About once a month, a new space shuttle blasts through the atmosphere over Cape Canaveral. And behind every launch are complex engineering and manufacturing efforts, making each propulsion possible.

Every last detail is essential. Small problems like faulty construction or inadequate materials are not only dangerous—they could derail entire missions, rendering years of careful research useless.

But testing each piece for functionality is not easy, especially since some features cannot be dismantled after their creation. The same can be said for smaller machines across a range of industries, from airplanes to automobiles to factory equipment—in fact, any man-made object.

When it comes to solving this problem, QC Laboratories, Incorporated (QC Labs) is a pioneer. They specialize in nondestructive testing, or NDT, which enables engineers and manufacturers to safely test their products before implementation, as well as to check their physical condition during working life.

NDT involves testing an object or material using methods that retain its future usefulness. It takes examination a step beyond the purely visual, allowing laboratories to check for problems at a deeper level without damaging the object. Based in Fla., QC Labs performs such tests for the aircraft, aerospace, marine and construction industries.

“The company started in 1965. We have locations in two states: Florida and Ohio,” said John “Jinx” Ahow, General Manager at QC Labs. “The company employs a staff of 20, with locations spread over Cincinnati, Orlando and Hollywood, Fla. We have worked all over the world, as far as Tokyo and the Middle East. Most of our work is in America, the Caribbean and Central America.” Nondestructive testing is generally used to test for equipment reliability, help with product design, test prototypes, and determine the best material for the job. Besides flaw detection, QC Labs inspects welds and does welder certifications, in addition to performing thickness measurements on pipes and storage tanks.

Companies like QC Labs help prevent accidents and save lives by providing a means to thoroughly test components, such as aircraft engines, without damaging them. They use X-ray machines, ultrasound, eddy current, infrared, magnetic particle, and even radar to perform their tests. “I joined the company in 1995, and we are considered one of the highest qualified in the inspection arena,” Ahow said. The company relies on creative technological innovations to carry out its work. Applications are diverse; past projects have included X-ray inspection for the Civil War Submarine “The Hunley,” and verification procedures for paintings to determine their authenticity.

 “We provide services to every industry,” Ahow said. Clients include large companies like Pratt & Whitney, Lockheed Martin, Rolls Royce and Honeywell. For the recreation sector, they’ve inspected carnival rides and Walt Disney amusement park attractions. And in the aerospace sector, they have done work for NASA on launch pads, the Space Station, and engine parts for shuttles, rockets and jets.

Ahow first entered the aerospace industry with dreams of flight.  “My first passion was to be a pilot,” he said, “but because I wore glasses I had to go into engineering and aircraft flight testing.” In the end, it all turned out for the best; originally from Trinidad, Ahow worked his way to England, eventually landing in the United States. “I worked in the medical industry during a time when they had problems with pacemakers and the wiring. I first qualified in electronics in England, and then switched to aircraft maintenance, and obtained my British Aircraft Maintenance Engineer’s Licence.  There were no aircraft NDT schools in the States at the time, and England is where I had gotten my training with the Royal Air Force,” he said. “I worked in Trinidad for an airline called BWIA for 25 years, and I obtained my Level 3 Certifications in 1992 from the American Society for Nondestructive Testing.”  In April 1995, opportunity knocked. “There was a vacancy at QC Labs, and I was willing to join, having taken early retirement from BWIA.”

Like many businesses, QC Labs was hit hard by the economic downturn. Ahow said, “The economy has tightened spending, and we cut back where we could. The total revenue base was cut, and 50 percent of contracts were lost. I call it 'slimming and trimming,' basically. My company is on a path for growth, especially overseas jobs, inspection, and more pipeline and drilling work across the islands.”

On his nickname of “Jinx,” Ahow explained, “I was born on Black Friday (Friday 13th), and my mother gave me that name. Ever since then, I have been lucky." Whether you call it luck or just plain hard work, he’s helped to make QC Labs an indispensable ally to engineers and machinery manufacturers around the world.

www.qclabs.net