Visual examination (VT) is the oldest and most undervalued form of examination. It’s an NDT technique in which the inspector utilizes various measurement tools for examining welds or components in order to compare them to the applicable acceptance criteria.

Visual examination may include the following:

• Dimensional measurements,
• Inspection of weld preparation,
• Inspection of welded work,
• Corrosion identification and gradation,
• Internal examination by boroscope or videoscope,
• Remote inspection through lenses, or camera mounted on a drone or ROV.

Common applications are:

• Weld examination during the various phases of production,
• Coating and corrosion inspections during construction and / or in-service,
• Examination where physical access is not possible, such as heat exchangers, pipelines, engines, or at high altitudes such as chimneys or jack-up legs.