The American Welding Society (AWS) was founded in 1919 as a multifaceted, nonprofit organization with a goal to advance the science, technology and application of welding and related joining disciplines. From factory floor to high-rise construction, from military weaponry to home products, AWS continues to lead the way in supporting welding education and technology development to ensure a strong, competitive and exciting way of life for all Americans.
AWS Mission Statement The mission of the American Welding Society is to advance the science, technology and application of welding and allied processes including: joining, brazing, soldering, cutting and thermal spray.
API Represents America's Oil and Natural Gas Industry
The oil and natural gas industry provides the fuel for American life, warming our homes, powering our businesses and giving us the mobility to enjoy this great land. As the primary trade association of that industry, API represents more than 400 members involved in all aspects of the oil and natural gas industry. Our association draws on the experience and expertise of our members and staff to support a strong and viable oil and natural gas industry.
Leaders in Corrosion Control Technology – NACE International
NACE International was originally known as "The National Association of Corrosion Engineers" when it was established in 1943 by eleven corrosion engineers in the pipeline industry. These founding members were involved in a regional cathodic protection group formed in the 1930s, when the study of cathodic protection was introduced. With more than 60 years of experience in developing corrosion prevention and control standards, NACE International has become the largest organization in the world committed to the study of corrosion.
The American Society for Nondestructive Testing, Inc. (ASNT) is the world's largest technical society for nondestructive testing (NDT) professionals. Through our organization and membership, we provide a forum for exchange of NDT technical information; NDT educational materials and programs; and standards and services for the qualification and certification of NDT personnel. ASNT promotes the discipline of NDT as a profession and facilitates NDT research and technology applications.
ASNT was founded in 1941 (under the name of The American Industrial Radium and X-Ray Society) and currently boasts an individual membership of over 9,000 including more than 400 Corporate Partner affiliated companies. The Society is structured into local Sections (or chapters) throughout the world. There are over 80 local Sections in the US and 14 internationally. Our membership represents a wide cross-section of NDT practitioners working in manufacturing, construction, education, research, consulting, services, and the military.
Nondestructive testing (NDT) has been defined as comprising those test methods used to examine an object, material or system without impairing its future usefulness. The term is generally applied to nonmedical investigations of material integrity.
Strictly speaking, this definition of nondestructive testing does include noninvasive medical diagnostics. Ultrasound, X-rays and endoscopes are used for both medical testing and industrial testing. In the 1940s, many members of the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (then the Society for Industrial Radiography) were medical X-ray professionals. Medical nondestructive testing, however, has come to be treated by a body of learning so separate from industrial nondestructive testing that today most physicians never use the word nondestructive.
