Technical Diagnostics and NDT

Olympus, a world leader in nondestructive testing technologies and pioneer in industrial phased array ultrasound, is pleased to introduce a comprehensive inspection solution for circumferential welds in pipes with a diameter as small as 21.3 mm OD. A key component of the solution is the COBRA, a new manual scanner specifically designed to

From my article "Technical diagnostics for a safer journey" for the journal Spectrum One of the most important properties of a transport system is safety. It’s said that the human factor is the main reason for many transport accidents, from aircraft to bicycle. That means there is more chance of an accident occurring because of a simple mistake of the operator (driver or a pilot), or because of the engineer who maintains or repairs the vehicle, or the other people who involved such as the air traffic controller or the policeman on roads. This article is focused on the engineering side, more precisely about identifying problems in mechanical part or a structure. What do engineers do to minimise the probability of having a failure?

WHEN they were built, no one thought they would fly for so long. But fitted with new engines and avionics, aircraft can be kept going for a very long time. The average age of the world’s airliners is more than ten years, with some passenger jets 25 years old or more. Military planes are more geriatric: the Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter entered service 31 years ago and the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy 40 years back. Both are still going strong. Some Boeing KC-135 aerial-refuelling planes, which are based on the venerable 707, have been flying for over 50 years. Engineers reckon they could still be in the air when they are 80.  Figure 1: C-5 Galexy One thing that does ground old aircraft is the impending failure of their aluminium structure from metal fatigue. This begins in parts that are subjected to repeated strains, such as where the wings join the fuselage. Constant flexing of the structure concentrates stress, which leads to microscopic cracks. These cracks become more numerous and eventua