News
20/05/2019 Compact confocal sensor
Precision sensor manufacturer Micro-Epsilon has launched a compact confocal chromatic displacement sensor that offers outstanding value for money and high accuracy, enabling its cost-effective use in high-volume original equipment manufacturing, machine building, systems integration and continuous production applications.
17/05/2019 GPMS and Bell announce exclusive distribution agreement
Green Power Monitoring Systems (GPMS) has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Bell for GPMS’s Foresight MX predictive health monitoring system on Bell 407 helicopter models.
16/05/2019 Pipelines, the Norwegian deep sea and digital radiography
Imagine an early August morning on a remote Norwegian fjord coast. The North Sea Giant, a 150 m-long pipe-laying vessel, is being readied to lay down an 8.4 km gas pipeline onto the seabed of the Norwegian Sea. The massive ship will leave the shores of Orkanger and start its journey at sea to reach the Åsgard field, which is 200 km away.
15/05/2019 Uncooled camera for methane detection
FLIR Systems has announced the FLIR GF77 Gas Find IR, its first uncooled thermal camera designed for detecting methane.
14/05/2019 Perpetuum secures track monitoring contract
Perpetuum has secured a contract from the Saudi Railway Company (SAR) to offer track condition information services for the 1250 km-long rail line from Riyadh to Qurrayat in Saudi Arabia.
13/05/2019 Yxlon and Japanese Nagoya Electric Works announce collaboration
Yxlon International, a division of the Swiss Comet Group, has announced a collaboration with the Japanese company Nagoya Electric Works (NEW) Co Ltd. The collaboration includes the development and distribution of specialised X-ray systems for the semiconductor industry.
10/05/2019 Smart IR thermal imaging cameras for Industry 4.0
The new range of IRSX industrial infrared (IR) cameras from Automation Technology (AT) is designed to facilitate the use of thermal imaging in Industry 4.0 applications. Completely self-contained with embedded data processing, these compact, rugged cameras feature a multitude of interface protocols for direct communication with automation and control equipment. These include open platform communications unified architecture (OPC UA), a platform-independent open standard for machine-to-machine communication that is ideally suited to Industry 4.0.
09/05/2019 Project aims for real-time track monitoring
An Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)-funded project aimed at developing a self-powered, wide-area track condition monitoring system for railways is planned.
08/05/2019 Digital radiography solution provides significant cost savings
Oceaneering International Inc has launched a new digital radiography solution for the oil & gas sector, the Trip Avoidance X-ray Inspection (TAXI™) system, which aims to reduce the number of unplanned shutdowns.
07/05/2019 ACFM inspection system
Eddyfi Technologies has recently launched the new TSC U41™ subsea inspection solution. For the last 30 years, alternating current field measurement (ACFM®) technology has been used globally for the detection and sizing of subsea surface-breaking cracks. Recognised and approved by many certification bodies, including DNV, ABS and Lloyd’s Register, the technique has been used successfully in place of traditional non-computerised and more user-dependent methods, such as magnetic particle inspection (MPI). ACFM technology has been successfully deployed for the inspection of structural node welds on jackets, caisson inspection, pipeline damage, spudcans and welded plate structures.
03/05/2019 Safran opens new research centre
Safran has opened a new research centre for advanced turbine blades used on aeroplane and helicopter engines at its plant in Gennevilliers, near Paris, France.
02/05/2019 Teratonics pushes ahead in the real-time NDT market
Teratonics, a Paris-Saclay-based deep-technology start-up with a proprietary technology for contactless non-destructive testing (NDT) and imaging, has received a seed investment from Socomore Ventures.
01/05/2019 Wood wins key strategic role on Hinkley Point C project
Wood has secured a new contract to provide a construction design management advisory service for the Hinkley Point C new-build nuclear power station project in the UK.
30/04/2019 Spire invests in ERI
Spire Capital, a New York-based private equity firm specialising in technology-enabled business services, media, communications and education sectors, has announced an undisclosed investment in ERI Solutions Inc.
