The
2015 ICNDTGuide onResearch and Development
in NDT
Non-destructive testing:
why it is important and why more research anddevelopment should be supported
July 2015

Non-destructive testing:
why it is important and why more research anddevelopment should be supported

Acknowledgements: http://bit.ly/1GEilcR
http://bit.ly/18A04yn

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THE 2015 ICNDT GUIDE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTIN NDT

Contents
SECTION 1

INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................3

SECTION 2

THE IMPORTANCE OF NDT AND THE NEED FOR NEW TECHNIQUES AND CAPABILITIES........4

SECTION 3

EXAMPLES OF IMPROVED NDT BECOMING POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF SUCCESSFUL						 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT...................................................................................................6
SECTION 4

NEEDS FOR NDT RESEARCH........................................................................................................10

SECTION 5

THE TYPICAL CYCLE AND TIMESCALE FOR DEVELOPING NEW NDE TECHNOLOGIES............11

SECTION 6

WAYS OF ENCOURAGING BETTER APPRECIATION OF NDT AND MORE SUSTAINED						 FUNDING.....................................................................................................................................14
SECTION 7

CONCLUSIONS............................................................................................................................15

SECTION 8

RECOMMENDATIONS..................................................................................................................15

SECTION 9

REFERENCES.................................................................................................................................16

SECTION 10 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...............................................................................................................16
Appendix 1:

The UK Research Centre in Non-Destructive Evaluation: An example of national
cooperation between universities and industries............................................................................16

		

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Section 1
Introduction
NDT and diagnostic technologies such as condition monitoring play a crucial role in assuring the safety of modern
societies. Major uses of NDT include transport (for example planes, trains and ships), energy infrastructures (oil & gas
rigs and pipelines, power stations) and manufacturing (steelmaking to electronics). However there are many otherapplications of NDT that are essential to protect our safety, such as checking the welds on fairground rides or the
towers and cables of ski lifts.
The capabilities of NDT have improved substantially in recent years and are steadily improving thanks to successful
research and development, but even more challenging requirements continue to arise.
More research and development is required to:l reduce the limitations of current application;
l develop new applications not previously thought possible;l develop techniques for new materials and processes.
NDT uses many different physical principles to detect flaws and it is necessary to understand the physical principles
as well as the capabilities and limitations of each technique and to check that reliable results can be achieved in thereal life application. This requires attention to all stages of the NDT quality chain, from basic research, technology
development and validation through to education, training and procedures. Because of the timescales required toresearch and develop new techniques, it is important to anticipate future requirements and establish secure long-term
programmes.
During the 11th ECNDT 2014 conference in Prague, ICNDT organised a Workshop to consider the importance of
NDT, to identify critical research needs and to explore ways of supporting such research. The presentations on which
this brochure is based are available on the ICNDT website at: http://bit.ly/1y55N5Y
This brochure highlights why NDT, including diagnostic technologies, is so important; it gives examples of current
research and suggests how better funding arrangements for the medium to long term may be encouraged. Industrial
users of NDT, as well as universities and other research institutes, have a key role to play, whilst national andinternational NDT societies can provide the forums for discussion and advice that are so important.

[Footnote]
NDT or NDE?
The acronyms NDT (non-destructive testing) and NDE (non-destructive examination or evaluation) are considered
to have the same meaning and are used interchangeably in this document.

3Section 2
The importance of NDT and the need for new techniques andcapabilities
The global NDT industry had an estimated turnover in 2012 of $5.6bn including products and services (Box 2 andRef. 1). The most important driver for NDT is maintaining the safety of critical infrastructure, and NDT has maintained
growth exceeding 3% per annum in spite of the difficult economic conditions. The largest markets are in energy
extraction (for example oil & gas), transport, power generation and aerospace. Significant new markets are also
emerging, such as renewable energy.

NDT in manufacture
For critical items such as nuclear power plant, aircraft or satellites, NDT is used at many stages of manufacture toensure the finished product is fit for service. The inspection techniques must have the right capability to detect andidentify the defects that might occur. The design should take this into account, as well as the material properties andduty cycle, to achieve a high value, reliable component.

