Over 30 years of experience as an independent consultant in the field of nondestructive testing (NDT), quality control, and inspection. Experience includes over 35 years of field and laboratory materials testing and NDT, as well as extensive course work in these and related topics. Work as a consultant with a large and varied clientele on a great assortment of industrial products.
EXPERIENCE
Design and Development Consulting — Developed inspection and testing plans and procedures; designed and modified NDT equipment; inspected materials joining methods; detected and monitored fatigue cracks; researched and developed test techniques; developed test techniques for fracture critical design; and evaluated test technique accuracy.
Auditing — Reviewed manufacturers' work and products, manufacturers' inspection departments, third-party inspection facilities, and plans and specifications.
QC Implementation — Performed NDT using ultrasonic testing (UT), magnetic
particle testing (MT), penetrant testing (PT), radiographic testing (RT), and visual testing (VT); performed mechanical and destructive testing; provided in-house QC for cost reduction; provided QC and testing requirements for regulatory agencies;provided time and cost estimates for QC and related functions; performed fracture critical testing; provided inspection services; and provided written, facsimile,photographic, sketch, and tabular records.
Investigations — Collected facts for litigation; performed failure investigations; provided code interpretations; detected and sized fatigue cracks; and evaluated corrosion, erosion, and intergranular attack.
Expert Witness — Expertise in nondestructive testing and welding quality control.
Gathered data; planned case direction; gave and reviewed depositions; and
prepared for and gave testimony.
Personnel Development — Designed training programs for inspectors, examiners,
and engineers; prepared inspection personnel certification plans to SNT-TC-1A and
Mil-Std-410; and administered qualification examinations to inspectors.
Products Examined and Inspected — Air, automotive, marine, and railed vehicles;
cranes and other lift systems; chemical, petroleum, and process piping, supports,
equipment, and rigging; surgical and medical prosthesis devices; fossil-fueled,
nuclear, and solar-powered piping, supports, and equipment; turbines and
generators.
- From 1965 to 1972, served as the Chief Nondestructive Testing supervisor for
Testing Engineers, a state-wide California commercial testing laboratory. Most work in this capacity involved structural examination and inspection, metallurgical and welding investigations and failure analyses.
- Since 1968, Mr. Seals has been a guest lecturer at colleges, universities, and
technical society meetings. Taught QC, NDT, and weld inspection courses for
private and public schools, and seminars for national technical societies.
- Prior to 1965, Mr. Seals worked for four years in the Quality Control department of
the U.S. Navy's nuclear submarine program at Mare Island Naval Shipyard,
performing various nondestructive tests on the hull, power plant, and associated
piping and equipment.
Major Projects in the Steel Construction Industry
- Roche Building, San Jose, Technical Advisory Panel (May 1996) — Third-party independent review and critical analysis of UT results of select floor beam-to-column welds that had been inspected by three independent inspection groups. Welds were being reinspected post Loma Prieta Earthquake but prior to real estate sale. This included supporting assertions with relevant AWS code interpretations and published DOT weld inspection research.
- IBM Buildings, San Jose, Degenkolb Engineers (February 1996) — Third-party independent review of all of a testing laboratory's UT results of select floor beam-tocolumn welds to determine accuracy of the lab's results. The buildings had suffered minor damage during the Loma Prieta Earthquake.
- Fabrication of Dual Axis Test Specimen, Los Angeles, Construction Division (1996) — Provided Quality Assurance presence for county during fabrication of full-scale, dual-axis test specimen of proprietary beam-to-column connection to nbe cyclic loaded at University of California, San Diego's test facility. The weld quality objective was to assure against premature failures from gross material or weld flaws (as happened to some specimens), yet not use unreasonable QC practices.
- San Francisco New Main Library, Olmm Structural Design (May 1995) — Third-part independent review of floor beam-to-column welds to determine quality norm to develop lower beam connection weld backing strip removal scheme in new construction. Welds were made and inspected (UT and VT) prior to Northridge Earthquake information, but backing was to be removed per lessons learned, before fireproofing application. My task was to UT a select few welds, witness backing removal using MT, and provide quality level data to extrapolate through all floors.
- Olympic Center Building, Madsen, Kneppers & Association (October 1994) — Third-party independent review of ultrasonic testing by testing laboratory after Northridge Earthquake. Insurance company required assurance of lab's UT data prior to claim award.
