Hello and welcome to today's interview! We are thrilled to have with us Mr. Joshua de Monbrun, a highly esteemed professional in the field of nondestructive testing (NDT), asset protection, and integrity engineering. With an impressive career spanning over 23 years, Joshua has garnered extensive experience across a multitude of industries, including Oil & Gas, Aerospace, Defense, Renewable Energy, and Subsea.
Holding multiple ASNT NDT Level III certifications along with various engineering degrees and inspection certifications such as AWS CWI, API, NACE, and Pipeline Integrity, Joshua’s expertise is widely recognized and respected. He is also a dedicated volunteer, contributing his knowledge to numerous committees with AWS, ASME, and ASNT, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for ASNT.
Join us as we delve into Joshua's remarkable journey, explore his insights on the NDT industry, and learn from his experiences and advice for aspiring professionals.
Hello Mr. Joshua. Greetings of the day. Could you introduce yourself to our amazing audience?
Hello, my name is Joshua de Monbrun, CEng. Over the past 23 years, I've been deeply involved in nondestructive testing, asset protection, and integrity engineering. My work has spanned across a diverse range of industries, including Oil & Gas, Aerospace, Defense, Renewable Energy, and Subsea. This breadth of experience has allowed me to gain unique insights and skills that I bring to my work. I hold multiple ASNT NDT Level III certifications, engineering degrees, and inspection certifications such as AWS CWI, API, NACE, and Pipeline Integrity. I also volunteer on many committees with AWS, ASME, and ASNT, and am currently serving on ASNT’s Board of Directors.
… let’s briefly chat about your journey. What made you choose NDT? Was this always the dream?
I didn’t really “choose” NDT; it sort of chose me. I was slated to be an Air Force pilot while attending college, but then 9/11 happened. Because of that, many of us were called into service before completing university, and suddenly, we had to pick an enlisted job. When asked what I wanted to do, I jokingly said, “Whichever job has the largest sign-on bonus,” and off to NDI (non-destructive inspection) school I went. It’s funny looking back two decades and realizing that one moment of trying to be clever or funny pretty much shaped my life to where I am today.
… let's talk a bit about your organization (MISTRAS Group, Inc.). Can you briefly describe what your organization does?
MISTRAS Group, Inc. is a comprehensive asset protection solutions provider. As a holding group, we bring together a range of businesses and centers of expertise to offer our clients a wide array of inspection, engineering, and light mechanical services, all under one roof.
Mr. Joshua, you might have had so many amazing experiences in your professional life. Could you share one positive and one negative experience with our audience?
There are so many to choose from in almost two and a half decades! I would say that some of my most memorable experiences would have to do with this industry affording me the opportunity to travel the world, to remote and random locations, to work with some amazing groups of people! The people you get to work with, learn from, collaborate with, and train, as well as the relationships you develop with them along the way, make this such a wonderful industry to be a part of! On the flip side, though, this industry can often attract little people with big egos, and that can really be discouraging when personal insecurities get in the way of the greater good, what we are here for, ethically and efficiently assessing the integrity of society’s assets!
… could you describe a situation where you had to develop and deploy an ad hoc technology to address a unique inspection challenge in the oil & gas sector? What were the outcomes of this endeavour?
Sure! I was approached by an O&G company regarding the need to locate, inspect, and repair a low-thickness reading in an underwater piping section. The damage had been found from an ILI run, where they sent a PIG (pipe inspection gauge) through the line. These are very effective tools, but sometimes the distance readings they capture can be off from a few inches to a few meters, as well as the potential clock position of the damage. It could be very costly and time-consuming to deploy a commercial diving team to take manual UT spot thickness readings to try to locate the damage, so a better solution would be corrosion mapping the suspected area quickly with an AUT system. Unfortunately, underwater AUT (automated ultrasonic thickness) systems are not typically an “off-the-shelf” item, and this client was in a rush. We were able to modify one of our topside AUT systems quickly, basically “waterproof” it, by potting the motors and electronic control compartment. Then we deployed to the site, scanned a large area of piping, located the damage, and installed a repair clamp over the area, all in a single day. This was a significant cost savings to the client, as we were able to reduce the amount of time to locate and repair the damage and do all of this in a single deployment, meaning they did not have to hire multiple contractors who specialize in different trades to deploy to the underwater site at multiple times. There was no need for a commercial diving team, an NDT inspection services company, a mechanical services outfit, etc.; we were able to provide all those services under a single contract with a single team.