NDT during service life
Industrial plant and equipment are likely to deteriorate during service life, for example as a result of corrosion or someform of cracking. NDT is often the best way to confirm whether the component is still fit for service. A good example
is given in Box 1, which shows how an effective NDT inspection regime has contributed to a major reduction in
broken rails on the UK rail network. Improvements in NDT detection capability may allow the intervals between inservice inspections to be extended and hence allow costly plant to operate more economically for longer.

NDT for new materials and processes
NDT is particularly important for new materials and processes. For example, the increased use of composites in theaerospace and motor industries has stimulated new types of X-ray and ultrasonic inspection techniques. The desire
for lighter components has also led to new joining techniques (see Figure 1 below), which may require radically new
approaches to inspection.

www.ikt.uni-stuttgart.de

Using Guided Waves

S

E

240

327

no bonding

370

430

500

defective bonding■

kissing Bonds

12.9

Universität Stuttgart

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THE 2015 ICNDT GUIDE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTIN NDT

0
T

R

displacement of probes

C-scan: 40 tracks, track distance 0.5 mm, measurement point
distance 0.5 mm, meandric scanning for image presentation of results
INSTITUT FÜR KUNSTSTOFFTECHNIK

25

Figure 1. Current research in Germany (BAM and IKT) to use Lamb waves to inspect new types of bonds forlightweight automobile construction.

		THE 2015 ICNDT GUIDE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTIN NDTBox 1: Effective use of NDE leads to better asset management and passenger
safety: ultrasonic testing of UK railways

Figure from J.Harris (Ref.2).
The Figure demonstrates the impact of NDT on the UK rail system. Prior to the Hatfield train disaster, rail breaks wererunning at about 900/year on the network. An improved ultrasonic NDE system enabled faulty rails to be identified
and replaced before catastrophic failures occurred. Refinement of the ultrasonic techniques and development ofadditional NDE methods continues to reduce the rate of broken rail occurrence. Because of these successes, theasset management system has been exported to other national rail networks.

Box 2: UK Landscape report on NDTThe report shows that NDT delivers high impact in terms of safety and maximising asset value for industries
such as aerospace, power generation and transport. NDT is crucial for the development of new manufacturingmethods and engineering materials, for assuring the integrity of much of the UK infrastructure and for asset life
management.
Box 2 continued overleaf

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THE 2015 ICNDT GUIDE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTIN NDTBox 2: continued
This report, compiled by a cross-sector industry-academic working group, identifies the key opportunities andchallenges for the UK NDT community. It concludes that making the most of available benefits in the future
requires planning now, to deliver research and development and related activities when needed in the future.
The medium-term objectives identified include:
l better quantification of NDT performance and reliability;
l extended capability of NDT, for example, faster, cheaper and more sensitive;
l new NDT methods for emerging designs and materials;l increased automation and robotic NDT, especially for difficult access;l improved liaison with other disciplines to optimise design for inspection.
The longer-term strategic objectives include:
l more integration of NDT data with operational conditions and duty cycles;
l far more real-time automated inspection to achieve defect-free manufacture;l extensive online monitoring and smart structures supported by precision-targeted NDT;
l much reduced use of disruptive in-service NDT by combining high-fidelity manufacturing inspection withstructural health monitoring in service.

Section 3
3.1 Some examples of improved NDT becoming possible because of successful
research and development
Much of the current research and development may be grouped in four categories:
1. Reduction of the limitations of current applications;
2. Development of new applications not previously thought possible;
3. Development of techniques for new materials and processes;
4. Reduction of the need for NDT by in-service monitoring.
Examples of current work in each category are illustrated overleaf:		

THE 2015 ICNDT GUIDE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTIN NDT

3.2 Reducing current limitations, for example sizing capabilityAn	
  Overview	
  about	
  NDT	  in	
  Germany	
  Applica'on	
  of	
  Ultrasonic	
  	
  PA	
  Probes	
  (cont.)	
  SAFT-­‐approach	
   for	   defect	
   sizing	
   at	
   the	   thermo	
   sleeve	
   area	   on	
   feed-­‐water	
   nozzle	
   was	  the	
   basis	
   for	   the	   fracture	
   mechanic	
   analyses	
   and	   the	   assessment	
   of	
   the	   nozzle	
  integrity.	
  	
