Why Magnetic Clamps Beat Straps in Radiography

Whether you're inspecting pipeline welds in the blistering heat or working through tight deadlines in a fabrication yard, the tools you use can either help or hinder your efficiency, accuracy, and confidence in the field.

Traditionally, radiographers have used masking tape, straps, and makeshift solutions to secure guide tubes and film cassettes during contact radiography. These methods may have stood the test of time, but they haven't evolved to meet the modern-day demands of industrial NDT. Fortunately, magnetic clamps are changing the game—and here's why they're quickly becoming the preferred solution for technicians around the world.

1. Drastically Faster Setup Times

Every radiographer knows the time sink that is taping and strapping. Securing a guide tube with masking tape takes multiple steps—cutting, wrapping, adjusting, and hoping it sticks well enough. Straps, while reusable, often require trial and error to get the correct tension or fit, especially on irregular surfaces or large-diameter piping.

Magnetic clamps, on the other hand, offer near-instantaneous placement. With a strong magnetic base and articulating design, the G-Mag clamp allows you to quickly attach your guide tube in the optimal orientation—saving valuable minutes per shot. Over the course of a shift or job, those minutes add up fast.

For contract crews or technicians working under time constraints, this can be the difference between hitting your target number of shots—or not.

2. Superior Accuracy and Repeatability

Precise guide tube positioning is crucial for a successful exposure. Unfortunately, manual solutions like tape and straps tend to shift or sag—especially on dirty, curved, or (worst of all) MPI oil-covered surfaces. If you know, you know. In the worst-case scenario, this can result in misalignment, blurred shots, or the need to reshoot an entire section—wasting time, film, and radiation exposure.

Magnetic clamps provide a reliable, rigid hold, and once they’re in place, they stay there. The G-Mag’s articulating head enables fine adjustments while still maintaining a strong grip, which means better shot consistency and fewer variables affecting image quality. This leads to fewer re-shoots, lower costs, and higher confidence in your results.

3. No More Consumables or Waste

Tape is inherently single-use. Even the best rubber straps degrade with time, exposure, and field conditions. Each broken strap or used roll of tape isn’t just a minor inconvenience—it’s a recurring cost and a contributor to the growing waste problem in industrial operations. Ever been in the middle of a shutdown and have your last rubber strap snap on you? Yeah, we’ve been there more times than we care to admit.

By contrast, magnetic clamping systems are reusable, durable, and field-proof. At ProRad, we manufacture the G-Mag using carbon fiber-reinforced nylon—an advanced 3D printing material designed to withstand UV exposure, moisture, and the rough-and-tumble of daily field use. This means fewer replacements, lower lifetime cost, and a significantly smaller environmental footprint.

4. Cleaner, More Professional Workflow

There’s nothing elegant about wrestling with half-used tape rolls, hunting for broken Velcro straps, or patching together temporary fixes in the field. These stopgap methods not only slow you down—they create clutter, frustration, and room for error.

Magnetic clamps like the G-Mag are purpose-built to streamline your workflow. Lightweight, compact, and quick to deploy, they allow for a cleaner, more efficient setup. Fewer tools, fewer headaches, and a more professional experience.

Plus, for inspection teams representing their company on-site, using high-quality tools like the G-Mag helps project a more professional image to clients and auditors.

5. Purpose-Built for Radiographers, by Radiographers

At ProRad, we didn’t just guess what radiographers might need—we lived it. With over two decades of combined field experience in NDT, we designed the G-Mag to solve the exact problems we faced on the job every day.

Here’s what sets the G-Mag Kit apart:

• Pipe Compatibility: Works on pipe sizes from 80NB and up

• Modular Design: Magnet-based articulation allows fast and precise placement

• Compatibility: Designed for use with Sentinel Standard Fixed Stop Guide Tubes

• Materials: Durable carbon-fiber reinforced nylon for harsh outdoor conditions

• Compact Kit: Comes with 1× G-Mag Clamp and 2× Film Placement Magnets

  
  

We proof-test every product on real-world job sites and refine it based on direct technician feedback. Our tools are not theoretical—they're field-tested and built to perform under pressure.

6. Real-World Case: A Pipeline Technician’s Experience

Take a typical pipeline inspection job in the Australian Outback—where we’ve done most of our bombing work. The temperature’s pushing 40°C, the pipe’s coated in red dust, and time’s tight. Straps struggle to grip, tape won’t stick, and everything’s slick with sweat or oil. It’s the kind of job that makes you appreciate gear that just works—fast, clean, and reliable.

With the G-Mag, the guide tube can be magnetically secured in seconds, even on difficult terrain. The articulation lets the technician dial in the perfect shot angle without having to reposition or adjust repeatedly. At the end of the day, the G-Mag saves hours over the course of a project—and delivers more reliable exposures every time.

7. It Pays to Work Smarter

Time saved. Reshoots avoided. Waste reduced. These aren’t minor perks—they directly impact project timelines, job profitability, and technician stress levels.

By adopting magnetic clamping solutions like the G-Mag, radiographers can move away from outdated methods and toward a smarter, more reliable workflow.

Final Thoughts

Straps and tape had their time. But as industrial radiography evolves, so too should the tools we rely on. Magnetic clamps are a clear upgrade for today’s radiographer—offering faster setup, greater precision, and unmatched durability in the field.

At ProRad, our mission is to design tools that make your job easier, faster, and more reliable.

The G-Mag is just the beginning.