The UK Research Centre of NDE and its Research Programme Professor Chris Scruby Imperial College London RCNDE Director

1. Introduction to RCNDE, vision and values 2. Membership and resources 3. Research activities 4. Core research programme 5. Targeted research programme 6. EngD & technology transfer

© Copyright RCNDE 3 RCNDE Vision Original and continuing vision: to be a world-leading centre of excellence in NDE research through active partnership with the industrial user community Three guiding principles:- world-class scientific research industrial benefit impact on NDE profession But in addition…… Images courtesy of Rolls-Royce, GNER, Shell & BNFL

© Copyright RCNDE 4 RCNDE Vision for the Future Help NDE evolve from mainly service activity into a fully integrated part of the engineering life cycle Engineering linkages: materials & structural design, manufacture, structural integrity, safety & life assessment, materials engineering, condition & structural health monitoring Scientific linkages: mathematics, physics, electronics, information, software, etc NDE industry needs new technology, new interdisciplinary alliances and new people if it is to deliver what society requires RCNDE to act as a bridge between research & user communities and to train new people as engineers; both are vital to long-term industrial & academic success

© Copyright RCNDE 5 RCNDE Values Commitment to scientific excellence Willingness to tackle difficult problems Determination to collaborate widely Commitment to invest in new engineers Conversion of research into useful technology Long-term engagement of university & industry Shared ownership of objectives & decisions Mutual trust, respect and support Confidentiality of sensitive information

skilled people new knowledge new technology requirements experience investment RCNDE research, benefit, impact, community shared vision and values INDUSTRY UNIVERSITY

© Copyright RCNDE 7 Impact Research – Core: higher risk, adventurous, longer-term (TRL1-2) – Targeted: less risk, application in the medium-term (TRL2-3) Knowledge & Technology Transfer – Shorter term, practical, problem solving, especially EngD – Engagement with supply chain for routes to exploitation Skilled People – Strengthen NDE profession via highly educated recruits – Bridge discipline gaps (e.g. NDE integrated into engineering) Community – Events, meetings, conferences, visits, networking – Regular events for early stage researchers and students – Strong involvement in conferences, QNDE, BINDT, ECNDT, etc – Strategic collaborations with UK & overseas organisations – Understanding & trust between industry & research base

RCNDE in confidence8 University members Six founder universities Imperial CollegeBath Strathclyde Nottingham Bristol Warwick Broad academic disciplines Physics & mathematical physics Electronic & electrical engineering Mechanical engineering Materials science & engineering Involve other university research groups – especially to fill gaps in scientific expertise – typically through Targeted Research programme – UCL, LSBU, Newcastle, Manchester, UWS

RCNDE in confidence9 University research leaders Bath University – Darryl Almond, Michele Meo Bristol University – Bruce Drinkwater, Paul Wilcox, Ant Croxford Imperial College – Peter Cawley, Mike Lowe, Francesco Simonetti, Fred Cegla, Andrew Temple, Chris Scruby Nottingham University – Mike Somekh, Richard Challis, Steve Sharples, Ian Stockford Strathclyde University – Gordon Hayward, Tony Gachagan, Gareth Pierce, Richard O’Leary Warwick University – Dave Hutchins, Steve Dixon, Duncan Billson, Rachel Edwards

RCNDE in confidence10 Industrial members Current members Aerospace (Airbus, Rolls-Royce) Power (RWE npower, Nexia/ Magnox, Alstom Power, E.ON, British Energy) Nuclear (British Energy, NNL/Magnox, Serco, Rolls-Royce) Defence (Dstl, Rolls-Royce) Public sector (HSE, Dstl) Oil & gas (Shell, BP, Petrobras) Manufacturing (Tenaris, Rolls-Royce, Alstom Power, Airbus) Rail (Network Rail, joining this FY) UK, Europe, Overseas Images courtesy of Rolls-Royce, Drax Power, RWE npower, Shell & Airbus

