Jon Biddulph

Our interviewee for this instalment of People in NDE is Jon Biddulph, who retired from Rolls-Royce plc earlier this year, after an inspirational 40-year career…

Briefly describe your education, training and career history
I left school after the first year of sixth form as I decided I wanted to undertake an apprenticeship rather than go to university, a decision my parents were not best pleased about. I applied and was offered a technical apprenticeship by Rolls-Royce in 1979. Upon completion of my apprenticeship I dropped into a role as an NDT Engineer. I had no idea what non-destructive testing was, but the job description sounded really interesting. Like many others, I fell into NDT rather than choosing it as a career. I started in the original Nightingale Road Main Works facility in the Discs and Shafts product centre, where I gained my initial Level 3 approvals (magnetic testing, penetrant testing and ultrasonic testing). At that time, NDT formed part of the quality control function at Rolls-Royce but was subsequently recognised as a special process and became a laboratory-controlled function. In around 1990 I moved to the External Laboratory at Elton Road, with a remit to take control of NDT across the growing external supply chain. I managed a small team (Clive Perry and James Bennett), which later merged with the NDE Laboratory at Elton Road and of which I was made Laboratory Manager. In 2002 I was appointed the Global Head of NDE for Rolls-Royce, a position I held until 2020, and made my parents proud. I did not choose NDT; it somehow chose me. What I do know is that I have enjoyed the most fantastic career working with the most fantastic people doing something I absolutely loved doing and, furthermore, I got paid for doing it. I set my sights high and, through hard work and the support of a listening employer, my aspirations became a  reality.

What roles have you held at BINDT?
I was a member of the Employer Certification Group (disbanded) for several years and became an elected member of the Certification Management Committee. I was also an elected member of the BINDT Council for a single term in my latter years. My key and most rewarding relationship with BINDT has been through chairing both the the National Aerospace NDT Board (UK NANDTB) and the Aerospace NDT Board Forum. I am eternally grateful to BINDT for the unwavering support given.

What would you consider to be your biggest NDT achievements and challenges to date?
There are four things, as follows. Mandating that all suppliers (to Rolls-Royce) must employ, directly or indirectly, a Level 3 certificated individual who would be responsible for control of NDT. I achieved this in 1994 and it was a step change that other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) followed. Becoming the first non-US member of Nadcap (formerly the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) and actively driving the mandate of Nadcap across Europe and subsequently Asia. In 2003, setting up the UK NANDTB and becoming the inaugural Chair in 2004, which was a role I held for 14 years. Embedding NDT Services (now Intertek) as an NDT service provider within  Rolls-Royce.

Specifically for the aerospace industry, what would you consider your biggest achievement?
The foresight and leadership I showed in developing the UK NANDTB, which became the role model for subsequent NANDTBs, and the work I did at Forum level in achieving credibility and international recognition of the UK NANDTB and other NANDTBs through Nadcap accreditation. Additionally, my role and influence as the EU subject matter expert on the last three versions of  EN 4179.

What do you think are the pressing challenges for the NDT industry?
NDT methods continue to evolve from manual eyeball techniques to 100% electronic output techniques, where the data can be evaluated by computing software and associated algorithms. The challenges are to develop these techniques to an industry standard that achieves reliability with a high level of confidence and to develop NDT personnel who are skilled in this technology in order to conduct oversight.

What changes, if any, do you foresee for NDT in the future?
How we truly use the output from NDT (for more than just the detection of defects) to directly influence the inputs of upstream manufacturing operations so we can achieve ‘right first time’ principles every time and, hence, create products that can be easily manufactured within a smaller tolerance, such that the specification minimum is increased or enhanced.

How would you describe NDT to someone who has not heard of it before?
NDT is a collection of unseen, unheard, mostly unknown process technologies that assures that the things that most of us take for granted every day in all walks of life (for example as flying, sailing, driving, power generation, structures, etc) continue to operate reliably, repeatedly and, most importantly, safely.

Outside of NDT, what are your interests and hobbies?
I hate to say it, but for 40 years Rolls-Royce has been my interest and hobby! I joined a golf club six years ago in anticipation of the future and I am a regular high-handicap golfer hoping to improve big time given more time to play. I have also found a love for healthy cooking as part of my first retirement goal to lose a bit of weight!

Please get in touch if you have any recommendations for future interviewees or would like to be interviewed yourself. Contact the editor at ndtnews@bindt.org or email Maria Felice direct at mvfelice@gmail.com

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