Introduction – NDE 101
In the first NDE lessons, apprentices are taught the four indispensable elements of an NDE test system: 1) An energy source, 2) A test object, 3) The interaction between that energy source and the test object, and 4) A recording medium for this interaction; and while analyzing how the test system does not function in the absence of one or more of those four elements ineludibly a fifth presence, human intervention, often not addressed for its explicit omnipresence which needs to assimilate and capitalize a rising sixth presence, artificial intelligence (AI), which may be a source of extraordinary opportunities and an unmistakable ally, if properly assimilated, to assist humans to unleash the power of their talent and ingenuity to create and deploy the next generation of NDE systems in the following years.
Looking forward based on the fundamentals of NDE
NDE serves humankind by preserving life and property while generating data, information, and knowledge to support decision-making processes. Figure 1 shows a four-stage process of how the data acquired from the interactions of materials with energy sources detected through NDE sensors (Digital Detectors Arrays or DDAs in the case of digital radiography), through analysis and evaluation, is transformed into action.
Trampus, Krstelj and Nardoni [2] remind us of the fundamental objectives of NDE: “In a broad sense, NDT has two fundamental objectives. Its social objective is to save the humans, the nature and the built environment in case a structure or a component fails due to the non-detection of a flaw. A failed structure or component can often jeopardize its environment and human life. The commercial objective of NDT is to optimize the productivity of assets, i.e. components or structures of the entire facility that is being inspected”.
Although the transition from film to digital radiography has been influenced by a series of factors not only related to industry-specific requirements but also to a series of other diverse factors that depend many times on the geographic context or on technology-assimilation-specific causes, it is evident that not only at the level of an individual company, but complete sectors are in the path of this transition.
An actionable approach to imaging processes:
R-Factors are used to determine the appropriate dose of radiation necessary to produce a high-quality radiographic image. For radiographers using gamma rays, Table 1 provides a good starting point to explore the use of Carestream’s DDAs:
For readers interested in exploring how digital radiography (DR) can be integrated to processes: https://www.carestream.com/en/us/nondestructive-testing-ndt-solutions
Here are some supplementary information resources from Carestream NDT’s products and services portfolio:
Products:
HPX-DR 3543 PE Non-Glass, Large Format Detector,
HPX-DR 4336 GH High-Resolution, Large Format Detector,
HPX-DR 2530 PH High-Resolution, Compact Detector,
HPX-DR 2530 GC High-Speed, Compact Detector,
INDUSTREX Digital Viewing Software,
Training:
Advanced Industrial Radiographic Training Academy
Your comments about this content are welcomed.
Brian S. White, Carestream NDT, Rochester, NY. USA, brian.white@carestream.com
References:
- Fernandez, Ramon S., Kimberley Hayes, and Francisco Gayosso. “Artificial Intelligence and NDE Competencies.” Handbook of Nondestructive Evaluation 4.0 (2021): 1-53.
- Trampus, Peter, Vjera Krstelj, and Giuseppe Nardoni. “NDT integrity engineering–A new discipline.” Procedia Structural Integrity 17 (2019): 262-267.
- Valeske B., Lugin S. and Schwender T., (2021) The SmartInspect System: NDE 4.0 Modules for Human-Machine-Interaction and for Assistance in Manual Inspection, First International Virtual Conference on NDE 4.0
- White, Brian S. “Exposure Factors for Film and Digital Detector Array Radiography,” 20th World Conference on Nondestructive Testing, Seoul, South Korea, 2020.
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Source: www.carestream.com