29/04/2019 KraussMaffei collaboration
KraussMaffei is supporting the Chair of the Department of Engineering Design and Plastics Machinery (KKM) at the University of Duisburg-Essen by providing a new injection moulding machine from the all-electric PX series. The PX 120-380 is a complete digital equipment solution with DataXplorer. The goal of KraussMaffei is to develop new systems and applications and to use the acquired data to improve product and process quality on a sustainable basis.
26/04/2019 Minnich highlights concrete vibration innovations
Minnich Manufacturing has showcased its latest concrete vibration solutions, the Stinger electric flex shaft concrete vibrator, the M-Box high-cycle vibration control solution and the Auto Vibe paving vibrator monitoring system, at World of Concrete 2019 in Las Vegas.
26/04/2019 Employers to help bridge skills gap in NDT sector at free industry forum
An award-winning apprenticeships training provider, together with a group of non-destructive testing (NDT) training schools, are hosting a specialist forum for employers to help tackle the growing industry skills gap.
25/04/2019 Carestream Non-Destructive Testing appoints new leadership for Europe, Middle East and Africa Region
Carestream’s non-destructive testing (NDT) business has experienced rapid growth and is expanding operations in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region (EMEA). In order to manage and support this growth, Philippe Moreau has joined Carestream NDT as the Regional Business Manager NDT for EMEA.
24/04/2019 Flicq and Ioetec cooperate
Flicq Inc, a Californian innovator in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions, and Ioetec Ltd, a UK-based security company focused on securing the Internet of Everything (IoE), have announced that they are cooperating on providing end-to-end security from the edge to the cloud.
23/04/2019 Latest inspection technology added to rental fleet
Launched in September 2018, the Olympus IPLEX GX represents the latest technology in visual inspection and is now available as part of the Ashtead Technology rental fleet. “This is important news for maintenance and inspection engineers,” commented Steve Drake, Ashtead’s NDT Market Manager. “Visual inspection is all about image quality and the IPLEX GX offers new levels of capability, with a larger touch-screen display, a 30% brighter LED light and a sophisticated noise reduction algorithm, to make it easier to identify defects in darker areas.”
23/04/2019 Pexa wins first Queen’s Award for Enterprise
Pexa, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of coatings and surface treatment products to aerospace and other high-technology engineering markets, has been awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
18/04/2019 M2M Gekko successfully qualified by the EPRI
Eddyfi Technologies has announced that the Gekko® phased array flaw detector has been successfully qualified for the examination of austenitic and ferritic piping welds according to the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) procedure EPRI-PIPE-MPA-1, Rev.2. The EPRI procedure is qualified according to the ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, Section XI, Appendix VIII.
17/04/2019 The IN-1000 condition monitoring device
Allweiler has introduced the IN-1000 condition monitoring device, a CIRCOR International product that is suitable for monitoring pumps in operationally critical and environmentally sensitive chemical engineering applications.
16/04/2019 Global NDT in aerospace and defence market report
In 2017, the non-destructive testing (NDT) market was valued at US$2115.4 million (approximately £1.6 billion) and is expected to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3% during the forecast period (2018-2023), to reach US$3835.4 million (approximately £3 billion) by 2023, according to a new report from Research and Markets.
15/04/2019 ABB provides predictive maintenance to Illinois energy grid
Ameren Illinois, an electricity and natural gas utility that serves about three quarters of the state of Illinois, has chosen ABB to deliver predictive maintenance solutions as part of its multi-million-dollar initiative to modernise its energy delivery infrastructure.
12/04/2019 Creaform Engineering expands offering with new dimensional management services
Creaform, a worldwide leader in portable 3D measurement solutions and engineering services, has announced that it is extending its dimensional management services to its entire global audience. Dimensional management is an engineering methodology used for preventative quality assurance, which ensures the functionality, producibility, repeatability and performance of any given product according to specific requirements. This proven methodology allows manufacturers to guarantee quality while mitigating production waste and costs as well as product returns.