  

11th	
  ECNDT	  	
  6-­‐10	
  October	
  2014	
  Prague	
  Er/BAM	  3.0	  17	  	
  von	  22	  Figure 2. An example of using ultrasonic phased array technology with a synthetic aperture focusing technique(SAFT) to analyse and display the data. This improves on the limited resolution of conventional ultrasonic inspection
and improves the ability to identify and measure the critical features of defects. If the crack size is known accurately,
it is possible to predict whether a component is safe to continue in service or whether it must be repaired or
replaced immediately. (A. Erhard, Ref. 2).

Figure 3. Another example of overcoming existing limitations is the use of multi-transducer eddy current arrays forsteam generator tube inspection. Using different combinations of transmit and receive coils facilitates the detection
and interpretation of a wider range of potential defects in any of the potential orientations.

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THE 2015 ICNDT GUIDE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTIN NDT

Figure 4. Code Carmel 3D (E. Martin, EDF).
Mathematical modelling of new NDT techniques is important to understand the capabilities and limitations. EDF and
CEA in France have pioneered such modelling, which is shown in this example of finite element computation used toperform parametric studies for eddy current inspection of nuclear steam generator tubes.

3.3 New applications not previously thought possible – Portable computer
tomographyAn	
  Overview	
  about	
  NDT	  in	
  Germany	
  

X-­‐	
  Ray	  Computer	
  Tomography	
  (cont.)	
  Manipulator	
  device	
  designed	
  and	  constructed	
  by	
  BAM	
  for	  the	
  mechanized	
  welding	  inspecLon	
  at	
  pipes.	
  AddiLonally	
  
also	
  a	
  X-­‐ray	
  tube	  was	  designed	
  with	  an	
  opening	
  angle	  currently	
  of	
  30°	
  and	  as	
  well	  the	
  opLmizaLon	
  of	
  a	
  radiometric	
  detector	
  or	
  scanning	
  camera	
  for	
  data	  collecLon	
  and	  storage.	
  Measured	
  results	
  DirecLon	
  of	
  cross	  	
  secLon	  reconstrucLons	
  
at	
  a	
  circumferenLal	
  	
  
weld	
  

11th	
  ECNDT	  	
  6-­‐10	
  October	
  2014	
  Prague	
  Er/BAM	  3.0	  10	  	
  von	  22	  Figure 5. Until comparatively recently, X-ray computer tomography involved large installations which were difficult
to transport to site applications with limited access. BAM, Berlin, has developed a miniature device by re-designing
the X-ray tube and detector as well as the scanner. High-resolution X-ray images of defects in pipes, including
cracks, can now be obtained in confined spaces.

3.4 Inspection of new materials and manufacturing processes
The global market for lightweight materials is estimated to grow at 8.5% per annum from 2014 to 2019, by whichtime it will have an annual value of $133.1 billion. These materials are used in the automotive, aviation, marine andrenewables industries: the highest demand is from the automotive industry (>89% in 2013), followed by the aviationindustry (>5%). There is a trend towards hybrid materials using fibre-reinforced composites, light metals (for example
aluminium or titanium) or plastics, and such hybrid materials pose particular problems both for joining and for NDE.

		

THE 2015 ICNDT GUIDE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTIN NDT

The two Figures below show research by BAM, Berlin and IKT, Stuttgart using air-coupled ultrasound to inspect a
carbon fibre-reinforced plastic sheet containing impact damage. In spite of the high transmission losses with aircoupled ultrasound, the resultant image has improved resolution and noise level compared to the conventionalsquirter jet inspection method.

