X-ray detector for industrial radiography.

With the D-DR 3643 NDT, from DÜRR NDT, the large format flat panel detector of the D-DR series gets an upgrade that is 20% lighter and more robust than ever before. This is made possible by the glass-free TFT sensor, which represents the most important advancement. Due to its active area of 351 x 427 mm, it is perfectly suited for profile images in CUI inspections and for large objects.

The new detector is also much more compact and thinner, which simplifies handling and positioning in the field. Designed for portability and the harsh conditions of industrial radiography, the detector easily passed the 1 m drop test. With a pixel pitch of 99 µm, a basic spatial resolution (SRb) of 100 µm is achieved, making the detector suitable for inspection tasks according to the highest standards.

Thanks to the integrated shielding, the detector is suitable for X-ray sources up to 450 kV and for gamma sources, with a maximum frame time of 180 seconds. The D-DR 3643 NDT is available with different scintillator options to achieve the best possible contrast and resolution for the intended application.

General advantages of the D-DR series are long battery runtime, hot-swap function and IP 67 protection class. In addition to wireless operation, the detector can also be operated by wired data transmission and power supply.

Like all digital X-ray systems from DÜRR NDT, the D-DR 3643 NDT is also operated with the proven D-Tect X inspection software. Special and easy-to-use functions such as multi-gain calibration always ensure the highest possible image quality. Powerful and intelligent tools, such as the X-filter for fast image optimisation, make image evaluation simple and much more efficient.

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@PresseBox #Duer #PAuto #NDT #Manufacturing

Eddy current test instruments for Austria.

Rohmann GmbH is expanding its network of global agencies by cooperating with the consulting engineers for material sciences IB Winkler based in Laakirchen (A).

Karl Winkler-Ebner

Karl Winkler-Ebner, engineer, has become the new contact person for clients in Austria, who have so far been served directly by their headquarters in Frankenthal (D).

"Rohmann GmbH develop and manufacture eddy current testing instruments and systems in Germany, and a most extensive variety of industries use these instruments and systems all over the world. We are pleased to have found in Mr Winkler‑Ebner, a sales partner with extensive experience in non‑destructive testing."

They believe that their clients in Austria will be very well served by Mr Winkler-Ebner with his knowledge of materials, his 35 years of working in NDT and Advanced NDT for plant operators in testing and damage analysis, for constructors of industrial plants, audit and inspection companies like TÜV Süd and TÜV Austria as well as with the work in his own company.

Through his experience, Mr Winkler-Ebner is able to provide the optimal comprehension of a vast range of requirements to be met by the materials testing and the conception of customized solutions. Based on his experience from his work for audit and inspection companies, he is very much aware of the high priority attached by individual business companies to quality assurance and will be able to provide the best support to our Austrian clients.

#PAuto #Rohman #Austria

Eddy current testing for training institute.

Rohmann GmbH has been working closely with training institutions for a long time. This has ranged from common research projects with universities in the field of non-destructive testing by eddy current up to visits from apprentices and university students at their headquarters in Frankenthal (D).

Petra Rohmann, Thomas Schwabe, Holger Nowak (DGZfP) and Jürgen Lauer.

It is important for us to demonstrate the diversity of testing tasks and solutions with eddy current using practical examples and to arouse interest in non-destructive testing.

On February 19, 2020, together with Thomas Schwabe and Jürgen Lauer, Petra Rohmann, managing director of Rohmann GmbH, visited the Training Center of the DGZfP in Magdeburg.

She brought two new ELOTEST PL600 eddy current testing instruments with her. Petra Rohmann appreciates the work of the DGZfP and was happy to support the training center by loaning two inline testing instruments to them. Holger Nowak, DGZfP head of the department for eddy current testing in Magdeburg, accepted the instruments with thanks.

The visit was concluded by a short briefing on the use of the instruments.

#NDT #Training #Germany @PresseBox

Non destructive testing.

Following a rapid growth in demand during 2019, Ashtead Technology has significantly increased the number of flaw detectors in its fleet of rental instruments. Many of the new additions were Sonatest’s latest instrument; the Masterscan D-70 ultrasonic flaw detector, which was specified on numerous occasions, including one particularly large inspection project. “As an equipment specialist we track the latest developments in the market and invest in the best technologies for our customers’ applications,” comments Ashtead’s NDT Market Manager, Steve Drake.

“The popularity of the Sonatest D70 results from its advanced defect sizing tools with A-Scans, B-Scans and thickness logs. The new reporting software (UT-Lity) is also very popular with customers because it allows them to create customised inspection report templates; cutting and pasting information to other applications and creating printable pdf documents.”

