Specifically, the new accreditation has been granted for carrying out inspections of components manufactured for offshore wind installations - infrastructures intended for generating electricity from wind turbines located on platforms at sea

ENAC has granted Avante Quality Services the first accreditation for inspecting, against customer specifications, components manufactured for offshore wind installations, also becoming the third ENAC-accredited body to inspect against customer specifications.

Offshore wind facilities are renewable energy sources that enable electricity to be generated from wind turbines located on platforms at sea, anchored to the seabed through a system of moorings and supports. These wind turbines take advantage of wind currents, through an electric generator, to transform them into energy.

Specifically, the accreditation covers the supervision of carrying out dimensional control of mechanically soldered components and non-destructive testing (NDT) of welds by visual method, magnetic particles, and ultrasounds, as well as inspecting the welding process (by Submerged Arc Welding SAW, Shielded Metal Arc Welding SMAW, Semi-automatic MIG-MAG, or TIG); as well as preparing the component prior to executing surface protection and the final inspection.

This first ENAC-granted accreditation demonstrates that Avante Quality Services has the technical resources, competence, and appropriate procedures to carry out inspections against customer specifications for these components used in offshore wind installations, thereby contributing to the safety and reliability of this type of structures.

Accredited inspection: trust in the control of customer requirements

Inspection against customer specifications consists of inspecting conformity of products, processes, facilities, or services according to the requirements contractually established by the requester of the inspection. These specifications define the technical criteria and the inspection process and are common in manufacturing controls, supply chain, goods inspections, or facilities inspection. To respond to the growing demand for this type of accredited inspection, ENAC developed a specific accreditation scheme applicable to inspections against customer specifications. ENAC accreditation in this area guarantees technical competence and impartiality, providing confidence to clients and the market regarding the reliability of the results obtained.