Figure 6. Air-coupled ultrasonics to inspect a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic sheet containing impact damage(courtesy BAM, Berlin).

Figure 7. Air-coupled ultrasonics compared to the conventional squirter jet inspection method (courtesy BAM,
Berlin).
BAM and IKT are also investigating the use of Lamb waves to check the bonding between layers of hybrid materials(see earlier Box on guided waves).

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3.5 On-line monitoring to reduce the need for shutdown and dismantling
Finally, as an example of the types of systems that are being explored for online monitoring of plant in operation,
the example in Figure 8 shows how the primary coolant circuit of a pressurised water nuclear reactor might becontinuously monitored.

Figure 8. How the primary coolant circuit of a pressurised water nuclear reactor might be continuously monitored(J H Lee, Ref.2).

Section 4
Needs for NDT Research
Whatever the industrial sector, there are a number of common medium-term objectives (Refs 1, 2):l extending the capabilities so that NDT is more reliable, easier to apply and hence faster and cheaper;l quantifying more accurately the inspection capability and reliability;
l improving the sensitivity of defect detection;
l reducing the dismantling required for inspections (for example, under insulation or inside engines);l developing inspection techniques for new materials and processes;l increasing the use of automation and robotic inspection;l engaging with other engineering disciplines to optimise design for inspection.
Longer-term objectives include:
l greater application of real-time automated inspection to give defect-free manufacturing;l greater integration of NDT and operational data so that decisions are based on actual operational conditions;l use of online monitoring and smart structures supported by high-performance NDT;l reduction of invasive NDT by high-quality manufacturing NDT and increased use of structural health monitoring(see section on NSSS on-load monitoring).

		THE 2015 ICNDT GUIDE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTIN NDTNDT Needs of Industry
Research

Development

Micro and Nano Imaging Techniques

Low Cost Intelligent Pigging

Structural Health Monitoring

Reliable Reformer Tube Inspector

Rapid & Automated NDTInspection of Buried Pipes

Materials Performance Prognosis

Automated systems for manufacturing
processes

Advanced Computing for NDE

Automated inspection in hostileenvironments

Complex Component NDE

High temperature weld inspection

Hostile Environment Measurements

Robotics for inspection under fluids

Figure 9. The Indian Centre for NDE’s proposed a list of longer-term research objectives and medium-term
development objectives.
In a similar vein, the Indian Centre for NDE has proposed a list of longer-term research objectives and medium-term
development objectives as listed in Figure 9.

Section 5
The typical cycle and timescale for developing new NDE
technologies
Typical timescales for research, development, validation and implementation of new NDE techniques are illustrated
in Figure 10 (prepared by Institut für Kunststofftechnik, University of Stuttgart).

Figure 10. Typical timescales for NDT technique development.

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Figure 11. Technology Readiness Levels (‘NASA TRL Meter’ by NASA).
Development times for new technologies are very substantial (see Box 3 for ultrasonic guided wave systems) and it isessential to start early so that NDT can be developed alongside the development and introduction of new inspections,materials or processes. It is important to anticipate future needs, and it would be unwise to delay starting longer-term
research and development until faced with an urgent inspection problem. A better approach is to articulate forward
visions of NDT for five, ten or 20-year horizons: industry groups should work with universities on these visions sothat they can be the basis of coordinated research, development and implementation programmes. Examples of what
may be included in such visions are provided in the UK Landscape report (Ref. 1) and the presentation by the IndianSociety for NDT (Ref. 2).
One aspect that deserves more attention is validation; this is crucial because the plant owner – who is financiallyliable and often legally responsible for plant safety – needs to have high confidence (based on good evidence) thatthe techniques used to check the plant have the necessary capability. It may not be sufficient to rely on assurancesfrom inspection vendors – independent validation is often required. Validation must include any software used tocollect and analyse NDT data, as well as mathematical modelling used to predict the capabilities of the inspections.
An example of such numerical modelling using a Monte Carlo code to predict radiographic inspection of complex
geometries is shown below.