Key features of the D70 include high levels of near surface resolution, penetrating power (450V pulser - square and spike) and an excellent signal to noise ratio. Rugged and reliable, the instrument offers outstanding battery performance with up to 18 hours of operation from full charge.

Typical applications include bond testing and the inspection of welds, corrosion, forgings, castings and composite materials, as well as UT and EMATS inspections in the power sector.

Summarising, Steve says: “The main benefit of adding the D-70 to our comprehensive rental fleet of NDT instruments, is that customers have an even greater choice of instruments without the capital cost of ownership. However, our customers also tell us that the availability of instruments at short notice, such as same- or next-day, can sometimes be of enormous value to them.”

#NDT @ashteadtech @_Enviro_News

Remote visual inspection.

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.

“These investments are part of an ongoing strategy to continually acquire new technologies; so that our customers don’t have to,” comments NDT Market Manager Steve Drake. “By offering a wide range of technologies, we can ensure that each customer employs the most appropriate instrument for every job, without a frequent requirement for capital expenditure.

“When customers contact us they expect us to have the solution they need, so we are constantly adding to and refining our rental fleet. For example, recent investments include upgrades of the Olympus IPLEX videoscopes to the highly portable G-Lite, and upgrades to the IPLEX NX models to include 3D modelling.”

Lightweight and rugged with powerful imaging capability, the G-Lite is the latest videoprobe from Olympus, delivering excellent image quality by employing the same technology as much larger systems. Steve says: “Better quality images provide better reports, which inform better decisions, and with image streaming from videoprobe to tablet / mobile, it is possible for users to share live inspection results with colleagues and quickly gain a second opinion.”

By upgrading the IPLEX NX systems to include 3D modelling, Ashtead has enabled its rental customers to create 3D models of inspection areas for intuitive flaw visualisation. This means that they will be able to see the precise shape of flaws in critical components and thereby make better decisions on repair requirements.

There are no minimum or maximum rental periods for the IPLEX systems; they can be hired for one day or one year. Depending on availability and location, they are normally available on a next or same-day delivery to support urgent inspection requirements.

#PAuto #NDT @ashteadtech @_Enviro_News

Elbow leaks!

Ashtead Technology has added the Olympus FlexoFORM™ pipe elbow scanner to its rental fleet of Non Destructive Testing equipment. “This is part of a major investment in our NDT fleet,” says NDT Market Manager Steve Drake. “The FlexoFORM is an extremely important addition because it complements our other pipe inspection equipment and provides a solution for many particularly challenging applications.

“Pipe elbows are susceptible to damage from issues such as flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC), but they can be difficult to inspect because their shape changes from convex to concave, and of course pipe diameters vary widely.”

To address these challenges, FlexoFORM integrates flexible phased array probe technology in a scanner. When combined with a water column, this solution can be used to collect easy-to-interpret data on elbows with diameters ranging from 4.5" OD upwards. The instrument also provides 100% elbow coverage, intuitive 2D C-scan imaging, high-resolution data (1 mm × 1 mm) and fast elbow wall thickness measurement.

The scanner can be used with an OmniScan® MX2 or SX instrument to measure remaining wall thickness, and detect corrosion pitting and mid-wall laminations or inclusions. High-density data combined with the multiple views available on the flaw detector or OmniPC™ software, provide clear images of the elbow’s condition and make data interpretation faster and easier.

For pipes that are smaller than 4.5 inches, the FlexoFORM can be rented with the small-diameter wedge series, which allows users to manually scan the curves or elbows of pipes from 1.3" to 4" OD, and can be fitted with a Mini-Wheel™ encoder to create an encoded one line scan.

@ashteadtech  #NDT #PAuto @_Enviro_News 

Is it really gold?

Responding to customer demand from a wide variety of sectors, Ashtead Technology has added additional Niton XL3t GOLDD+ XRF Analysers to its rental fleet of test and inspection equipment.

“This instrument was chosen because of its advanced capabilities,” comments Ashtead’s NDT Market Manager Steve Drake. “The XL3t is able to measure a broad spectrum of elements and most exotic alloys, stainless steels, low alloy steels, and many other alloys. This makes it ideal for rental because it is well suited to a wide variety of applications.”

Portable XRF analysers are used to measure metal content quickly and simply in applications such as recycling, manufacturing quality control (incoming and outgoing), mining and exploration, contaminated land and positive material identification (PMI) in oil, gas, petrochemical and power plants. They are also used to test lead in paint and metals in toys and consumer goods, as well as analysing materials such as bauxite and slag. Additionally, they are employed in niche applications such as precious metals exploration and the determination of metals in spent automotive catalytic converters.

