Within the framework of the PANNDT 2025 conference, the representatives of the Argentine Association of Non-Destructive and Structural Testing (AAENDE), Jorge Paulo Amsler and Alejandro Damián García, shared their vision on the present and future of the sector. This organization, with more than two decades of uninterrupted work, has positioned itself as a key player in professional development, the dissemination of technical knowledge and the link between academia, industry and international standards.
During the conversation, the speakers highlighted AAENDE’s strategic role in the professionalization of the sector, its commitment to certification processes, and its approach to the challenges imposed by technological transformation, especially the impact of artificial intelligence on non-destructive testing (NDT).
The core of AAENDE’s mission
Since its foundation in 2003, AAENDE has focused on the training and certification of professionals in the sector. Its main objective has been to promote the use of evaluation techniques that allow inspecting materials, structures or components without damaging them, guaranteeing their integrity and safety.
Through multiple activities, the association has promoted the certification of specialists under the international standard ISO 9712, both in Argentina and Latin America. This standard ensures that inspectors meet technical competence and professional ethics criteria, a requirement that is increasingly in demand in sectors such as energy, construction or the petrochemical industry.
We have promoted ISO 9712 certification for professionals in Argentina and the region. We have organized numerous conferences on NDT for the regional public, and we have a lot of activity for professionals in Argentina and the region around our subject.
Alejandro Damián García.
International alliances and global positioning
AAENDE’s consolidation as a reference institution is explained, in part, by its active participation in international networks, since, thanks to its links with entities such as the International Committee for Non-Destructive Testing (ICNDT) and the Pan-American Federation of Non-Destructive Testing (PANNDT), the foundation has been instrumental in connecting local experience with global advances.
This type of linkage reinforces the association’s positioning, on the one hand, by validating its technical capacity by aligning itself with international norms and standards, while on the other hand, it provides access to emerging trends, such as the use of artificial intelligence in NDT, which enhances continuous professional updating.
But above all, these alliances generate institutional trust, which has been key to Argentina being chosen to host the World Nondestructive Testing Congress in 2028. This is not an isolated designation, but the result of years of international articulation, active leadership and a reputation built on knowledge and commitment.
Artificial intelligence, a new ally in NDT
On the other hand, non-destructive testing generates large volumes of technical data, such as ultrasound images, radiographic analysis, infrared thermography, sensor data, among others, which require human interpretation. Therefore, AI is presented as a support tool that can provide greater reliability, agility and predictive capacity.
Every time we meet, we discuss how this is going to change our perception, and it’s a difficult question to answer because we really don’t know, we have to speculate, but we think we should take it as a very important tool and use it as part of our toolboxes to improve our inspection reliability.
Jorge Paulo Amsler.
Even so, the incorporation of AI also presents important challenges, such as new technical competencies, revision of existing standards and frameworks that ensure the traceability and validity of the results. In this sense, AAENDE has a fundamental role not only in the training of professionals, but also in the cultural and regulatory adaptation that this transformation implies.
Message to the new generations
In addition to its technical and training role, AAENDE also promotes an identity of belonging within the field of nondestructive testing. When asked about the message they would like to transmit to the new generations, both interviewees agreed on the importance of vocation, continuous training and confidence in one’s own path.
Show yourself, train and believe in yourself, after all, this is a small market. We are like a family and if you study and work hard, it is a guarantee.
Alejandro Damián García.
Buenos Aires 2028, host of the WCNDT
The highlight of the interview was the announcement of the World Nondestructive Testing Congress, which will take place in Buenos Aires in 2028. This designation represents an international recognition of the foundation’s trajectory and the Argentine technical ecosystem as a whole, and the choice of Argentina as the venue consolidates the association’s regional leadership and ratifies its organizational capacity, its human capital and its commitment to innovation.
AAENDE has positioned itself as a key institution for the development and professionalization of nondestructive testing in the region. Its capacity to generate knowledge, adapt to technological changes and build international alliances make it a strategic player on the road to a safer, more sustainable and technologically advanced infrastructure.
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Source: Inspenet.