11/04/2019 Mixed signal oscilloscope
The new Yokogawa DLM3000 is the first of a new generation of mixed-signal oscilloscopes featuring the familiar ‘look and feel’ and small footprint of the earlier DLM2000 series, but with a complete hardware redesign featuring higher measurement speed and precision plus an intuitive touch-screen display for enhanced ease of use and improved productivity.
10/04/2019 A new family of accelerometers
Kionix has announced the KX13x Series, a new product family of accelerometers designed to meet the needs of a wide range of applications, provide superior performance and improve the capability to accurately detect events and conditions.
09/04/2019 ABB helps to improve safety and profitability of oil and gas pipelines with drone-based gas leak detection
Leaks in gas distribution and transmission pipelines present serious safety risks and result in lost revenue and profits for producers. The ABB Ability™ mobile gas leak detection system is a digital solution that, for the first time, enables drone deployment in the identification of gas leakages. The new solution is being launched at ABB’s customer event in Houston, Texas, USA, to complement the existing range of ABB mobile gas leak detection systems suitable for all facilities.
08/04/2019 Advanced EC 3D scanning solution
Aero engine disc components, such as bearing rings, fans and compressor discs, are typically inspected at different stages of manufacture, from their preformed to final machined shape.
05/04/2019 Element opens Sheffield testing laboratory
Element Materials Technology has opened a new 20,700 ft2 testing laboratory in Sheffield, UK. The new centre of excellence for non-destructive testing and inspection has been developed in this region, which has seen major investment in aerospace manufacturing, in response to its science and innovation strategy.
04/04/2019 Peak NDT Ltd and KUKA join Advanced Nuclear Research Centre
The University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Nuclear Research Centre (ANRC) has welcomed two new Tier 2 members, Peak NDT Ltd and KUKA.
03/04/2019 Bond testing flaw detector
Weedon has released the new BondCheck, simplifying multi-mode bond testing, enhancing accuracy and increasing inspection speed.
02/04/2019 UK manufacturers see AI as key
A group of high-profile representatives from across the aerospace, automotive and engineering industries are calling for the widespread use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology during the industrial inspection process to help overcome the challenges associated with manual inspection.
01/04/2019 National recognition for development of NDT apprenticeships
The development and promotion of non-destructive testing (NDT) apprenticeships has won national recognition at the prestigious Further Education (FE) Week and Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) Annual Apprenticeship Conference (AAC) Apprenticeship Awards 2019.
28/03/2019 Ashtead adds Gekko advanced phased array to rental fleet
In response to growing customer demand, Ashtead Technology has added several advanced phased array (PA) flaw detectors to its range of non-destructive testing (NDT) equipment. The new Gekko instruments are manufactured by M2M, an Eddyfi Technologies company, and complement existing Eddyfi brands within Ashtead’s rental fleet, including Silverwing, TSC and Eddyfi.
27/03/2019 Structural Health Monitoring Market – Global Forecast to 2023
The structural health monitoring market is estimated to grow from US$1.48 billion (approximately £1.13 billion) in 2018 to US$3.38 billion (approximately £2.6 billion) by 2023, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.93%. The forecast period for this report is from 2018 to 2023. The factors driving the structural health monitoring market include the ageing infrastructure and the superior benefits of structural health monitoring, a decrease in the cost of sensors resulting in a reduction in the cost of structural health monitoring systems and stringent environmental regulations pertaining to the sustainability of structures, among many others.
27/03/2019 TWI encourages diversity in welding
AEMRI employee Jane Allwright completed a two-day welding appreciation course at TWI’s Cambridge premises in January 2019. This event was organised through the TWI Tipper Group, created to encourage diversity in engineering.
25/03/2019 SmartCBM IIoT condition-based maintenance
Allied Reliability has announced the introduction of SmartCBM, its breakthrough Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) condition-based maintenance solution.