GOLDD technology (Geometrically Optimized Large Drift Detector) represents one of the most significant improvements to XRF analysis, delivering dramatic performance enhancements, including sensitivity, speed and precision. Users are therefore able to undertake laboratory-grade measurements. Battery powered and weighing just 1.6Kg, the XL3t is able to measure up to 30 elements, including light elements (Mg to S) without the use of helium or vacuum assistance, and heavy elements (Mo to Ba).

An integrated camera makes it possible to store photographs of the measurement area with the data, and a tilting, colour, touch-screen, combined with the ability to store over 10,000 readings, makes the instrument quick and easy to use in the field.

@ashteadtech  #PAuto #TandM

NDT in smaller pipes.

Ashtead Technology has added the Phoenix Bracelet Scanner and the latest custom phased array probes to its fleet of rental NDT instruments as a response to an increased demand for the ability to inspect smaller diameter pipes.

“At just 13mm the Bracelet is an extremely low profile scanner for phased array or ToFD weld inspections of small bore pipes,” says NDT Market Manager Steve Drake. “Quick and easy to set up and run with one of our Olympus OmniScans or other PAUT units, the Bracelet can be used manually on pipes ranging from 0.5” upwards by simply adding extra links.”

The scanner comprises a series of links to make a flexible chain which wraps around the pipe, and a strap secures the Bracelet to the pipe once the axial position is established. The Bracelet can hold either one probe for single-sided inspections or linked with a second probe for dual-sided inspections. The ultrasonic probe and profiled wedge are fixed to one end of the Bracelet in an adjustable clasp.

To scan, the Bracelet is rotated around the pipe with rubber tyres providing axial grip to prevent slippage. A miniature encoder (42 steps/mm) is attached to the opposing end of the Bracelet with the encoder wheel running around the pipe surface collecting data from the circumferential axis.

Steve says: “The addition of the Bracelet to our rental fleet is yet another example of our determination to provide Ashtead Technology customers with access to a comprehensive range of the latest market-leading NDT technologies.”

@ashteadtech  #PAuto 

New rental partnership for NDT prods.

Ashtead Technology has been appointed as the preferred rental partner in Britain for all Silverwing products, a line of NDT inspection equipment by Eddyfi Technologies. The agreement represents another new partnership with Eddyfi Technologies; Ashtead recently signed a five-year collaboration agreement for TSC products – also by Eddyfi Technologies.

Steve Drake, Jim Costain & Allan Pirie

As part of the agreement, Ashtead will be extending their rental fleet to include the Silverwing Floormap 3DiM Tank Floor Scanner, Handscan Mini Tank Floor Scanner and Vacuum Boxes. “The addition of these instruments demonstrates our commitment to support the technologies that meet our customers’ asset integrity inspection requirements,” says Ashtead Technology Regional Sales Manager, Steve Drake.

Jim Costain, VP Sales for Eddyfi Technologies adds: “The Silverwing products are well designed, high quality instruments and following a long relationship between our two companies, we are happy to recommend Ashtead Technology to customers, confident in the quality of service and support that they are able to deliver.”

@ashteadtech  #Pauto @eddyfi #NDT

Rentings for NDT training.

TWI recently ran a Non Destructive Testing training course in Madrid at which, thanks to rented instruments from Ashtead Technology, each participant was able to use individual test instruments.

“The candidates were overwhelmed by the quality and volume of equipment for their personal use,” said TWI Principal Project Leader and Advanced NDT Lecturer Neil Harrap. “Most of the Madrid trainees were from the Spanish Association of Non Destructive Testing (AEND) and their customers. At previous courses, the participants had had to share equipment, but we find that training is more effective when every candidate has his or her own equipment.”

To supplement the TWI fleet of instruments, Neil hired Olympus OmniScan® SX flaw detectors from Ashtead Technology for the Madrid course. “These were chosen because of their simplicity and cost,” Neil adds.

The TWI course, entitled ‘Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT) – Welds’ is a blended learning package; combining eLearning and in-class practical training followed by certification to BS EN ISO 9712. The online modules can be studied when and where convenient and at the candidate’s own pace, and the practical sessions are included within 10 days of classroom training. The package separates the learning of key concepts from learning about a specific instrument, coupled with interactive exercises focused on the principles behind set-up, calibration, acquisition and data analysis.

Neil commented: “The quality of Ashtead’s products and service was first class, as expected, and their educational discount helped ensure that enough instruments could be provided.”