Figure 12. Moderator Code: Developed by EDF, France. (E. Martin, private communication).

		

THE 2015 ICNDT GUIDE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTIN NDT

Comprehensive validation can take several years (see Figure 11 above) and be costly but potential ways to reduce thetime and cost include:
l sharing costs of validation amongst industries with related NDT requirements;
l sharing ‘libraries’ of test blocks with validation defects;
l building on evidence from earlier validation programmes;
l international sharing and recognition of validation evidence.
The European Network for Inspection and Qualification (ENIQ) has been successful in introducing a common
validation methodology that is accepted throughout the European nuclear industry. Another widely accepted
approach to validation is the Performance Demonstration Initiative (PDI) administered in the USA by EPRI to meetthe requirements of ASME X1 Appendix VIII. In the aerospace industry, a different approach based on probability ofdetection (POD) has been developed. All these approaches to validation have been operating for over 20 years, butthere is still scope for the efficiency opportunities listed above.
Whether or not formal validation is required, there is still a need for wider understanding of the capabilities oftechniques and recognised standards for emerging technologies.
Human and organisational factors, such as the quality of procedures, training and supervision are also important for
reliable NDT (E Martin Ref. 2).

Box 3: Example of timescales for research and development: ultrasonic guided
waves
One example of typical timescales concerns the introduction of ultrasonic guided waves which are routinely
used for identifying damage in industrial plant (for example corrosion in pipelines). Initial research to understandthe modes of propagation of ultrasonic waves required for screening long pipes was undertaken around 1979.
Full research and development began around 1990, and a commercial system became available by about 1995.
Several commercial systems are now available and further research and enhancement of capability continues
actively today.

Theoretical analysis of ultrasonic wave modes in pipes and an early, rigidly clamped transducer system (courtesyof Cawley et al. Imperial College)
Box 3 continued overleaf

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THE 2015 ICNDT GUIDE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTIN NDTBox 3: continued

Commercial guided wave systems inspecting structures in arduous conditions (courtesy of TWI).

Section 6
Ways of encouraging better appreciation of NDT and moresustained funding
If the value of NDT is to be fully appreciated, industries, universities and NDT societies need to be proactive. Initiatives
to consider include:l Publicising case studies demonstrating the benefits of NDT and showing numerically that the value of increased
safe service life of infrastructure can be much greater than the costs of NDT;l Fostering closer links with related engineering disciplines and with the wider engineering community, including
insurers and regulators in addition to research funding organisations;l Raising the profile of NDT throughout the education system including postgraduate, undergraduate and engineering
apprenticeships. Mentor arrangements and travel grants can be especially beneficial for early stage careers (ICNDT
has a Working Group reviewing these aspects).
A wider understanding of the benefits of NDT is likely to improve the prospects for sustained funding of research anddevelopment in NDT. However, there are additional initiatives that are likely to have considerable positive effects:
l Articulate forward visions of NDT for five, ten, and 20-year horizons;l Encourage funding for technology transfer and standards as well as basic research;l Demonstrate the value of national and international cooperation on NDT infrastructure, for example standards,
validation methodologies, libraries of validation samples.

		THE 2015 ICNDT GUIDE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTIN NDT

If the benefits of NDT are to be delivered, there are a number of Critical Enablers:l Increased international cooperative research – with full industrial and academic participation;l Industry consortia willing to share knowledge and expertise as well as costs of research and development;l Adequately funded centres of NDE expertise for research, development and validation of new techniques;l Training and education at all levels from apprentice to doctorate;l Increased awareness of the opportunities for exciting careers in NDE for those with practical skills applying thetechniques, through to academic researchers driving the technology forwards.
One example of how universities and industries may cooperate on NDT research and development is given inBox 4 – the UK Research Centre for NDE (RCNDE). Other examples of successful cooperative programmes include
the Centre for Nondestructive evaluation (CNDE) at Iowa State University in the USA; the Indian Centre for NDE(ICNDE) in Madras; and the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) and Fraunhofer Institute for
Nondestructive Testing (IZFP) in Germany. In France, CEA and EDF have important NDT research and development
programmes which include universities and equipment manufacturers.

