News
17/01/2020 Testing the waters: new potential for neutrons in NDT
Water is the foundational substance for life. Yet, for all we depend on it, water is a thorn in our side when it gets somewhere it should not – one that can have dangerous consequences. From concrete structures to circuit boards and to everything in between, NDT professionals in just about every sector and industry need to be able to detect the unwelcome presence of water within materials and components.
16/01/2020 SKF acquires Presenso
Stockholm-listed SKF Group has agreed to acquire Haifa-based predictive maintenance start-up Presenso Ltd, the Israeli company has announced.
16/01/2020 Pearl 15 wins Transport Canada approval
The Rolls-Royce plc Pearl 15 engine, developed at the company’s Center of Excellence for Business Aviation Engines in Dahlewitz, Germany, for the Bombardier Global 5500 and 6500, has received Transport Canada certification, the UK-based company has announced.
16/01/2020 Brexit and professional recognition
In the event that the withdrawal agreement is signed by 31 January 2020, the framework for recognition of professional qualifications established under the Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive (2005/36/EC, as amended by 2013/55/EU) would remain in place until the end of the implementation period on 31 December 2020.
15/01/2020 Ashtead invests in the latest remote visual inspection technologies
Ashtead Technology has recently invested in a major upgrade to its fleet of instruments for the advanced remote visual inspection of assets such as engines, turbines, aircraft, vehicles, processing plant, buildings and locations with poor or limited access.
14/01/2020 Nominations open for the 2020 MacRobert Award
The MacRobert Award is now open for nominations. Currently in its 51st year, the MacRobert Award is the UK’s longest running and most prestigious prize for engineering innovation. The award is run by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) and supported by the Worshipful Company of Engineers.
13/01/2020 Entry-level bench-top thermal testing
The A35sc Benchtop Test Kit from FLIR Systems has been designed for engineers and scientists who want to know exactly where to make thermal measurements and trust their findings every time.
13/01/2020 Hall-effect thickness gauge
Danatronics has launched its latest product in thickness gauging. Unlike all of its current thickness gauges, which use ultrasound to take readings, the MTG-99 magnetic thickness gauge utilises the Hall effect to non-destructively and accurately measure material thickness.
10/01/2020 Prophesee introduces event-based vision sensor
Prophesee, a developer of advanced neuromorphic vision systems, has introduced the first industry-standard packaged chip that leverages event-based vision technology, a significant advancement over traditional frame-based vision approaches.
09/01/2020 Bilfinger MD takes up safety leadership position
Bilfinger Salamis UK’s Managing Director Sandy Bonner has taken up a Leadership Team position with industry safety body Step Change in Safety.
08/01/2020 New miniature laser displacement sensor from Micro-Epsilon
Precision sensor manufacturer Micro-Epsilon has introduced an extremely compact laser triangulation sensor for high-precision displacement, distance and position measurements. With its high accuracy and an adjustable measuring rate of up to 1 kHz, it is said that the sensor offers an unbeatable price-performance ratio.
07/01/2020 FLIR Systems completes strategic investment in Providence Photonics LLC
FLIR Systems Inc and Providence Photonics LLC have announced that FLIR has made a strategic investment in Providence Photonics, which develops advanced software used to quantify invisible gas emissions using FLIR optical gas imaging (OGI) cameras.
06/01/2020 Automatic defect recognition in digital radiography based on artificial intelligence
Sentin GmbH has made it its mission to automate error detection in visual and image-based inspections with deep learning technologies. The German tech company has developed a digital inspection assistant in cooperation with Applus+ RTD, one of the world’s leading NDT service providers in the energy sector, and VISUS Industry IT, a provider of industrial image management software (JiveX).
03/01/2020 Partnership for machine monitoring solution
Emerson and Arrowhead Systems Inc have collaborated to produce a next-generation machine health monitoring solution that will increase uptime for high-speed palletiser production used in container stacking but is also adaptable for use with other primary products.
02/01/2020 BINDT Practitioner Award winner for 2019 announced
Alex Jackson of Sheffield Forgemasters Engineering Ltd has been named as the winner of BINDT’s 2019 Practitioner Award.
24/12/2019 Dry powder concentrates
Helling, a globally recognised manufacturer of high-quality products for all aspects of non-destructive testing, offers a range of convenient products for magnetic particle testing, including dry powder concentrates.
24/12/2019 Micro-Epsilon extends its range of blue laser sensors
Precision sensor manufacturer Micro-Epsilon has extended its optoNCDT 1750 range of laser triangulation sensors with a new blue laser version for high-speed displacement, distance and position measurements. The sensors are equipped with new high-performance lenses, laser control and evaluation algorithms, to ensure precise measurements on different surfaces and materials.
24/12/2019 Camera for cylinder liner condition monitoring
Marine engineering specialist Chris-Marine has announced the launch of its cylinder liner condition camera (LCC).