As the world’s largest provider of NDT training and with a reputation for the highest standards, TWI demands the very best from its test equipment, which is why Neil Harrap and TWI already have plans to employ Ashtead instruments on future training courses around the globe; with Denmark’s leading environmental consultancy ‘Force Technology’ next in line to benefit from Ashtead’s cutting edge equipment.

@ashteadtech #PAuto @TWI_training #NDT #Spain

Advanced testing of composites.

A composite testing company in Devon (GB) has expanded its range of services by supplementing laboratory test equipment with specialist rental instruments from Ashtead Technology. “We have invested heavily in the latest materials testing equipment for our Honiton lab, but we have a regular requirement for NDT equipment and financially it makes sense to hire these instruments,” says Paul Yeo, MD of Composite Test & Evaluation Ltd.

With a background in testing for the helicopter industry, Paul established the company around six years ago and has seen considerable growth over that time. “We provide consultancy and mechanical testing services for composites and non-metallic specimens, and have established a strong reputation in a variety of industry sectors including automotive, aerospace, construction and renewable energy.

“As a service provider, we rely on recommendations and referrals, and a high proportion of our income is from repeat business, so we focus heavily on the quality of our work; offering feedback and explanations in addition to test results.

“We provide a quick response to customer requests so our working relationship with Ashtead Technology has been mutually beneficial. This is because we have fast access to a wide range of technologies and by renting we only pay for them when we need them, which lowers costs for us and our clients.”

One of the bespoke testing services provided by Composite Test & Evaluation is ‘compression after impact’ testing – a procedure in which samples are subjected to impacts across a range of energy levels and subsequently assessed by non-destructive testing (NDT). This assessment is undertaken with a hired DolphiCam; an ultrasonic array inspection system for the detection of flaws. Connected to a PC, tablet or laptop via a USB port, the DolphiCam creates a high resolution colour image of defects or damage in just a few seconds; providing a variable angle 3D representation of the inspection area.

One of the advantages of Dolphicam over other systems is the easy to use software that behaves like a smartphone app and requires very little training to operate. Combined with a touch-screen laptop, which is provided as part of the rental equipment, the system is incredibly quick to set up and start analysing defects in composites.

Following a brief familiarisation course, Paul says: “The ease with which the DolphiCam can be operated makes this the ideal instrument for our application; we do not need to employ a highly qualified NDT engineer, yet we are creating very high quality reports.”

Paul’s allegiance to Ashtead’s rental fleet is not limited to composite testing; he also hired an IPLEX TX videoscope, which has an ultra-thin probe that enabled him to find a fault in the pipework… of his home.

@ashteadtech #PAuto #TandM 

NDT popularity in Scotland!

Enthusiastic appreciation for NDT Seminar

Ashtead Technology ran an extremely popular NDT seminar at its Aberdeen facility during December. Due to demand, the one-day seminar, An Introduction to Advanced UT, was run on three consecutive days. “The seminar was designed for UT NDT inspectors considering Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT) or Time of Flight Diffraction (ToFD) qualifications,” says course leader Alison Glover. “It also provided a useful introduction for project managers to learn more about the applications, advantages and limitations of PAUT and ToFD.”

In addition to the major investments that Ashtead Technology has made in highly skilled staff and its rental fleet of advanced NDT technology, these training events form part of the company’s commitment to an NDT Centre of Excellence.

Each session was a mix of basic theory and hands-on practice with the equipment. PAUT topics included transducer construction and selection, calibration and scan plan creation. An introduction to data analysis and techniques for difficult applications such as austenitic materials and dissimilar welds were also covered, together with considerations for successfully implementing Automated UT (AUT) inspections. The ToFD sessions provided the basic theory together with demonstrations and discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the technique.

Feedback from the sessions described them as informative, well organised and presented, with Ian Thomas, from Trac Oil and Gas commenting: “The NDT Seminar was very interesting and informative; it clarified what is often seen as a ‘dark art’ and used a good combination of Powerpoint presentations and hands-on demos.”

Market volatility boosts NDT instrument rental resources.

Despite challenging times in the oil and gas sector, rental equipment specialist Ashtead Technology has continued to invest in its fleet of inspection instruments; adding over £150k (€214k) worth of equipment.

Pic:  TWI Training & Examination Services

“Energy is a major market for Ashtead Technology,” says NDT Market Manager Steve Drake. “Lower oil and gas prices have forced companies in this sector to reduce capital budgets, but a high volume of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and Remote Visual Inspection (RVI) work is necessary to maintain high value assets. A depressed energy market therefore creates an opportunity for instrument hire because renting helps to avoid capital costs whilst minimising operational costs.
“We have responded to this demand by ramping up the investments that we are making in test and inspection equipment, much of which has been purchased in response to specific requests from customers.” 