25/03/2019 SpotSee earns Anatel certification in Brazil
SpotSee, a global provider of shock and vibration monitoring through low-cost connectivity and data, has earned National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) certification for its impact monitoring device, SpotBot™, allowing it to be sold and used in Brazil.
22/03/2019 Royal Academy of Engineering set to elect its first Scottish President
The Trustee Board of the Royal Academy of Engineering has nominated Professor Sir Jim McDonald FREng FRSE, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde, as its Presidential candidate for election by Fellows at the September 2019 Annual General Meeting (AGM). Upon election by the Fellowship, Jim would serve a term of five years and become the Academy’s first Scottish President.
21/03/2019 Intero Integrity wins award for innovative robotic tank floor inspection
The SPRINT Robotics Award 2018 has been awarded to Intero Integrity. This award by the SPRINT Robotics Collaborative is presented annually in recognition of ground-breaking collaborative work towards the acceptance of inspection and maintenance robotics in society. It was presented on 13 November 2018 in Galveston, Texas, USA, during the first edition of the SPRINT Robotics World Conference for Inspection and Maintenance Robotics.
20/03/2019 Global industrial radiography equipment market 2019-2023
The growing opportunity for radiography in additive manufacturing is expected to drive growth in the market. Additive manufacturing based on 3D printing has been recording significant development with the introduction of new technologies. With an increase in the use of additive manufacturing, the need for radiographic testing has grown. Analysts have predicted that the industrial radiography equipment market will register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of almost 14% by 2023.
19/03/2019 Yokogawa to release the Sushi Sensor
Yokogawa Electric Corporation has announced that it will release the Sushi Sensor, an OpreX-brand wireless solution, in markets other than Japan, starting with European shipping in March 2019. Already available in Japan, the Sushi Sensor is a compact wireless device with integrated sensing and communication functions that is intended for use in the monitoring of plant equipment vibration and surface temperature. Optimised for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications, the Sushi Sensor enables the online monitoring of equipment operating conditions, which helps to improve equipment maintenance and prevent failures by detecting signs of abnormalities at an early stage.
19/03/2019 Mann+Hummel partners with Sierra Wireless
Sierra Wireless, a provider of fully integrated device-to-cloud solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT), has announced that Mann+Hummel, a leading global expert for filtration solutions, has selected the Smart SIMs and AirVantage® IoT Platform from Sierra Wireless to connect and manage global deployments of Senzit, the company’s new predictive maintenance platform developed to increase uptime for industrial and agricultural fleets.
18/03/2019 Lavender International supporting NDT apprenticeships
Lavender International is continuing to raise awareness of NDT and the rewarding career opportunities that are available within the industry, including the NDT apprenticeship schemes, by attending STEM events and careers fairs and providing interactive demonstrations to local schools and technical colleges.
18/03/2019 Automated quality control for the production line
Creaform, a world leader in automated and portable 3D metrology solutions, is focusing on automated quality control at this year’s Hannover Messe, taking place from 1-5 April 2019, which is becoming increasingly important within the manufacturing industry and Industry 4.0. Creaform will be exhibiting in Hall 17, booth E58.
15/03/2019 Element’s exceptional international growth recognised with International Track 200 listing
Element Materials Technology, one of the world’s leading independent providers of materials and product qualification testing, inspection and certification services, has been listed at number 143 in this year’s Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200.
14/03/2019 Miniature ICP teardrop accelerometer
PCB Piezotronics Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of MTS Systems Corporation, has released its smallest ICP teardrop accelerometer with a transducer electronic data sheet (TEDS), Model 352A59. This single-axis accelerometer was developed to minimise the effects of mass loading on small devices with an integral M3 connector and removable cable that can be easily routed within devices. The adhesive mounting and TEDS contribute to a quick, error-proof set-up.
14/03/2019 Visualisation software
The result of a collaboration between Sound & Bright and Tsukuba Technology, a Japanese company specialising in laser ultrasonic visualisation for the inspection of complex shapes, the laser ultrasonic Visualizing Inspector is capable of quickly scanning a complex shape and displaying the propagation of ultrasonic waves.