- QC Plant Outline for MRF Welds, SAC Advisory Panel (1994) — Requested by SAC meeting group to compile comprehensive welding QC plan for inclusion in SAC Advisory #3. This plan appears in back appendix of said document.
- In-Service Inspection of Two Barge Cranes, Matson Shipping Lines (1991) — Select
independent testing laboratory and individual inspection personnel for in-service
inspection (visual and NDT) of two, 40 ton, barge-mounted container cranes. Work
needed to be performed by Hawaiian companies and personnel.
- Audit Manufacturer's Welding QC department Capabilities — Various clients
ordering container cranes on world-wide market. Audits were carried out in several
US companies, plus fabricators in Japan, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico. Audit
included materials receipt, welding and inspection capabilities, and final acceptance
accuracy.
Expert Witness Experience
- Expert witness in nondestructive testing and welding quality control.
- Evaluate test methods and techniques for effectiveness and appropriateness, regarding (code requirements, tests as actually performed, and good workmanship practices).
- Develop special tests and inspections, implement them, interpret test data, and evaluate the material being inspected.
- I have worked in many industries and with almost every product form and material.
- Expert on national structural welding code requirements (x-ray, ultrasonic, and visual inspection of welds; weld preparation and finishing). „ Expert on weld defect severity, reasonable workmanship standards, and effective sequence of inspections.
- Prepared rebuttal to depositions and conducted technical literature search including writings by defendant's witnesses. Tubing truss welds were radiographed and repaired several times. My testimony showed that RT was not carried out properly and fabricator suffered undue costs because of this.
- The Port of Oakland used my testimony (see Tutor-Saliba vs. Port of Oakland) to sue their contractors. Expert on weld defect detection and evaluation techniques, defect severity, and effective sequence of inspections.
- Lay witness for the plaintiffs (procedural matters precluded my being qualified as an expert). Testified regarding ultrasonic testing of potable water piping for corrosion pitting and manufacturing weld flaws, including testing techniques and interpretations.
- Described sampling plans used and documented evidence using drawings, photography, and metallurgical samples.
- Constructed 3 foot by 4 foot presentation posters used in court to explain test techniques and findings.
- Led a failure investigation of cracked pressure piping flanges, aided by metallurgists and test technicians. Facilitated meetings to discuss findings. Implemented methods for identifying all flawed pieces from hundreds of in-place pipe systems.
- Expert on magnetic particle, penetrant, radiographic, and ultrasonic test methods regarding each test's ability to adequately define the quality of the flange material.
- Reconstructed production and quality control paths to determine responsibility for failures.
- Used nondestructive tests to characterize metallurgical samples in order to substantiate questioned tensile and impact test values.
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
- RT Interpretation, ASNT B Golden Gate (1988)
- MT and PT Latest Techniques, Magnaflux Corporation (1988)
- Advanced Ultrasonic Sizing, ASNT B Golden Gate (1986)
- Welding Technician (GMAW), Chabot College (1985)
- Fitness-for-Service, Welds, AWS B National (1982)
- Quality Control Principles, Laney College (1981)
- Radiographic Testing Lab, Contra Costa College (1980)
- Techniques in Advanced Ultrasonics, ASNT B Golden Gate (1980)
- Radiographic Testing II, Contra Costa College (1978)
- Radiographic Safety, Contra Costa College (1978)
- Fundamentals of NDT, MEI B ASM (1977)
- QC Circles, ASQC B San Francisco (1977)
- Acoustic Emission, ASNT B Golden Gate (1971)
- Radiographic Testing, Contra Costa College (1966)
- Metallurgy, Contra Costa College (1966)
- Nondestructive Testing, Contra Costa College (1966)
- Special Ultrasonic Testing, Contra Costa College (1966)
- Magnetic Particle Testing, Contra Costa College (1966)
- Penetrant Testing, Contra Costa College (1966)
- Ultrasonic Testing, Contra Costa College (1965)
- Quality Engineer, California (QU5407)
- Teaching Credential, Quality Control, California (9550VPL)
- ASNT Level III in RT, MT, PT, and UT (RB 741)
- AWS QC-1 Certificate (80054341)
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers
- American Society for Materials - International
- Advisor to the AWS Ultrasonic Task Group
- ASME B31 Materials, Fabrication, and Examination Technical Committee
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