Recent examples of Ashtead Technology’s investments include the Olympus HydroFORM and RexoFORM Scanner Kits which use phased array (PA) for the detection of wall-thickness reductions due to corrosion, abrasion, and erosion. With its unique design, the RexoFORM can be used on pipes of different diameters with no need for multiple curved wedges. The Phoenix Swift scanner was purchased to meet a customer’s specific needs; a compact single axis, magnetic wheeled scanner, it can be used with both Time of Flight Diffraction (ToFD) and PA probes, making it ideal for weld inspection. A range of other Phoenix scanners are also now available for hire, including the Tracer, which with two wire encoders, calculates and outputs accurate X-Y positional data for C-scan inspections without the constraints of a scanning frame. For difficult to access areas, the pocket-sized ToFD Caliper is ideal for inspecting welds of any orientation on 3” pipes up to flat plate. For those customers that require fast, continuous ultrasonic corrosion mapping, the Sp-Arc scanner measures wall thickness continuously along small bore ferritic pipes for unlimited lengths.

Conventional UT flaw detectors and probe kits are also available to support a wide variety of weld inspection and corrosion mapping work.

RVI investments include the Olympus IPLEX RT Videoprobe, which has a 7.5m long, 6mm diameter scope, making it ideal for the internal inspection of engines, aircraft components, turbines and process plant. For applications requiring a waterproof camera and/or an extended cable length, the Wohler VIS350 is ideal for wastewater pipe inspection and other difficult to access locations such as gas flues, ventilation systems and hollow areas.

Summarising, Steve Drake says: “These investments demonstrate our commitment to the Ashtead Technology NDT Centre of Excellence; offering customers a wide choice of the latest technology supported by a high level of technical support. On the rare occasions when the ideal equipment is not available from our rental fleet, we will always consider making further purchases, so that every customer is able to use the best possible technology for their specific application.”

Rental partner for NDT equiment manufacturer.

Silverwing, a leading manufacturer of NDT solutions for storage tanks, vessels and pipe inspection, has appointed Ashtead Technology as its Preferred Rental Partner in Britain.

Silverwing’s MD Wayne Woodhead (left) 

with Ashtead Technology’s Steve Drake

“This is great news for our customers,” says Ashtead’s NDT Market Manager Steve Drake. “The Silverwing products have several unique features and their inclusion in the Ashtead Technology fleet means that we are now able to offer motorised magnetic inspection equipment; the Scorpion for example, can inspect vertical, curved and even overhead surfaces.”

Designed for cost-effective A and B-scan inspection on ferro-magnetic structures, the Scorpion is a dry-coupled UT crawler that connects with the UT Lite data acquisition instrument via a 30 meter umbilical cord. This removes the cost and safety issues associated with scaffolding or rope access. The UT Lite is a portable corrosion profiling, mapping and weld inspection system that can also be used in conjunction with the R-Scan; a manual, dry-coupled ultrasonic scanner for a wide variety of assets ranging from 50 mm diameter pipes to flat surfaces.

Other Silverwing additions to the Ashtead Technology fleet include the RMS2 (Rapid Motion Scanner) a high speed (17m2/8 hour shift), high accuracy, remote access ultrasonic corrosion mapping system and the RMS2 ARC accessory for longitudinal scanning on pipe diameters from 24” to 48”.

“The addition of the Silverwing products to our rental fleet is a good example of continual investment in our NDT Centre of Excellence,” comments Steve Drake. “As the Preferred Rental Partner, our staff will be trained by Silverwing to provide high levels of support, both before and throughout the hire period.”

Silverwing Group Sales Director Jim Costain, says: “We are delighted with this new partnership because it will increase access to our technology, enabling some customers to ‘try before they buy’ and other existing users to temporarily resource projects as and when necessary.”

NDT market manager appointed!

Steve Drake has joined Ashtead Technology's Centre of Excellence for Non Destructive Testing as NDT Market Manager.

Steve Drake

“We are delighted that Steve has chosen to join us,” says Ashtead’s James Carlyle. “With over 35 years of experience in NDT, much of it with Carestream and Kodak Digital NDT, he arrives with a wealth of knowledge that will be of tremendous value to our customers; helping them to choose the right technology, and ensuring that they get the best results.”

