Zetec celebrates 50th anniversary and legacy of innovation in NDT inspection technology
11/10/2018
Zetec is celebrating its 50th anniversary, marking the company’s legacy as a global leader in non-destructive testing (NDT) solutions for the power generation, oil & gas, aerospace and other vital industries.“Thanks to our customers, channel partners, innovative products and a highly skilled workforce, we have accomplished far more than anyone could have imagined back in 1968 when Zetec began developing analogue eddy current testers in a small office and dairy barn near Seattle, Washington,” said Wayne Wilkinson, President of Zetec.
Since then, Zetec has established numerous milestones in eddy current and ultrasonic instrumentation, probes, robotics and data analysis software, claiming to have launched the first networked eddy current software platform, the first digital eddy current instrument, the first phased array ultrasonic instrument for commercial use and the first digital multi-channel ultrasonic acquisition system. More recently it has launched the MIZ®-21C hand-held eddy current instrument, which brings the power of surface array to places in which it is claimed it has never before been used, and the TOPAZ®64 fully integrated portable phased array ultrasonic device, with advanced full matrix capture (FMC) and total focusing method (TFM) capabilities.
“Market conditions and regulations have evolved over time, but our commitment to improving inspection productivity, reliability and safety through advanced technologies has been consistent,” said Wayne. “As we celebrate our history, we are looking forward to another 50 years of innovation and customer focus.”
In 1968, Zetec won a government contract to inspect steam generator tubing and developed an analogue, single-frequency eddy current tester, a state-of-the-art instrument at the time. Over the next 20 years, Zetec’s eddy current testing equipment, training and methodology became the industry standard for nuclear power NDT and then in balance-of-plant and process industry applications.
Today, Zetec continues to focus on its core business, power generation, and has since expanded into other asset-critical verticals, including aerospace, oil & gas and manufacturing. The company has grown to become a single source for eddy current and ultrasonic inspection solutions by designing and manufacturing instruments, probes, robotics and software, a cohesive approach that optimises performance and value. Zetec invested extensively in research and development to bring the most innovative NDT products to market, holding numerous patents for instruments, probes and systems.
Zetec’s global distribution network provides customers with knowledgeable product support and decades of technical expertise across numerous market verticals. In addition to its headquarters in Snoqualmie, Washington, USA, the company maintains offices in Québec City, Canada, Paris, France, Seoul, Korea, Shanghai and Beijing, China and Tokyo, Japan.
“The next 50 years will bring new opportunities for Zetec to advance NDT science and standards, setting ever-new levels of performance, productivity and predictability,” said Wayne. “Our agility and drive to innovate will make a difference to our customers in every solution we deliver, both today and in the future.”
www.zetec.com