Section 7
Conclusions
l NDT is an essential engineering service to reduce risk of failure throughout the whole lifecycle of a plant orcomponent.
l Technologies must be effective and deployed by suitably qualified individuals.
l As engineering infrastructure ages and more complex systems are built, the need for increasing NDT capability is
increasing.
l Investment in research and development and skills to advance NDT will assist economic growth for many industrial
sectors.
l Timescales for introducing new technologies are substantial, and medium- to long-term visions and strategies
 are required so that NDT research and development can progress alongside the introduction of new materials andprocesses.
l More data and evidence, including case studies, would help to support these conclusions.

Section 8
Recommendations
1. Articulate forward visions, led by industry, of NDT for 5, 10 and 20-year horizons and encourage research anddevelopment programmes which match the visions.
2. Seek to establish funded research and development networks involving all key players: centres of expertise,
universities, government, industry and insurance.
3. Seek to establish funding routes for technology transfer including validation and standards, procedures and training.
4. Improve awareness of opportunities in NDE and provide suitable education and training at all levels: apprenticeships,
degrees, postgraduate.

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Section 9
References
1. A landscape for the future of NDT in the UK economy. Materials Knowledge Transfer Network. March 2014.
2. Joint ICNDT and Academia NDT Workshop on Importance of NDT Research at 11th ECNDT 2014, 8 October
2014. Presentations available at http://www.icndt.org/Documents/Document-Store?EntryId=15571

Section 10
Acknowledgements
This brochure has relied heavily on the presentations made at the Workshop held at the 11th ECNDT Conferencein Prague in October 2014, and thanks are due to all the presenters and the organisers of this workshop and for
permission to use the information. Thanks are also due to the Materials KTN for permission to use material from the
UK Landscape report on NDT.

Appendix 1: The UK Research Centre in Non-Destructive
Evaluation: An example of national cooperation
between universities and industries
The UK Research Centre in Non-Destructive Evaluation (RCNDE) is a consortium of universities led by Imperial
College London and involving the universities of Bristol, Manchester, Nottingham, Strathclyde and Warwick. The
Centre works in partnership with 16 companies across major industry sectors including aerospace, nuclear, and oil& gas. There are also about 30 associate members representing the supply chain. The aim is to develop tools andtechniques to detect defects and extend the life and prevent failure of critical UK infrastructure such as pipelines,
power stations and aircraft.
Established in 2003, the Centre has grown steadily and recently received a further £5.4 million grant over six years
from the UK research funding agency (EPSRC). This will be matched by an equivalent £5.4 million in cash and in-kind
contributions from the industrial partners so that the Centre is funded until 2020. International partnerships are also
arranged where this is mutually beneficial.
Further information is available at the RCNDE website, www.rcnde.org, an extract of which isshown below, and also from the EPSRC website at: http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/newsevents/news/
cableadvancedmaterialsnondestructiveevaluationresearch

Vision and Objectives
The UK Research Centre in NDE links university research withindustrial NDE users to create a world-leading centre of excellence
in NDE research. It combines innovative science with industrial
applicability, with three overarching objectives:
Excellence in exploitable research, building on world-classresearch, developing new research themes to meet industrial needs,
developing overseas relationships, building a critical mass team ofinteracting scientists and engineers.

		THE 2015 ICNDT GUIDE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTIN NDT

Industrial benefit at low cost, directing research at industry’s
problems, promoting technology transfer from research toapplication, providing resources for problem solving.
Raising quality of industrial NDE, training highly educated engineer
recruits and refreshing the industrial skill base through exchange andnetworking.
RCNDE has recently added significant new objectives including:l Develop the next generation of the defect sizing methods requiredfor increasingly stringent structural integrity assessments;l Exploit scientific advances made in other areas to introduce
innovative technology into NDE;l Develop novel strategies for permanently installed systems to meet the growing demand for structural healthmonitoring;l Strengthen links between NDE and mathematics, materials, engineering design, structural integrity & condition
monitoring;l Broaden industrial and academic involvement to include other sectors such as civil engineering.