Ashtead Technology operates a fleet of test, inspection and monitoring equipment including the latest NDT technologies for ultrasonic phased array, flaw detection, thickness measurement, XRF analysis, hardness testing and eddy current testing as well as a broad inventory of visual inspection systems.

Steve’s appointment follows that of Alison Glover, another highly experienced NDT practitioner who joined the company in late 2014. In addition to investments in experience and expertise, Ashtead Technology has also recently invested over £1 million in NDT equipment. “This is extremely important,” says Steve, “because the latest advanced NDT technology offers enormous advantages to users; improving the probability of detection with instruments that are easier to operate with better quality results. The ability to hire this technology offers many benefits such as removing the cost of ownership and increasing customers’ work scope, with a flexible pay-as-you-go approach and the ability to source equipment with minimum downtime.

“We believe that this high level of technical support is extremely attractive to customers, and I look forward to helping them find the best solution for their NDT requirements.”

Clean bill of health for steel vessel after Eddy Current Tests

James Fisher NDT  was called in by a chemical manufacturer in the North West of England, when it became necessary to inspect a large stainless steel vessel. The contents of the vessel were typically saline and varied between 50 and 100 Deg C, so the site managers were concerned that stress corrosion cracking might be a possibility in the vessel material.

Conveniently, JF NDT’s Mohan Kang (level 3 NDT practitioner) had recently attended an Ashtead Technology training event which featured the Eddyfi Ectane Surface Inspection System, and Mohan believed that Eddy Current Testing with the Ectane would be ideal for this application, so an Ectane was taken to the customer’s site to provide a demonstration.

In order to test the Ectane’s ability to detect stress corrosion cracking in 10mm stainless steel, the client provided a test sample for inspection, and a flaw was correctly identified. As a result, JF NDT was awarded a contract to inspect the vessel and an Ectane was hired from Ashtead specifically for this purpose.

The Ectane is a multi-technology test instrument, and in addition to Eddy Current Testing, it is also able to perform Eddy current array (ECA), Remote-field testing (RFT), Near-field testing (NFT), Magnetic flux leakage (MFL) and Internal rotating inspection system (IRIS) ultrasonic tube testing.

Commenting on the vessel inspection project, JF NDT’s Ian Moore says: “The external inspection of the vessel took around 2 hours and covered a surface area of around 16m2. Happily, the vessel was found to be free from any detectable stress corrosion cracking and the client was of course delighted.

“We have been very pleased with the Ectane; eddy current testing worked very well and at just 7Kg and battery powered, the instrument has been well designed for field applications. Our engineers wore rubber boots, gloves and goggles, but the Ectane was still simple to operate, partly because it can be run independently of a computer. Once the work was complete, the instrument was connected to an office PC and ‘Magnifi’ software, that is supplied with the instrument, provided a quick and easy method for analysing the data and helping to produce reports.

“In the past, following a project such as this, we would have purchased the instrument. However, it is much easier to rent the equipment from Ashtead Technology, and doing so provides substantial cost savings that we are able to pass on to the client, so instrument rental is now our preferred option.

“As a result of the successful vessel inspection, we are confident that we will receive more work from this client and from others in similar industries.”

#NDT market targeted by Ashtead Technology

Neil Harrap has been appointed as Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Market Manager with Ashthead Technology.

Neil Harrap

Neil is a highly experienced NDT specialist having spent 31 years in aerospace engineering with the British Ministry of Defence, much of which was spent with the RAF. During this time, Neil’s roles included NDT Equipment Subject Matter Specialist, NDT Field Team Manager, Military Tri-Service NDT School Instructor and Aerospace Engineering Technician. More recently, he has been a lecturer at TWI and provided technical support for one of the world’s leading manufacturers of advanced NDT instruments.

Ashtead Technology’s James Carlyle says: “We are delighted to welcome Neil to the company; his appointment is part of a programme to develop a centre of excellence in NDT instrumentation, and his knowledge and experience will help to ensure that we implement this strategy effectively.

“We are investing heavily in both NDT instrumentation and technical support staff to ensure that customers have access to the latest instrumentation, coupled with a high level of engineering and technical support both before and during the rental period.

“Our investment in advanced NDT technology will continue in the coming months and further announcements will be made in due course.”

Portable NDT instruments

Expanding its non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques and complementing its existing array of advanced instruments, Keighley Laboratories has invested in a portable conductivity meter, which measures the electrical conductivity of non-ferrous metals employing the eddy current method, and a pocket instrument for convenient and fast coating thickness measurement, using magnetic induction and eddy current technologies. Both measuring techniques are applicable to the aerospace, automotive, petrochemical, engineering, heat treatment and other fields and complement the specialist NDT services the company already offers to industry clients.