© Copyright RCNDE 11 Associate membership Opportunity to involve entire supply chain – RTOs, consultants, field services, hardware suppliers, trainers Early access to results and credible new technologies – Newsletter & events – Invitations to join targeted research projects – Technology transfer events & opportunities Participation in RCNDE programmes such as Engineering Doctorate scheme Special membership rates for small companies (SMEs) Currently under review by RCNDE Board to strengthen engagement and focus on exploitation routes

© Copyright RCNDE 12 Planned Resources Core Research (EPSRC + RCNDE membership) – Funds for ~50 RA-years of research Targeted Research (EPSRC + individual members) – Funds for ~90 RA-years of research EngD Scheme (currently under EPSRC review) – Funds for up to 50 studentships People – Approaching steady state of ~150 researchers – RCNDE plans to support ~350 RA and studentship years – Flow through of people into industrial positions

Research activities STRATEGIC CORE RESEARCH Science-driven Longer-term TARGETED RESEARCH Application-driven Long-medium term TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS Products & techniques Medium term EXPLOITATION Core & Tgtd TRL 1  TRL 3/4 PhD students, PDRAs, research staff, academic staff EngD research engineers Staff from industry, RTOs etc EngD & Tech Solns TRL 3  TRL 8

© Copyright RCNDE 14 Strategic Core Research Purpose: To develop new NDE technologies to build generic industrial strength for the longer-term and fill technology gaps Projects prior to 2008: Microminiature devices & systems (Strathclyde) Large area inspection – guided waves (Imperial) Large area inspection – thermography (Bath) Array technology – ultrasonic transducers (Strathclyde) Array technology – signal processing (Bristol) Array technology – capacitive transducers (Warwick) Remote & non-contact inspection (Warwick) NDE of difficult materials (Nottingham) Defect evaluation (Imperial) Electrostatic imaging (Warwick) Towards cable-free ultrasonic array system (Nottingham) Permanently installed guided wave tomography (Imperial)

© Copyright RCNDE 15 Themes for core research Accurate NDE for Structural Integrity – Drive to characterise smaller defects, more subtle changes & in challenging materials – Needs step change in capability of NDE

© Copyright RCNDE 16 Themes for core research Accurate NDE for Structural Integrity – Drive to characterise smaller defects, more subtle changes & in challenging materials – Needs step change in capability of NDE Next-generation ultrasonic arrays: detecting, sizing & characterising small defects Super resolution imaging in NDE Laser ultrasonics for detection of damage precursors

© Copyright RCNDE 17 Themes for core research New technology for NDE – Advances in NDE arise from new materials, processes, adaptation of advances in other fields

© Copyright RCNDE 18 Themes for core research New technology for NDE – Advances in NDE arise from new materials, processes, adaptation of advances in other fields Advanced laser thermography New approaches to NDE with micromachined transducers Future electronic platforms for ultrasonic NDE

© Copyright RCNDE 19 Themes for core research Permanently installed & autonomous systems – Increasing demand to manage whole life-cycle costs – Needs inspection to be on-line and/or with minimal disruption

© Copyright RCNDE 20 Themes for core research Permanently installed & autonomous systems – Increasing demand to manage whole life-cycle costs – Inspection needed on-line and/or with minimal disruption Permanently installed monitoring of material properties Non-linear guided-wave structural health monitoring New sensor and communications systems for condition monitoring applications Reconfigurable systems for automated & remote NDE

© Copyright RCNDE 21 Intelligent ultrasonic array inspection Paul Wilcox, Bristol Thermographic NDE Darryl Almond, Bath Spatially Resolved Acoustic Spectroscopy Mike Somekh, Nottingham Examples of research to be presented

© Copyright RCNDE 22 Research activities Strategic core research – To develop new NDE technologies to build generic industrial strength for the longer-term and to fill technology gaps Targeted Research – To meet medium-term needs of industry; nearer-to-application – Projects selected and steered by members – Also meet EPSRC requirements for scientific quality – Support from industry levers substantial EPSRC funds – Aim to spend 20% funds with other UK universities

