Mr. Eddie Pompa, what sparked your interest in NDT, and how has that passion evolved throughout your career?
Once I was introduced to NDE during an Eddy Current class where I was a fill-in student, I realized there were other methods with different strengths and limitations which captured my curiosity. This curiosity was recognized by my Department Manager which led to attending other NDT Level I & Level II Training classes.
I looked at this path as an opportunity to move up within the organization, so I had not yet developed a passion for NDT, however my attention to detail and creativity allowed me to become a valuable member of the NDT Team.
My passion for NDT developed later in my career and stems from my work with younger NDT Level II technicians while working for an NDT service company 13 years ago. These young, enthusiastic, and passionate people sparked something in me that stoked a fire within that would continue to grow over the years ahead.
The future held a role as an instructor at the local college (Lonestar College) where I met students who were looking to get into NDT to change their careers and had strong desires to learn as much as they could. These students and this experience brought my passion to a higher level which has led me to my current stage of passion for NDT.
My current stage in my career has led me to volunteer time with ASNT National as an NDT Advocate in the Face of NDT program where I get the opportunity to work STEM events, mentor students, and participate at the national conference. I am more engaged in the local chapter meetings and have participated in several panel discussions, worked with a local high school where NDT is being taught
From your extensive experience, how does NDT contribute to maintaining high-quality standards across industries, with welding being one example?
NDT contributes toward maintaining high-quality standards through advanced inspection techniques that now have better user interfaces puts these techniques in the hands of more technicians. This was not always the case when it comes to implementing NDT across welds and other types of components. In the past equipment was designed with a heavy engineering perspective which made it difficult for the everyday technician to operate the equipment effectively and with confidence. The rapid pace of change in our industry will soon have Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT) as the baseline UT with TFM, TOFD, and FMC all being tools added to the PAUT toolbox. With NDE being so readily available and better understood every industry continues to build confidence in NDE overall and raise the overall quality of every product form, including composites, welds, and 3-D printed parts.
Can you share a memorable problem-solving experience from your career where NDT played a crucial role, welding-related or otherwise?
In a non-welding problem-solving experience we had an issue with the bolts that attached the Space Shuttle to the top of the Boeing 747 during transportation between California and Florida. As part of the materials evaluation, they needed to measure the length of the bolts after torquing them down and prior to departure from California and again upon immediate landing in Florida. Engineering wanted to use Ultrasonic Testing to measure the bolt length while in place which required a precisely centered transducer atop the bolt threads. My machining background allowed me to modify an existing nut to hold a transducer in the centre of the bolt diameter. This technique proved to work well and was used to measure the bolts that attached the Shuttle to the External Tank as well. The transducer holder was eventually manufactured by a vendor for bolt inspections as needed moving forward.
While working in Oil & Gas we had a run of welds with high defect rates that brought unwanted attention to the site. Naturally, the finger pointed toward NDT as the source of the problem and required some detailed review of each inspection being performed which included MT, PAUT, UT, and RT. The root cause was neither a welding issue nor an inspection issue but a purchase order problem where the sales team sold a custom product as a “standard” product. The joint design and weld schedule were the real source of the problem.
During this time of constant oversight and pressure to pass all the defects, our NDT team stood by our results which provided inspectors with the much-needed defect characterization and sizing since the standard product had a 95 – 97 % First Pass Yield rating which of course produced few defects and little opportunity to characterize and measure defects. I called this the “Silver Lining” to a challenging situation, which would go on to improve all other weld products in the shop, which the Quality and Production Managers appreciated.
As an NDT educator and advocate, how do you approach making NDT concepts accessible and engaging to a diverse audience?
Some people have told me that my illustrations make NDT approachable which is the goal I am trying to achieve. I think it is just in my nature to have fun at work as a way of lightening the stress levels which comes from the creative side of my brain that allows me to break down the content into easy-to-consume content.
My approach toward creating the content started with a desire to write a comic book based on my NDT Heroes, writing some as pure fantasy and others with a technical backdrop. I never really got started with a full comic book but started writing short content I could load into a Blog of my own which hit the mark perfectly for me since I still had work to do. As a side benefit, I realized that most people don’t read long stories so this was a double win for me.
Your NDT Hero project is a unique blend of creativity and education. How did this idea come about, and what impact do you hope it has on the NDT community?