Through its Technical Services division, Keighley Labs covers many of the mainstream NDT methods, notably magnetic particle crack detection, dye penetrant testing, ultrasonic flaw detection, magnetic permeability, positive material identification, residual magnetism and ferrite determination, as well as radiography on a sub-contract basis. Its highly skilled and experienced NDT technicians are qualified to at least PCN Level 2 in several disciplines and are able to define and implement tests that detect and analyse material flaws that might otherwise give rise to critical component failure or quality control issues, either working in the laboratory or at the customer site. Many methods are covered by the company’s UKAS accreditation, for testing at customer premises.

The electrical conductivity of a metal depends on various factors, such as chemical composition, the stress state of its microstructure and mechanical properties, so can be used for sorting metals and checking proper heat treatment, as well as identifying how well a metal conducts electrical current for anodising and other processes. The company’s new instrument will measure the electrical conductivity of non-ferrous metals, such as aluminium alloys, copper and even stainless steels, using the eddy current method in accordance with DIN EN 2004-1 and ASTM E 1004 standards and determining conductivity of materials under paint or synthetic coatings up to 500µm thick.

Employed both in-house and for external clients, it will enable Keighley Labs to monitor the hardness and strength of heat treated materials like aluminium alloys and inspect for any heat damage. The same instrument will also be used for scrap metal sorting at customer sites, determining the purity of non-ferrous metals and verifying the homogeneity of alloys, as well as for the inspection of finished goods. It will even detect counterfeit coins.

The other NDT technique, for measuring the precise thickness of such applied coatings as paint, powder coatings, plastics and plated finishes, is equally important for ensuring compliance with thickness specifications, preventing defective coatings and subsequent corrosion, maintaining product quality and controlling production costs. The company’s newly-acquired pocket instrument will provide for non-destructive measurement of the total thickness of coatings up to 2000µm thick, applied to ferrous and non-ferrous materials. It will automatically recognise the underlying material, such as steel or aluminium, and select the appropriate one of two test methods, which are eddy current and magnetic induction in accordance with ISO 2178, ASTM D7091 and ISO 2300 standards.

With an on-board memory for up to 1000 readings, it will allow Keighley Labs technicians to measure paint, lacquer or plastic coatings on a whole range of metals, anodised coatings on aluminium components, electro-plated zinc, chromium and copper finishes, and sputtered thin-film deposition.

As with all advanced NDT techniques, a considerable degree of operator skill and experience is required to apply these test methods properly, obtain the maximum amount of information, then interpret the results and provide feedback for the client. With the newly-acquired instruments, this process will be aided by the capacity to download results directly from the portable devices to the NDT department’s computers, for error-free data transfer and subsequent analysis and report generation.

NDT resources

Keighley Laboratories adds to non-destructive testing resources

Non-destructive testing (NDT) is a highly valued quality assurance and analytical technique that helps safeguard against the potential failure of engineering material, components, fastenings and structures. Since it enables in-depth evaluation of a material without causing damage, NDT often provides the final QA stage before a new product enters service, while in-service NDT can be the last line of defence against component failure in the field.

As part of its broad range of advanced metallurgical solutions, Keighley Laboratories offers a specialised NDT service for clients in the aerospace, automotive, petrochemical, nuclear, defence, mechanical engineering, construction, civil engineering and allied industries, covering both laboratory and site inspection. The company continually invests in staff training and new technology to expand its capabilities, recently adding to its NDT resources with a new digital flaw detector for more demanding ultrasonic testing, a magnetic permeability meter for critical aerospace and nuclear energy applications, and a hand-held ferrite content meter for testing weld seams and piping materials in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries.

Their NDT facility covers the two most common methods of surface crack and flaw detection, Liquid Penetrant Testing and Magnetic Particle Testing, and the volumetric inspection technique, Ultrasonic Flaw Detection, as well as providing Radiographic Testing services on a sub-contracted basis. Non-destructive testing and inspection procedures are highly operator-dependent, relying upon the skills and experience of NDT technicians to obtain and evaluate results, and all members of the Keighley Labs team are certificated to a minimum of PCN Level 2, an internationally recognised symbol of competence. Indeed, Senior NDT Engineer, Roger Wheatley, is qualified to PCN Level 3 and able to develop NDT procedures, write instructions, audit techniques and both train and examine Level 1 and 2 candidates, making him a valued asset for both the company and its customers.