© Copyright RCNDE 23 Targeted research Phase I targeted themes (some completed) TitleUniversitiesSector Acoustic emissionBristolAerospace, nuclear High resolution guided wavesImperial, BristolDefence, nuclear Agent based softwareStrathclyde, LSBUNuclear Advanced ultrasonicsNotts, UCLAerospace, defence ThermographyBath, WarwickPower, nuclear NDE of compositesNottinghamAerospace ThermosonicsBath, ImperialNuclear aerospace ReliabilityImperialMulti-sectoral Feature-guided wavesImperialOil & gas, nuclear 2-D ArraysStrathclyde, BristolOil & gas, nuclear, aerospace Capacitive imagingWarwickOil & gas, aerospace Eddy current thermographyBath, NewcastlePower, aerospace Thermography using lasersWarwick, BathPower, nuclear, aerospace

© Copyright RCNDE 24 Research activities Strategic core research – To develop new NDE technologies to build generic industrial strength in NDE for the longer-term and filling technology gaps Targeted Research – Shared-cost projects to meet ongoing needs of industry in the medium term with nearer-to-application topics Engineering Doctorates – Industry-focused doctoral research projects Other research – Various EPSRC, EU, MoD, BERR TSB initiatives Technology solutions – Nearer-market sponsored projects initiated and driven by industry; in partnership with RTOs, suppliers, end-users

© Copyright RCNDE 25 The EngD Degree – “PhD plus” Four-year postgraduate award intended for UK's leading research engineers who aspire to leading technical and managerial positions in industry. Programme incorporates research, industrial experience, and taught courses. An alternative to traditional PhD that is better suited to needs of industry. 25 EngD Centres covering many engineering disciplines. Highly rated by industry in recent review; hence rising profile with research council To be replaced by Industrial Doctorate Centres, applications for which are in process of assessment Develop innovative thinking while tackling real industrial problems

© Copyright RCNDE 26 Why an EngD in NDE? Increased national emphasis on safety and environmental protection will increase need for NDE, requiring new technology & resources Shortage of senior engineers with NDE knowledge & expertise Much industrial engineering has an ageing staff profile that needs rejuvenation Exploitation of research often slow and ineffective Need to recruit young high-potential engineers with NDE training, who can “bridge the gap” between:- a) engineers and practitioners b) engineering research and industrial application

© Copyright RCNDE 27 TECHNIQUES Ultrasonic arrays Guided ultrasonic waves Advanced ultrasonic methods Image processing of NDE data Acoustic techniques Transient/pulsed eddy currents Advanced eddy currents Microwave techniques Computed tomography Thermal methods Structural health monitoring APPLICATIONS Corrosion under insulation Inspection of complex components Gas and steam turbines Pipe-work inspection Corrosion in ageing structures Defect sizing and characterisation Inspection of manufactured compts Corrosion in vessels and pipes Early warning of damage in structures Detection of material degradation Improved NDE equipment INDUSTRY Electricity supply Oil and gas Aerospace SECTORS Nuclear Manufacturing Instrumentation

© Copyright RCNDE 28 EngD in NDE Our students are fully part of university research group and fully part of industrial unit 45% with some industry experience; 55% from degree ElecE 30%; MechE 25%; Mats 16%; Phys 16%; Aero 13% They are helping RCNDE to forge a strong two-way link between university and company Already proving highly effective in the transfer of knowledge and technology from research base to industry This resource will make a greater impact in the future as we progressively integrate NDE into the engineering life cycle

skilled people new knowledge new technology requirements experience investment RCNDE research, benefit, impact, community shared vision and values INDUSTRY UNIVERSITY

requirements experience investment RCNDE research, benefit, impact, community shared vision and values INDUSTRY UNIVERSITY

Professor Chris Scruby Dept of Mechanical Engineering Imperial College London London SW7 2AZ UK Phone: Mobile: Peter Thayer Electrical & Electronic Engineering University of Strathclyde Glasgow G1 1XW UK Phone: Mobile: