coverage Review checks that every weld that needs non-destructive examination has the right evidence. It matches each weld on the weld map to its required method, confirms the RT, UT, MT or PT report exists and covers it, and checks repairs were re-examined. QA and NDE coordinators get cited findings for every gap.
NDE Coverage Review is in beta. Request access and we onboard each team ourselves: we run your first real documents with you and check the results together.
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What goes in and what you get out
What goes in
- Weld map (required)Readable as a list or table of welds, not only as a drawing.
- ITP (optional)
- NDE procedure (optional)
- RT / UT / MT / PT reports (required, several files)
- Repair records (optional, several files)
What it checks
- Flag missing reports
- Check examination coverage
- Check the method matches the requirement
- Flag unclosed repair cycles
What you get out
- One line per weld: the NDE required, the report found and whether it covers the weld
- A quote from the requirement and from the report behind each finding
- Gaps sorted by type: missing report, short coverage, wrong method, repair not re-examined
- CSV or JSON export for your NDE log or the record book
Who uses it: NDE coordinators, QA/QC engineers, Welding engineers, Inspection coordinators.
20 questions about the NDE Coverage Review
What do RT, UT, MT and PT mean?
They are the common non-destructive examination (NDE) methods. RT is radiographic testing, using X-rays or gamma rays. UT is ultrasonic testing, using sound waves. Both look inside the weld. MT is magnetic particle testing and PT is liquid penetrant testing. Both find flaws at or near the surface. MT only works on magnetic materials, such as carbon steel.
What does the NDE Coverage Review check?
For each weld on the weld map, it works out which NDE the requirements call for, then looks for a report that covers that weld. It checks the method matches, the extent of examination is enough, and any repair was examined again. Missing reports and unclosed repairs are flagged. Every finding quotes the requirement and the report it relies on.
Which documents do I upload?
Two are required: the weld map and the NDE reports, such as RT, UT, MT and PT reports. You can add the ITP and the NDE procedure, which help the review work out what each weld needs, and the repair records. The weld map should list weld numbers as a table or readable list. The tool reads PDF, Word, Excel, CSV and image files.
How do you check NDE coverage by hand?
List every weld from the weld map and note the NDE each one needs from the specification, code and ITP. Then go through the reports and tick off each weld against a report of the right method, checking the extent. For each repair, find the re-examination. It means cross-checking weld numbers across many reports, which is where gaps slip through.
What are the most common NDE coverage gaps?
Common ones are a weld with no report at all, a report covering less of the weld than required, a different method from the one specified, such as UT instead of RT without approval, and a repaired weld that was never re-examined. Others are a rejected weld with no repair record and a report signed by someone not qualified to interpret it.
What is examination coverage or extent?
Coverage, or extent, is how much of a weld or how many welds must be examined. A specification may ask for 100% of the weld length, a percentage of welds, or spot checks. A report that covers only part of a weld that needed full examination is a coverage gap. The review compares the extent required with the extent each report states.
Can I use UT instead of RT?
Only if the code and the customer allow it. Some codes and specifications accept ultrasonic testing in place of radiography under set conditions, and many customers require their approval first, often through a technical query. Without that approval, a weld examined by the wrong method doesn't meet the requirement. The review flags method mismatches and quotes any approval it finds in your documents.
Why must a repaired weld be examined again?
A repair removes the flaw and adds new weld metal, which can have its own flaws. Codes and specifications require the repaired area to be examined again, usually by the same method, to prove the repair is sound. A weld with a repair but no re-examination report is an open repair cycle. The review flags every one it finds.
What are NDE personnel levels?
NDE staff are qualified to levels under schemes such as ISO 9712 or ASNT SNT-TC-1A. Level I staff carry out tests under instruction. Level II staff can set up tests and interpret and evaluate results against the acceptance criteria. Level III staff develop procedures and oversee the work. Many customers require results to be interpreted and signed by at least Level II.
What does an inspector expect to see for NDE?
An inspector expects every weld that needs NDE to have a signed report of the right method and extent, done to an approved procedure by qualified staff. They expect weld numbers on reports to match the weld map, and every repair to show a re-examination. Clear traceability from weld to report is what makes the NDE section of a record book acceptable.
What does the customer specification usually say about NDE?
It usually names the code and acceptance standard, the methods required, the extent for each type of weld, the procedure approval needed and the qualification of NDE staff. It may add NDE for some services or materials beyond the base code. The ITP then places each examination in the manufacturing sequence. The review reads these documents to build the required list.
Does the review judge whether a weld passed?
No. It reads the result stated on each report, such as accepted or rejected, and checks the paperwork adds up. It does not interpret radiographs or ultrasonic data. A rejected weld with no repair record is flagged, but deciding whether a flaw is acceptable stays with your qualified NDE staff and the customer's inspector.
What do I get back from the NDE Coverage Review?
You get one line per weld showing the NDE required, the report found and whether it covers the weld. Gaps are named: missing report, short coverage, wrong method or repair not re-examined. Each finding quotes the requirement and the report. You can export the results as CSV or JSON for your NDE log or the manufacturing record book.
Does it read the weld map drawing?
It reads text and tables, not drawing geometry. If your weld map is a drawing with weld numbers marked on it, also supply a weld list or weld log with each weld number. A table works best. The review then matches weld numbers to reports without needing to read the drawing itself. Weld numbers written the same way across documents help.
Can it check that NDE staff were qualified?
Where the reports state it, yes. The review reads the interpreter's level from each report and can flag a result signed only at a level the requirement doesn't accept, such as Level I. It does not verify personnel certificates themselves unless you upload them. If a report doesn't state the level, that is reported as missing information.
What are the limits of the NDE Coverage Review?
It only checks the documents you upload. If a requirement or report is missing from the files, it can't be found. It reads what the reports state; it doesn't review films or scan data. Weld numbers must be readable and consistent enough to match. The tool is in beta, so we review each team's first runs with them.
How does NDE coverage relate to the MRB?
NDE reports are a large part of the manufacturing record book for welded equipment. A reviewer will follow each weld on the weld map to its reports and repairs. Gaps found at handover are expensive, because the item may need to be examined again after assembly, or even taken apart. Checking coverage during inspection keeps the MRB clean.
Who usually runs an NDE coverage review?
Usually the NDE coordinator or the QA engineer who keeps the NDE log, sometimes with the welding engineer. At smaller makers the project manager or quality manager often does it before handover. Third-party inspection coordinators also use it to prepare for a document review visit. The goal is the same: every weld traced to its evidence.
Is the NDE Coverage Review available now?
The NDE Coverage Review is in beta. You can request access, and we onboard each team ourselves: we pick a real weld map and its NDE reports, run the review with you, and check the results together. That way you see how it handles your records before you rely on it. Document Review, our production tool, is generally available.
Which tools come before and after the NDE Coverage Review?
Before it, the Inspection Readiness Check confirms stages were ready to go ahead, and the Welding Qualification Review confirms each weld was made to a qualified procedure by a qualified welder. After it, the Calibration Validity Check confirms instruments used in tests were in calibration, and the FAT Readiness Check prepares the factory acceptance test.
Where it sits in the order lifecycle
Related standards, guides and templates
Try the NDE Coverage Review on your own documents
Tell us which documents you want to check first. We set up your workspace and run the first package with you.