Have you ever done something foolish? Like failed to proofread a document, adapted one method procedure to another without making all of the necessary changes, or used the wrong word in an important sentence? Many of us have various levels of guilt. If you lived through the experience because a careful reviewer prevented your personal or professional embarrassment, you may be able to enjoy this article - I did! Frank A. Iddings Tutorial Projects Editor

In recent years it appears that more and more time has been spent by NDT specialists and/or engineers in compiling written procedures. NDT procedures are necessary, to name but a few reasons, to ensure that the applicable code inspection requirements are met, that the quality program requirements are met, to ensure that the examinations are reliable and repeatable, and to ensure that any contractual commitments imposed by the client are met. However, in many cases the skills required for individuals to be proficient at this essential task have not been upgraded. The result is an inordinate amount of time expended on what at times appears to be an endless cycle of procedure compilation, submission, review, rejection, correction, review, rejection, and so on. This scenario appears all the more wasteful when much of the focus is on the quality principle of "Get It Right the First Time and Every Time."

All too often there is a lack of communication between the composer of a procedure and the reviewer. This can arise because of geographic, demographic, or contractual separations. This can often lead to frustration and incomprehension of a procedure review and approval process. In recent years we have spent many hours on both sides of the fence compiling and reviewing procedures. We feel it is now time to share some of the items we have seen that have led to the rejection of procedures - as well as become hilarious fodder for lunchtime conversations.

Some of what is included here will be found to be humorous, much will be agreed with, and some will be rejected. This article is not meant to be a guarantee for successful procedure compilation but more an insight into the pitfalls and traps to avoid.

 

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It would be wise to review your procedure a number of times before submitting it for review.

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Instant Rejection Examples
The following examples are actual quotes from procedures submitted for review and approval. Should you recognize one of these examples from your own procedure, we apologize for any embarrassment. However, before you get mad, remember that we could have given you credit! As you will see from these examples, it would be wise to review the procedure a number of times before submitting it for review.

"The ultrasonic testing equipment shall be capable of producing flaws in the material under test."

Found in an AC yoke procedure: "Rectified current must be used, either three phase (rectified to whole wave) or monophase (rectified to half-wave)."

"Any indication believed by the MT II Examiner to be Non-Relevant SHALL BE CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT." Capitals are from the procedure.

"Caution shall be exercised when removing the AC yoke from the inspection surface to avoid arcing which could damage the surface of the material."

"A circular field shall be induced with the AC yoke."

"Magnetic Particle Classifications are:

1. Water Washable,
2. Post Emulsifying,
3. Solvent Removable."

"The excess magnetic field will be carefully blown away while observing the indication."

"Only defects which are open to the surface can be deleted with this method." Read carefully!

"The following calibration technique shall be used for ultrasonic sensibility."

"The intensity of the blacklight shall be at least 800 MW/cm²." Yes, megawatts!

"Only ASME plaque type penetrameters shall be used with this procedure." Later in the procedure, "wire penetrameters shall be placed across the weld."

"The penetrant shall be applied by any satiable means...."

"Where the DSC block is used for calibration the 1.32 inch notch shall be set as reference."

"For materials 3/4 inch and under, the transducer may be adjusted to set the indications at one and five on the CRT."

"This procedure is to govern the continuous magnetic particle method. Before beginning any liquid penetrant exam the technician shall...."

"The detector shall be a powder composed of finely divided iron particles." Later in the same procedure, "concentration of the wet particles shall be...."

"Ultrasonic Procedure for the detection of Magnetic Particle Indications."

"Radiographic films may be both hand and automatically processed."

"Films shall be, processed in camera obscura, according to ASTM E 94." Huh?

 

Guidelines to Consider in Procedure Compilation
We do not recommend plagiarism, but after reviewing well over three hundred procedures, it is obvious that it happens. If you are going to use someone else's procedure, be sure to read it through and change any references to the other company. The most blatant example consisted of a procedure on company ABC's letterhead while in the application of the procedure was the statement "this procedure is for the exclusive use of Company DEF NDT personnel...."

Do not use twenty words when two will accomplish the task.

Remember your audience. Procedures are written instructions to the field technician on the application of a specific technique, not a demonstration of the writer's knowledge of big words. Avoid such statements as "This procedure will define the modality of the application ..."

If you insert tables or figures copied from a code or specification, be sure to change any references in those items to reflect the reference stated in your procedure. Also change the labels on the copied items to reflect the proper names you have given those references.

Properly label all figures.

Ensure that the proper materials are listed in the procedure. The following was submitted for review: "Title: Solvent Removable, Color Contrast, Penetrant Procedure." The penetrant listed for use was Magnaflux ZL-27A, a fluorescent penetrant.

Maintain consistency throughout the procedures.

Use the spell checker in the word pro-cessor and then still have someone read it over.

Do not submit hard-to-read 43rd generation photocopies.

If you must photocopy, take time to make things sit square on the page and not at forty-five degrees. The harder you make the reviewer's job the more likely he is to find something wrong with your procedure.

Submit all pages for review.

Remember that we now operate in a global environment. Consider the geographic destination of your procedure. This article is composed by an American and an Englishman and we disagree on how to spell the word "color" ("colour"). A little thought can on occasion save a lot of heartache.

 

What Should Constitute a Procedure?
As prescribed by most codes or specifications, NDE shall be implemented in accordance with a written procedure. A procedure, as defined by ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section V, Article 1, Mandatory Appendix I (1995), is an "orderly sequence of actions describing how a specific technique shall be applied." A technique is defined as a "specific way of utilizing a particular NDE method. "Webster's Dictionary defines a procedure as "a series of steps followed in a regular definite order."

All of the above definitions demonstrate the basic requirements for a well written procedure: it should be short and concise. A procedure is generally written to ensure that the operator performs an examination in a manner that allows for the detection of discontinuities determined to be detrimental to product. Another consideration is reproducibility - Examiner A does it the same way as Examiner B. When that happens, the information gathered from two separate exams on the same item can be compared or a trend can be developed over long term gathering of information.

All procedures should be uniquely numbered with revision and issue date.

There are many good sources on procedure writing and many major corporations have developed "Procedure Writer's Guides," so we will not attempt to convince you that we know the best way. However, our experience has demonstrated that procedures generally are organized along the following lines:

Purpose - the why of the procedure.

Scope (or applicability) - the who, what, where, and when of the procedure.

References - other documents (e.g. ASME Section V), referred to in the procedure.

Definitions - any definitions specific to that procedure.

Personnel Requirements - generally addresses certification levels and/or training requirements.

Equipment - all equipment necessary to perform the procedure.

Procedure - this is the how of the procedure. This is the area where most procedures are lacking. We often find statements such as "calibration shall be in accordance with ASME Section V, Article 5." This is not, in our opinion, an orderly sequence of actions. One should tell the examiner exactly how he/she is to perform the inspection.

The prime focus after considering all of the above is to exercise care. Attempt to be objective both from the viewpoint of the procedure reviewer and of the personnel who will actually perform the work. Procedures are essential for obtaining consistency and quality in repetitive inspection applications. The first stage in that process is to identify what you do, document it, and implement it. Following these steps will lead to speedy and concise procedure design, review, and approval.

 

* Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
⁺ VETCO Saudi Arabia Ltd., PO Box 245, Dhahran Airport 31932, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

Copyright © 1997 by the American Society for Nondestructive Testing, Inc. All rights reserved.

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