Bjørn Arne Kverkild on why consistent image quality matters at Aker Solutions
August 6, 2026
In NDT, value is ultimately judged by the quality of decisions made. Reliable image quality reduces risk and uncertainty when signing a report. Clear work packages and safety planning save time and keep operations moving. Fewer delays and efficient repair decisions support stable project outcomes. Skilled, certified inspectors strengthen the credibility of the entire welding process.
“The most important thing is consistent image quality. When I sign the report, I need to trust what I am seeing. The EVO systems give us
that consistency”
Bjørn Arne Kverkild, Senior Inspector at Aker Solutions
A workplace that is part of the community
At Aker Verdal, this is not abstract. It’s daily work. And for Senior Inspector Bjørn Arne Kverkild, it is also part of something larger, a connection between craft, responsibility, and community that spans three generations.
“My father also worked here. He started in 1969 and welded until he became ill. Now my daughter is training here as an HR apprentice. So, we are three generations in the same workplace. Aker is simply the workplace in Verdal. It’s part of the community.”
Bjørn first trained as a car mechanic, but when apprenticeships were scarce, he shifted to welding. After welding school, he moved across the country to Florø and later into Non-Destructive Testing. The move into NDT, he says, happened more by circumstance than intent.
He began as an apprentice on the night shift. He liked the rhythm, quiet surroundings, steady work, and time to think. He enjoyed being responsible for his own work but not being responsible for others. For many years, that balance suited him well.
Years of independence on the night shift
From 2013 to 2020, he worked in Egersund, mostly nights: 14 nights on, 14 days off. “I earned well and had a simple routine. At that time, I didn’t want responsibility. I preferred working alone at night.” That changed when he moved back to Verdal during the pandemic. He took on a new role with professional responsibility for X-ray inspections. “I don’t have personnel responsibility, but I am responsible for how the work is done and for the reports. When I sign them, I need to be confident.”
Responsibility taken when the time was right
The work requires structure and planning. Operators capture the images. Bjørn reviews them, reports findings, and prepares repair notes when needed. For work outside the hall, safety planning becomes central, gas tests, permits, and step-by-step coordination.
On inspection methods, he sees complement, not competition: “People think Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing, PAUT, will replace X-ray. I don’t look at it that way. NDT methods complement each other. X-ray is good for volumetric defects. PAUT is better for binding defects. They serve different purposes.”
In the X-ray bunker, the team works with Comet EVO portable X-ray systems. “The most important thing is consistent image quality. When I sign the report, I need to trust what I am seeing. The EVO systems give us that consistency.”
Carrying responsibility with confidence
His next step is Level III certification - not for the title, but to be able to answer clients directly, with certainty. At 51, his roots are here. He has lived with his partner for nearly 30 years. They have three children, and now another generation is working at Aker. Responsibility did not arrive all at once, it grew with time, and he chose to carry it.
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