Research Activities
Research in the Centre falls into one of three main
strands as shown in the diagram:
Strategic core research to develop new NDE
technologies to build industrial strength in thelonger-term.
Targeted research – portfolio of nearer-term projects
to meet current and ongoing needs of industry. These
are application-driven rather than technology-driven.
Technology solutions – nearer-market sponsored
projects to be strongly driven by industrial need. To
include development of products and services, andtranslation of research into technology for industrial
exploitation.

Core Research
The current core research programme was designed following an extensive discussion between our academic andindustrial members. Industry has a number of generic long-term research needs, which can be summarised as: (1)precursor NDE, (2) more sophisticated NDE, (3) easier NDE, (4) improved delivery of NDE, (5) challenging NDE,
reliability & validation of NDE.
EPSRC and industry jointly fund a portfolio of core research projects which address directly or indirectly these needs.
Brief summaries and key publications from some of the completed projects are provided below:Core research examplesl Next-generation ultrasonic arrays (University of Bristol)l Super resolution imaging in NDE (Imperial College)l Laser ultrasonics for detection of damage precursors (University of Nottingham)l Advanced thermography (University of Bath)

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THE 2015 ICNDT GUIDE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTIN NDTl New approaches to NDE with micromachined transducers (University of Warwick)l Permanently installed monitoring of creep damage (Imperial College)l Nonlinear material inspection (University of Bristol)l Reconfigurable systems for automated & remote NDE (University of Strathclyde)
A fraction of the membership fee is directed towards increasing the scope of the core programme. Future topics willreflect the research needs of industrial end-users and will be decided by the Management Board.

Targeted Research
The targeted research programme is focused on the medium-to-long term NDE requirements of member companies,
as well as fulfilling RCNDE’s strategic objectives. Research is co-funded but with very high leverage of public funds
throughout. The choice of projects depends on the interests of the members. The Management Board confirms theselection and oversee the projects on behalf of the members.
EPSRC typically provides 50% of the total funding for these projects and funding will also be sought from othergovernment schemes where appropriate. Some of the targeted research projects have involved collaborative researchwith universities outside the main academic consortium to broaden the scientific resource.
Where synergies are identified between members’ requirements and organisations elsewhere in Europe, the Centre
seeks to set up international collaborations in order to apply for EU funds. The Centre also seeks collaborations further
afield where there are clear benefits to the Centre.

Technology Solutions
The third main RCNDE area of activity is strongly industry-driven R&D to generate credible solutions to NDE problems.
It includes feasibility and problem-solving studies, product development, and technology transfer.
If requested by members, RCNDE sets up sponsored projects and uses its experience to bring them to a successful
conclusion. If a NDE need is best met by downstream collaborative R&D, then the Centre can initiate joint industry
projects. Such projects often qualify for matching funds from UK Government or the EU.
If the project is concerned with exploitation of research, RCNDE can help translate technology into useful solutions,either in the form of products or of services. There could be broader collaboration, for example, with instrumentation,
service companies or RTOs, or it may require the formation of a spin off company.

The UK RCNDE has been successful in demonstrating the value of a coordinated programme which integrates basic(core) research, work targeted at longer-term industrial problems, and investigation of specific needs of industrial
members. The benefits include:l Rapid access by industrial members to the latest research and to the researchers’ expertise;l More reliable public funding based on a stable, non-exclusive consortium of universities;l Valuable cost-sharing amongst government funding bodies and industrial partners;l Critical scrutiny of the overall programme avoids duplication and maximises research benefits.
A Centre for Doctoral Training has close links with RCNDE and offers Engineering Doctorate or PhD courses in
NDE.
Question: Could this example of cooperative research be a useful model for other countries or regions?

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