Accessories & Support Tools

Accessories and support tools are not inspection technologies on their own. They are practical items that make inspections possible, safer, more consistent and more efficient.
They support inspectors by improving access, ergonomics, safety and repeatability.

These are tools commonly used in the field that are not NDT technologies. They do not detect defects or make inspection decisions but simply enable better execution of inspections.

Typical examples of Accessories & Support Tools include:

Field Equipment (Hardware)

• Extension poles (reach difficult areas from safe ground position)
• Mirrors / inspection mirrors
• Flashlights, inspection lamps, headlamps
• Borescopes / videoscopes (basic, non-robotic)

• Magnets (checking surface condition, quick ferritic checks, tool holding)
• Calipers (basic dimensional verification)
• Pit-depth Gauges
• Welding Gauges fillet sizes, misalignment, bevel angles
• Measuring tapes, rulers
• Permanent markers / chalk for marking findings

Preparation & Reporting Tools (Software)

• Pipe wall thickness tables (NPS + Schedule)
• Corrosion allowance quick references
• Basic pressure / diameter sanity checks
• Unit conversions (inch ↔ mm, bar ↔ psi)
• Practical checklists for inspections & reporting

Accessories & Support Tools – Pro’s & Con’s

Pro’s – What Accessories & Support Tools Can Do

✔️ Access needs to be improved in difficult or elevated areas
✔️ Working at height can be avoided, improving safety
✔️ Improves inspection consistency and repeatability
✔️ Improves inspection efficiency and workflow
✔️ Improves probe stability and line‑of‑sight
✔️ Inspections would otherwise be impossible due to geometry or reach

Con’s – What Accessories & Support Tools Cannot Do

❌ They do not replace NDT technologies
❌ They do not detect or evaluate defects
❌ They provide no acceptance criteria or decisions
❌ They are not normative and cannot be used for code or standard compliance
❌ Effectiveness depends strongly on correct use
❌ Tools may be context-specific and not universally applicable
❌ They may introduce additional setup time

Accessories & support tools significantly improve inspection practicality, safety and reliability, but they do not replace inspection technologies or inspector judgement.