A LEADER IN NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING SINCE 1928

At that time, most testing inspection involved “sampling” techniques that essentially destroyed part of the product in the process. An evaluation method that would permit products to be used after testing proved to be a very attractive and successful idea and, as a result, a group of patents was developed for nondestructive testing of steel bars. Translating this NDT concept into a viable tester took six years of research and development.

Using two coils and a galvanometer, the system applied an electric AC field to the bar and measured changes in permeability. Housed in a wooden box, the strange new scientific development met with considerable skepticism from early customers, but MAC believed so strongly in the tester that the company offered the equipment on a lease basis so that customers would not have to make a capital investment.

With this incentive, Union Drawn Steel became the first company to install a MAC electromagnetic tester in 1934, and MAC’s concept of an operating lease for NDT equipment became a successful part of the company’s marketing program—one that remains in place today.

1st MAC NDT equipment installed at a customer’s plant

In a two-page advertisement in TIME Magazine in June, 1940, Jones and Laughlin Steel Corporation of Pittsburgh PA featured Magnetic Analysis Corp.’s electromagnetic tester and described the merits of the test method for inspecting cold finished steel bars for cracks. During this period, MAC continued research and development that led to expanded electromagnetic testing capabilities for grade and hardness inspection.

MAC equipment featured in 06/03/1940 issue of Time magazine ad for J & L Steel

This new eddy current technology measured the material’s conductivity instead of permeability, leading to a more reliable inspection for short surface defects. It also enabled non-ferrous metals such as copper, brass, stainless steel and aluminum to be inspected.

The challenge of detecting long, continuous defects in wire and rod led to the company’s development of the first rotary probe tester. MAC’s expertise in rotary techniques continued to expand, and today the company’s high speed multi-test channel systems featuring eddy current, flux leakage and ultrasonic technologies are installed in plants throughout the world.

During the 1960’s and 1970’s, under the direction of William Gould 3rd, MAC successfully expanded into overseas operations and introduced its test systems to Europe and Australia. The first European-based equipment was installed at British Timken by MAC’s UK subsidiary in 1962, followed by other subsidiaries being established in Italy and Australia. At home, manufacturing operations were later expanded with the opening of an Ohio plant in 1975.

MAC ERIC III EC Tester, Circa 1960

In a major advance, this tester allowed much greater selectivity in differentiating between test signals from defects, and noise and signals from other sources. Further improvements added pulsed eddy current techniques that allowed for greater power to be applied so larger size materials could be inspected.

During this decade, MAC developed flux leakage detectors for military ordnance parts applications and for tube and pipe inspections, including OCTG.

That year, MAC introduced Echomac® ultrasonic rotary testing for tube and bar. This was followed by the addition of the Echomac FD instrumentation series, which is now recognized the world over as the premier ultrasonic electronic testing system.

With its real-time, full-color graphic display, sophisticated control of test parameters and digital processing of test signals, this instrument brought eddy current testing to a whole new level of precision and sophistication.

MAC Rotomac® Tester with 350 Rotary Mechanism, featured on cover of Quality Magazine, April, 1991

Initiated by then company President Joseph Vitulli, MAC moved to a new facility which provided an 80% increase in space, and greatly expanded the company’s ability to manufacture and assemble large inspection systems and demonstrate them for customers. The move was critical in the company’s global strategy of offering the highest quality test equipment to meet growing demands for inspecting tube, bar, wire and other metal components.

Under the leadership of President Boden, the company broadened its technology and testing applications and took on a renewed sense of commitment to 100% customer satisfaction, using our years of experience in metal manufacturing plants to partner with the customer, learn what their real needs are, and develop the best test system for the specific application.

In the 2nd quarter of 2018, MAC shipped the first of three Rotoflux® AC Flux Leakage systems to a long-standing customer in Korea to inspect holt rolled bar. The new Rotoflux® AC, based on MAC’s many years of developing flux leakage technology, gives customers the ability to test products such as hot rolled bar with surface conditions that used to make finding shallow defects very difficult, if not impossible. The second and third units were shipped in the 3rd quarter to a longtime customer who manufacturers hot rolled black bar in the U.S. In the 4th quarter of 2018, MAC shipped out its first 25mm, 8 channel UT rotary with Echomac® FD6A electronics to a supplier of raw material for the medical industry. The design and manufacture of the 25mm unit increases MAC’s range of product UT inspection from 5mm up to and including 500mm OD.

The year 2020 marked MAC’s entry into the field of phased array ultrasonic inspection systems for the welded tube market, with the introduction of the Echomac® PA TW System. These phased array systems offer advantages of minimal operator adjustment, wider test head coverage of the weld zone, and the ability to monitor in the hot zone to provide immediate feedback to the operator.  Welding and seam trim tool process errors can be quickly addressed, resulting in less scrap tube.  The systems can also detect gross flaws when located in the hot zone or conduct more precise flaw detection after the forming rolls when the tube has a finalized round shape.  Phased Array systems are also available for other applications, including testing bar, composites and rail wheels.

Echomac® PA UT Tube Weld Tester

In February, 2022, MAC broadened its line of ultrasonic test systems with the acquisition of TacTic®, a division of LTI Laboratories. TacTic® provides “spin the tube” immersion tank ultrasonic test systems which are cost effective for testing small batches of material or handling frequent diameter size changes. The acquisition and integration with MAC operations has been made easier as TacTic® systems have used MAC’s Echomac® FD 6A UT electronics for many years.  TacTic® test systems detect surface and subsurface defects in tube, pipe and bar.  Using their specialized followers which position the UT sensors, they can handle out-of-straight and out-of-round material. MAC is also able to provide parts and support for the many installed TacTic® systems.

On November 6th, MAC announced the appointment of Daniel Lawrence as President and Chief Executive Officer. Just the fifth leader in MAC’s 95+ year history, Dan has succeeded former President/CEO Dudley Boden who provided steady and strong leadership during his 22 years with the company. Dan brings an extensive background in industrial and business management. Under his leadership, as MAC approaches its 100th year, the company is focused on bringing innovative NDT solutions to our customer’s most challenging problems, all while collaborating to meet the ever-increasing performance specifications and productivity requirements of today’s markets.

Dan Lawrence, President & CEO