# Visual testing (VT)

> Visual testing (VT) is the examination of a component or weld with the eye, aided by lighting, magnification, gauges, mirrors, borescopes, cameras or drones, to detect surface defects and check dimensions and workmanship.

- Source: https://amps.global/glossary/visual-testing/
- Type: Glossary
- Published: 2026-09-05
- Tags: NDT, visual testing, surface methods

## Key facts

- Direct VT needs at least 500 lux and an eye-to-surface distance of about 600 mm at 30 degrees or more under ISO 17637 and ASME V Article 9
- Checks weld profile, undercut, misalignment, spatter, arc strikes, corrosion and mechanical damage
- Remote VT uses borescopes, crawlers and drones for tanks, boilers and confined spaces
- Always the first step; findings decide which other methods are applied

Also known as: VT, visual inspection, visual examination, remote visual inspection, RVI.

## What it covers

VT is a formal method with its own procedures, personnel qualification and acceptance criteria, not just a look. Weld inspectors measure leg length, throat, reinforcement and misalignment with gauges, check surface condition before UT or MPI, and record everything with photographs. Remote visual inspection extends this into spaces people cannot or should not enter.

## Why it matters

Most defects rejected on site are found visually, and a good VT record avoids wasted volumetric testing. Photographs are the evidence clients and auditors ask for.

## VT in AMPS

Photos taken on a phone or tablet are uploaded straight to the job's photos and documents tab in AMPS, and the AI assistant can turn short field notes into report text. In AMPS, reports are produced from your own Microsoft Word templates through the template engine: job data such as the client, purchase order number, equipment serial numbers, location and dates is filled in automatically, an AI assistant can tidy the wording, the report can be signed in AMPS, and the finished Word file is saved in the job's report folder in your OneDrive, SharePoint or Google Drive.

## Related pages

- [ISO 5817](https://amps.global/glossary/iso-5817/)
- [EN ISO 17635 series](https://amps.global/glossary/en-iso-17635-series/)
- [NDT reporting software](https://amps.global/solutions/ndt-reporting-software/)

## Sources

- [Visual inspection on Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_inspection)
- [ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code](https://www.asme.org/codes-standards/bpvc-standards)
- [ISO - International Organization for Standardization](https://www.iso.org/)