… how do you stay updated on the latest advancements in non-destructive testing and asset integrity engineering, and how do you incorporate these advancements into your work?
Technology is advancing rapidly worldwide in many industries, not just in NDT. In many cases, the technology used for NDT was not developed ad hoc but adapted from either the medical field or other industries and then modified for use in asset integrity. Therefore, I’m online a lot, constantly researching advanced and emerging tech, reading as many white papers as possible, attending conferences and tradeshows, etc. As I’m traveling around the world, meeting with clients, and developing business relationships, I’m always asking what needs they have that they cannot find a suitable “off-the-shelf” solution for. When I hear the same things across multiple markets, I will focus on what new advancements are available in the market and how I can best modify, adapt, and incorporate those parts and pieces together into a system that can solve real-world needs for the industry.
… given your extensive experience in training and examinations for technicians, what are some key strategies you employ to ensure consistent and high-quality training outcomes across diverse technical teams?
Wow, this is a great question! What I have found works best is customizing my training programs for students. Technicians come from multiple backgrounds and skill levels, all learning at different speeds and in various ways. However, the common denominator I found for adult learners is that they are most successful when you maximize the time their hands are on the equipment. I have customized every training program I’ve built to be a minimum of 50% hands-on training, and none of this death-by-PowerPoint or reading from slides verbatim. Visualization is key to successful understanding when explaining simple or complex principles of physics. I love to fill my classes with real-world samples of items they will encounter in their day-to-day job and then walk them through concepts with practical examples.
… in your opinion, what are the most critical factors to consider when assessing and allocating resources for client projects in the renewable energy sector, particularly in relation to non-destructive testing and asset integrity?
I take the same approach to assessing and allocating resources to my clients in any sector, first by discussing their “actual” needs or goals with them. I will often get requests for the use of a specific technology, method, or technique, usually because it’s something new and exciting they want to see executed on their site, but this is not always the best value or use of their budget. I first discuss with them what specific damage mechanisms they are looking for or what specific outcome they are trying to achieve. Once I understand their needs, I can recommend the best combination of equipment and approach to accomplishing their goals most efficiently and cost-effectively. I want to build long-term relationships with my clients, not just sell them an expensive “one-off” technology service they think they want.
For example, a client requested 100% circumferential automated digital radiography inspection of their insulated piping for CUI (corrosion under insulation). They wanted our ART robots to inspect all their facility piping; however, I recommended we reduce the scope significantly because the circumferential crawler was time-consuming and redundant on their cryo lines, which operate at a temperature well below the corrosion range. Instead, I suggested an alternative ART robotic solution we have, which would quickly scan and assess their critical lines much more cost-effectively. Then, we could chase out circumferentially anywhere heavy moisture or CUI was detected. This reduced our potential single contract award size significantly, but after building trust with this client, we are executing this work across all their facilities year-round.
As subject matter experts, we are responsible for providing the best possible combination of technical advice, project management, and business development, a unique role within our industry.
… could you provide insight into the role of automated robotic inspection solutions in enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of inspections in subsea operations? How do you navigate challenges associated with deploying such technology in challenging underwater environments?
Automated robotic inspections can enhance the efficiency and accuracy of inspections in several different ways, and these governing principles work for any of those solutions, both topside and subsea. For starters, automated systems can capture and provide consistent and repeatable data sets that prove coverage and act as a permanent inspection record. These are critical for quality assurance programs within companies when certain inspections are mandated or required, and having a saved data set allows for record retention and follow-up data review by additional SMEs (subject matter experts).
Automated systems can also remove some of the “human error factor” associated with manual inspection techniques, which could reduce the probability of detection confidence with issues such as inspector fatigue and lack of traceability to prove coverage. These systems can also increase the speed at which the data is captured, reducing inspection duration and associated costs. There is also a safety factor to consider. The liability of putting a robotic system into hazardous environments is much more acceptable and risk-averse than using people.