20/12/2019 Instantel upgrades
Instantel, maker of blast and vibration monitors, their attachments and cloud-based monitoring, has upgraded its calibration and repair service with several new features. Customers have been advised that their log-in credentials will remain unchanged for most of the new features.
20/12/2019 ACOEM acquires DynOptic Systems
The ACOEM Group has broadened its technical expertise and market presence in air and gas monitoring following the acquisition of DynOptic Systems Ltd, a specialist manufacturing company that designs and produces a range of sensors and instruments for continuous emissions monitoring. The acquisition includes DynOptic Systems’ subsidiary business, Tunnel Sensors, a world leader in tunnel atmosphere monitoring equipment.
19/12/2019 Integrated phased array UT solution
Eddyfi Technologies has launched RMS PA, a powerful new corrosion mapping solution that delivers high-resolution imaging without compromising on speed. RMS PA is a complete system aimed at significantly improving data quality while reducing the inspection time for non-intrusive inspection (NII) of critical assets. This high-speed remote access phased array ultrasonic testing (UT) inspection solution is the result of the integration of flagship products from two brands, providing inspection companies and asset owners with a reliable tried and tested system that delivers optimal corrosion data.
19/12/2019 LK Metrology appoints new sales & marketing director
Steve Shickell has been appointed Sales & Marketing Director (UK & Ireland) by LK Metrology, Castle Donington, a world-leading British manufacturer and exporter of coordinate measuring machines (CMMs). The company also develops associated programming and control software for tactile and 3D laser inspection designed to raise efficiency in the inspection department, improve the quality of data collected, reduce measuring cycle times and accelerate time to market for new products.
19/12/2019 SWIR imaging camera
The FLIR A6260 camera sets a new standard for research-grade short-wave infrared (SWIR) imaging cameras.
18/12/2019 Celebrating ten years of advancing NDT
From a young start-up, Eddyfi Technologies has become a group and a key player in the NDT equipment business. Eddyfi now features six brands, over 475 employees and has customers in more than 110 countries.
18/12/2019 Schaeffler condition monitoring solution helps prevent unplanned downtime at a Swedish sawmill
Even the most reliable machines will eventually fail. The challenge for many companies is whether to keep the machine running until the inevitable suddenly occurs or whether to turn the inevitable into a planned maintenance measure. The operator of a Swedish sawmill found the answer to this question in Schaeffler’s SmartCheck condition monitoring system.
18/12/2019 Neutron imaging: past, present and future
In the aerospace sector, non-destructive testing (NDT) is vitally important. Aircraft and spacecraft have many components, such as turbine blades, ejection mechanisms, explosive signal transfer mechanisms and payload fairing separation mechanisms, for which the margins for failure are razor thin; new composite materials being developed for use in aircraft and spacecraft must be rigorously tested to ensure that they behave as expected in the research and development (R&D) phase. Any flaws in these components must be detected and eliminated early to mitigate the possibility of disastrous failures and accidents occurring. The aerospace sector has benefited heavily from one NDT method in particular: neutron imaging, also known as N-ray. Will Ascenzo, writer for nuclear technology company Phoenix LLC, based in Madison, Wisconsin, USA, explains…
17/12/2019 Industry challenge to develop robotic solutions for CUI inspection
Quasset, on behalf of project sponsors Phillips 66, Royal Dutch Shell and Woodside Energy, is requesting proposals for an industry challenge that focuses on adaptable and demonstrable robotic solutions able to access susceptible locations for corrosion under insulation (CUI) on non-magnetic piping systems and to reduce the maintenance costs and safety risks associated with maintenance of piping systems.
16/12/2019 Application software
National Instruments (NI), the provider of a software-defined platform that helps accelerate the development and performance of automated test and measurement systems, has released the latest version of SystemLink software. NI realises that managing configuration activities and data for a fleet of distributed test and measurement systems can be daunting, especially when the systems incorporate a variety of device configurations and software combinations. With the increasing number of distributed systems and the exponential growth of data, engineering teams must manage the disparities across these systems.
13/12/2019 Winners of the SPRINT Robotics Awards 2019 announced
The winners of the annual SPRINT Robotics Awards 2019 were announced during the banquet of the SPRINT Robotics World Conference for Inspection and Maintenance Robotics 2019 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on 22 October.
12/12/2019 UTair Engineering chooses AMOS
Swiss Aviation Software has announced that the Russian rotary-wing maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider UTair Engineering has chosen its comprehensive fully-integrated MRO software solution, AMOS, and has already planned the first project steps.
11/12/2019 Durable non-glass DR detector for NDT – another Carestream NDT technology breakthrough
Carestream’s non- destructive testing (NDT) business has achieved another technology breakthrough in digital radiography (DR) for NDT: the new next-generation HPX-DR non-glass detector, which was specifically built for durability and reliability in harsh environments.
10/12/2019 Digital asset inspection system
Oceaneering International Inc has launched the Inform Inspect™ digital asset inspection system, which aims to streamline non-destructive testing (NDT) and inspection management.