Roger Wheatley

“We like to think of ourselves as the best, with a high degree of technical skill and experience, able to handle the most critical components,” says Roger. “Although most of our work is carried out in the lab, around 20 per cent of projects are on site, checking fixtures that cannot be moved like motorway bridges, presses, silos, boilers, offshore rigs or miles of installed pipelines in paper mills and petrochemical plants. At the other end of the scale we also handle private work for owners of vintage vehicles, checking the integrity of steering racks and drive trains in readiness for classic car shows.”

For the detection of surface breaking flaws on ferrous and non-ferrous materials, such as casting and forging defects, weld cracks, leaks in new components and fatigue cracking on in-service components, Keighley Labs provides Liquid Penetrant Testing with either colour contrast or fluorescent techniques, working to national and international standards including BS EN 571:1997. LP testing can be undertaken either in the firm’s laboratory or at the customer site.

Magnetic Particle Inspection is conducted on ferro-magnetic materials, by inducing a magnetic field into the test piece, and is ideal for detecting cracks, porosity, seams and other surface breaking, as well as sub-surface discontinuities down to 2mm. Imperfections are revealed using fluorescent or non-fluorescent media; on-site testing is carried out using permanent magnets or portable electro-magnetic yokes where a suitable power source is available. Suitable for welds, castings, forgings and machined parts, including engine, suspension and braking components, testing is carried out by Keighley Labs to BS EN ISO 9934-1 and BAE RO5-6103 standards.

For identifying imperfections within a test piece or any changes in material properties, Ultrasonic Flaw Detection reveals volumetric discontinuation, utilising sound waves introduced into the component from an ultrasonic source. Undertaken by digital and analogue machines, ultrasonic detection is able to penetrate up to 10m in steel and can detect laminations, lack of fusion and any corrosion, as well as carrying out thickness and depth checks. This technique is suitable for welds, wrought iron products and castings in magnetic and non-magnetic materials, including glass, ceramics and plastics, again with tests carried out either in-house or on-site.

To upgrade its ultrasonic testing facilities still further, Keighley Laboratories has invested around £8k in a new Sonatest Masterscan digital flow detector, which incorporates the latest developments in amplifier and pulsar technology to deliver higher levels of near-surface resolution and penetrating power. The NDT department has also added a digital magnetic permeability meter, for measurement of ferro-magnetic inclusions in feebly magnetic materials against relevant specifications, and a hand-held ferrite content meter, for analysing the ferrite content in austenitic and duplex steel; both are suitable for off-site or in-house applications and give Keighley Labs further distinctive methods of material inspection, in line with the latest customer requirements.

Keighley Labs technical services laboratory is accredited by UKAS, NADCAP, the UK Civil Aviation Authority, Rolls Royce, Bombardier Aerospace and British Aerospace, enabling it to carry out sub-contract testing of aircraft and associated companies, and it meets the accreditation standards of many other customer industries.

Award in instrumentation & measurement

The IEEE has named Dr. Reza Zoughi as the recipient of the 2011 IEEE Joseph F. Keithley  Award in Instrumentation and Measurement. Zoughi is being recognized for his contributions to microwave and millimeter wave measurement techniques for nondestructive testing and evaluation. The award, sponsored by Keithley Instruments, is presented for outstanding contributions in the field of electrical measurement. It consists of a bronze medal, a certificate, and an honorarium. The award will be presented to Zoughi on May 11, 2011, during the IEEE International Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference, which will be held at the Four Points by Sheraton Hangzhou, Binjiang, Hangzhou, China (10-12/5/2011).

Zoughi, a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), received his B.S.E.E, M.S.E.E, and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering (radar remote sensing, radar systems, and microwaves) from the University of Kansas. Currently, he is the Schlumberger Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T, formerly University of Missouri-Rolla).

His efforts, in the past two decades, in expanding the utility of microwave and millimeter wave inspection techniques have brought significant recognition to the field of Nondestructive Testing and Evaluation (NDT&E). Zoughi's research team has developed millimeter wave imaging systems and methods for inspecting the spray-on foam insulation (SOFI) of the space shuttle's external fuel tank, in addition to a real-time, high-resolution and portable microwave camera that is expected to find widespread utility. He has played a leading role in developing near-field microwave and millimeter wave techniques and developed near-field measurement systems using open-ended waveguide and other more sophisticated probes for evaluating a host of defects in thin and thick and layered composite structures.

Criteria considered by the award's IEEE Evaluation Committee include innovation or development, social value, uniqueness of concept, other technical accomplishments, and the quality of the nomination. The award is administered through the Technical Field Awards Council of the IEEE Awards Board and is independent of Keithley Instruments.