The deployment of such technologies is situational. For subsea applications, these systems can be installed at the AOI (area of interest) manually by commercial divers, can be lowered into position by crane or davit system(s), installed by ROVs (remotely operated vehicles), and even placed by manned submersibles such as one-atmosphere suits or submarines. The deployment method to the AOI is determined by many safety factors, including access limitations, depth, environmental or biological hazards, support equipment availability and cost, etc.
Too many questions about work. Let's take a break. So, how does life look for you outside of work, Mr. Joshua?
Wait, am I allowed to have one of those!? A personal life? Ha!
Joking aside, I am almost always on call and working, which is not necessarily bad as I continue to build my career. In the past few years, I have spent between 7 to 10 months a year out of the country supporting various projects worldwide, attending conferences, and volunteering with the different committees I participate in.
I was born into a military family and have been traveling the world since birth, so I am quite used to the sometimes rigorous and spontaneous schedule, ever-changing time zones, and different cultures, customs, and climates. I enjoy traveling and exploring places few others have the opportunity to experience. I also get to meet and work with the most wonderful people worldwide, so my work and personal hobbies overlap. What is the saying? Do something you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life. I sometimes still can’t believe I get paid to travel the world, solve complex problems, build businesses, create innovative solutions, and still find the time to go scuba diving in some of the world’s greatest diving destinations!
… do you have any advice for the newbies who are going to enter the NDT industry? Any specific skill that you think every NDT aspirant should possess before entering the industry?
Yes, this is one of the topics I advocate for on the ASNT Board of Directors. So many options and opportunities are available, and we want to encourage the next generation of NDT technicians to join the industry and grow into their careers!
Although this type of work may not be for everyone, I can list out some specific skills or interests that would be highly beneficial for anyone who may be interested in becoming an NDT technician or who wants to diversify their NDT skillset to get to the next level in their current NDT career.
First, always be learning! There are so many different inspection methods, techniques, and technologies that you will never get bored in this industry. I’ve been doing this for 23 years and have not gone a day without learning something new or understanding something better. Take advantage of every opportunity you are presented with to learn from those you are working with, take a training course, play with different equipment, etc. If you find yourself slow at work, get your phone or laptop out and study something new, watch an NDT video, practice your math skills, and don’t waste the time you have while “on the clock.”
Second, get involved with organizations such as ASNT, AWS, API, AAMP, ASME, ISO, etc., and with the NDT community online, such as with OnestopNDT, Inspenet, NDT.org, NDT.net, and follow some of the many great NDT YouTube channels. Networking in this industry can be very beneficial as you can become alerted to new and interesting opportunities. It is a big industry but a very small world; you’d be surprised how often you run into the same people throughout your career.
Third, guard your name and integrity! As I just said, it is a small world, and your name and reputation are very important to build and protect as you navigate your career and leverage opportunities. What is the definition of integrity again? Doing the right thing even when no one is watching. It may not always be easy, but the long-term reward is so much better than any short-term gain.
… and finally, what major change you want to see happening in the NDT industry in the next 5 years?
We’ve spoken a lot today about technology and the advantages of its implementation in this industry. As we continue to adopt NDE 4.0 initiatives, that is, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we will need NDT technicians who are not just adventurous and physically active but also technologically savvy. The equipment and tools we use are constantly becoming more digitized and complex, allowing for the integration of data into the IoT (Internet of Things), passive and remote monitoring sensors, cloud computing supported by machine learning algorithms to assist in the interpretation, reporting, and warehousing of data, the use of augmented and artificial reality to understand and visualize data, computer software models to assist in monitoring assets and forecasting lifecycles, the list goes on and on. This industry is perfect for those who like to work with their hands and with advanced technology.
Over the next five years, I really want to encourage our industry leaders, especially our senior subject matter experts and company executives, to let go of this outdated “that’s the way we’ve always done it” mentality and provide the space for us to attract, train, encourage, and incorporate the next generation of young professionals who are going to take us places we’ve never dreamed of. This is the integrity and quality business, after all; let's foster and nurture those core values industry-wide!
