The high-tech centre to be based at MUBAS will provide comprehensive training in liquid penetrant testing, magnetic inspection and radiography testing among others and will be the first of its kind in the country. And in preparation for the establishment of the centre, four Malawian professionals have undergone an intensive   training in NDT at the South African Institute of Welding ((SAIW) in South Africa with financial assistance from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The four experts, Barness Mphande from MUBAS, and Dr. Stephen Chalimba, Bill Gwaza and Christopher Kasonga from MBS have completed level 2 training in Visual inspection Testing, Eddy Current Testing, Dye Penetrant Inspection Testing, Magnetic Particle Inspection Testing, Radiography Inspection Testing, and Ultrasonic Inspection Testing. They have gained both ‘hands on’ and theoretical skills in NDT and are expected to undergo several more trainings before they become fully certified trainers and inspectors.

Speaking in an interview, Head of Mechanical Engineering at MUBAS, Dr. Sugzo Kaunda under whose department the NDT centre will be established said the centre, once in operation, will benefit the industrial sector because NDT services will be accessible locally.

"Currently, when companies want to acquire NDT services, they have to go outside and the coming in of this centre will help the country to save the much-needed forex because there will be no need to go to countries such as South Africa for such services," Kaunda said.

Kaunda further said the centre will spur economic growth because it will promote standards in testing which will make the country have durable infrastructure and equipment in all sectors of the economy such as agriculture, energy and engineering besides providing professional training in NDT.

SAIW has been in partnership with IAEA since 2000 in providing training in the fields of nuclear science and technology and it has provided training in NDT to over 150 professionals in Anglo speaking countries in Africa.

Under the collaboration between SAIW and the Malawian institutions, MUBAS will provide training in NDT and MBS will be responsible for testing services.