My NDT Hero project stems from my love for comic book heroes and the books I read growing up. I like most kids would imagine myself with superpowers like x-ray vision, magnetism, and acute hearing capabilities like Dare Devil. Little did I know that I would have these powers within reach as an NDT professional via Radiographic Testing, Magnetic Particle Testing, and Acoustic Emission Testing. While working for a local service company I met many talented young Level II’s that sparked my idea to merge my passion for comic books, my drawing practices I used to relax me, and the re-sparked passion I had developed for NDT via these young professionals. One digital tablet, free drawing software, and a website later I have a place where I can post art, articles, and links to important NDT content where people can go for entertainment and education.
The main objective of this project is to advocate for our industry using humour to promote, inspire, & educate through brief written educational content and colorful content that spans the amateur to expert. New characters like ANDI and Friends explain NDT at an Elementary level, QA Quips provide “Dad Joke” style content for the mid-level/novice, and the NDT Hero characters provide tips and tricks to the NDT Level II technician and above.
The main objective is to bring creative energy to a tech-heavy skilled trade that encourages young students to seek NDT as a career pathway toward meaningful and rewarding work.
With your leadership and professional development focus, what key advice would you offer to someone starting in the NDT field today?
My advice would be to keep an open mind when entering the NDT field, learn as much as you can, and find the people you can truly trust to help you out in your career. Keeping an open mind allows one to find opportunities within and beyond NDT that will bring you satisfaction. Learning as much as you can is a lesson my mother instilled in me. Whatever you learn can be used to learn other topics and can never be taken away from you. Finding people who truly want to help you in your career is vital because we all encounter challenges in our life and need these people in our corner.
In addition to this advice, I would encourage people to give back by volunteering some time to others entering the field, local ASNT chapters, or company programs. This is all part of building your network and showing people that your care, which will lead them to care about you and be willing to help you out when you need it.
Reflecting on your work in Research & Development, what innovation or project do you find most fulfilling, and why?
Working on the bolt inspection is probably my most fulfilling project since it created so many memories and led to safer flights across the US and into space.
My current project as an NDT Advocate is quickly becoming the most fulfilling project for me as it has introduced me to so many great people in this industry that I would have never met before. This activity has also helped me come out of my shell as a creator and watch others in our field express themselves in a fun way that brings NDT to the public.
How do you keep up with the latest NDT techniques and maintain your certifications, especially with the rapid advancements in technology?
Keeping up with the rapidly changing techniques is a tough one that requires a watchful eye on Linkedin primarily. There are lots of good posts surrounding the use of advanced UT and other NDT-related topics that are very educational. As an educator, I get asked about the new technology which requires me to research the methods I have not worked with firsthand. It does not hurt that my work is at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) where we use Infrared Thermography, Array Eddy Current, Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing, and Acoustic Emission.
How do you balance your roles as an NDT advocate, educator, and practitioner, and which of these roles do you find most rewarding?
Balancing always requires the sacrifice of other activities and a supportive wife. The use of a digital tablet for drawing allows me to create educator and advocate content more efficiently so this helps tremendously and does not interfere with my practitioner role.
It is so hard to pick just one role. I would say that being an educator allows me to serve both as an advocate so I would say that being an educator wins out as the most rewarding role.
Looking to the future, are there any projects or initiatives you are particularly excited about within the NDT field?
I am intrigued by the inclusion of Machine Learning as a form of flaw detection as an added measure of assurance that defects don’t get missed. The idea that inspectors can build their database of test results that then gets dumped into a national database where this all gets combined and added to instruments right off the shelf is one that I could see happening.
The added pressure that gets put on Level III is to educate themselves on interpreting what the machine finds and deciding if it is relevant, real, and worth rejecting. There will always be a need to review data to judge the true accuracy of the inspection being performed.
As someone who has made significant contributions to the NDT field through work in education, innovation, and advocacy, could you share a guiding principle or piece of wisdom that has been a beacon for you in your career?
Find those you can trust within NDT and in other areas of your life. Find those who provide honest feedback (you’re not always going to like the answer but it's needed). Find an NDT method that intrigues and challenges you while you learn other methods.
We’d love to feature a quote from you that encapsulates your approach or vision for the future of NDT.
Our life is a work in progress so never allow your current role or knowledge to keep you from stepping out of your comfort zone. Perfection is never achievable but can be the driver that keeps us moving forward in our efforts to do the best we can. #progressoverperfection