09/12/2019 Schaeffler condition monitoring test-rig
By providing a condition monitoring test-rig for inspecting train wheelsets and gearboxes, Schaeffler is helping a rail operator in Asia to eliminate unplanned train downtime and minimise maintenance costs.
06/12/2019 Growing business restructures and rewards
Responsive Ltd has refreshed its business structure to recognise the importance of both non-destructive testing (NDT) and mechanical testing, as well as training. The company is also investing in its new management team.
05/12/2019 Ultrasonic 2D encoded scanner
Zetec Inc has introduced the NDT Sweeper™ Scanner, a highly versatile manual 2D encoded scanner for ultrasonic inspections in oil & gas, aerospace and other applications.
04/12/2019 IAEA launches seminars on information system on occupational exposure in industrial radiography
The International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) Information System on Occupational Exposure in Medicine, Industry and Research in Industrial Radiography (ISEMIR-IR) aims to strengthen the safety of workers who are exposed to ionising radiation.
03/12/2019 Airbus and Delta to partner
Airbus and Delta Air Lines are forming a digital alliance designed to provide predictive maintenance for mixed fleets of aircraft.
02/12/2019 CorrosionRADAR secures £1 million for corrosion under insulation
CorrosionRADAR, which supplies what it claims is the world’s longest-range corrosion under insulation (CUI) monitoring technology, has secured a £1 million investment from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund Proof of Concept & Early Stage Fund, which is managed by Mercia and part of MEIF, with additional funds from Mercia and private investors, alongside grants from the government’s Innovate UK, and the Oil & Gas Technology Centre.
27/11/2019 Condition-based maintenance in the desert
Madrid-based CAF is to install its LeadMind real-time remote monitoring and condition-based maintenance technology on the six train sets it supplied to Saudi Railway Co for passenger services on the 1242 km-long north-south route between Al Qurayyat and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
26/11/2019 Apprenticeships Route Review Survey
The results of this survey will inform the government and BINDT’s employer group if changes are required. Please complete the survey by Friday 20 December 2019.
25/11/2019 DIU brings predictive maintenance to the Navy
The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) of the United States Navy will be adopting artificial intelligence-fuelled technology that already keeps aircraft and ground vehicles running smoothly.
22/11/2019 OPEX secures North Sea predictive analytics contract
Predictive analysis services provider OPEX Group has secured a new multi-million-pound contract with CNOOC Petroleum Europe Limited, for digital services across the company’s UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) assets.
22/11/2019 20th World Conference on Non-Destructive Testing (WCNDT 2020): Abstract submission deadline extended
The 20th World Conference on Non-Destructive (WCNDT 2020), will take place in Seoul, Korea, from 8 to 12 June 2020.
21/11/2019 Brüel & Kjær Vibro announces machinery protection system
Brüel & Kjær Vibro has announced that its VC-8000 SETPOINT Machinery Protection System has received safety integrity level (SIL)-2 certification, allowing it to be specified and used within SIL-rated functional safety applications. These typically include, but are not limited to, radial vibration, axial position and bearing temperature measurements commonly encountered in machinery protection systems on pumps, motors, compressors, turbines and other critical rotating and reciprocating machinery.
20/11/2019 EEMUA launches online competency-based training course for mechanical integrity practitioners
EEMUA’s new online Mechanical Integrity Practitioner Certificate (MIPC) training course addresses the loss of primary containment of hazardous substances, a major cause of incidents and regulator interventions in the UK.
19/11/2019 Embraer launches IKON
Embraer has introduced IKON, a cloud system for capturing, storing and analysing high-volume data for the predictive maintenance of the E-Jet family.
18/11/2019 Torre Analytical Services acquired by Ethos
Following the successful delisting of Torre Industries from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in April 2019, the business was successfully separated into Torre Analytical Services (TAS), acquired by Ethos Mid Market Fund I (EMMF), and Torre Industrial (TI), acquired by Apex Partners.
14/11/2019 Creaform expands European coverage of its new generation of 3D scanning CMM
Creaform, a worldwide leader in portable and automated 3D measurement solutions, has announced that two European distributors, EMS in Belgium and Measurement Solutions Ltd in the UK, will be demonstrating and selling CUBE-R™.
13/11/2019 Multi-sensor CMM software
Coordinate measuring machine (CMM) manufacturer LK Metrology, based in Derbyshire, UK, has introduced a new version of its CAMIO software, 8.5, designed to raise productivity in the inspection department, improve the quality of data collected, reduce measuring cycle times and accelerate time to market for new products. The software is used not only on the company’s own CMMs but also on other manufacturers’ platforms, to which it may be retrofitted.
12/11/2019 Global vibration products distribution agreement
Mouser has signed a global distribution agreement with Wilcoxon Sensing Technologies, an Amphenol company, to distribute its Wilcoxon Sensing Technologies vibration monitoring products and sensing solutions. The brand has a legacy of strong performance in vibration monitoring.
