Senior Airman Sherry Phillips, 2nd Maintenance Squadron non-destructive inspection journeyman, conducts a fluorescent magnetic particle inspection on a piece of equipment on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Sept. 19, 2013. A variety of parts come into NDI, from aircraft parts to standard vehicle components. The particles fill in any cracks, making it easier to determine if the part is serviceable. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Gonsier)
Senior Airman Sherry Phillips, 2nd Maintenance Squadron non-destructive inspection journeyman, wipes off oil bath particles from a piece of equipment on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Sept. 19, 2013. The liquid is used to detect small cracks on the part that would be missed by the human eye. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Gonsier)
Senior Airman Eric Walker, 707th Maintenance Squadron non-destructive inspection journeyman, conducts an ultrasound thickness test on a piece of equipment on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Sept. 19, 2013. By checking the thickness of a part, defects can be detected on the subsurface level. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Gonsier)
Senior Airman Joseph Freer, 2nd Maintenance Squadron non-destructive inspection journeyman, looks for cracks on flap tracks from a B-52H Stratofortress using an x-ray machine on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Sept. 19, 2013. NDI Airmen look for cracks on parts using specialized equipment on the surface and subsurface level. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Gonsier)
Airman 1st Class Kale McSpadden, 2nd Maintenance Squadron non-destructive inspection apprentice, dips an aircraft part into a fluorescent penetrant on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Sept. 19, 2013. This process checks for cracks and other structural damage on the surface of an aircraft part or piece of equipment. The fluorescent penetrant seeps into the defect and takes around 30 minutes to completely identify it. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Gonsier)