NDE Outlook: Informatization of NDT and NDE

What Is Informatization?

Informatization is defined as the process by which information technologies, such as the World Wide Web and other communication technologies, have transformed economic and social relations to such an extent that cultural and economic barriers are minimized.

What does this mean for nondestructive testing and evaluation (NDT/E)? In short: informatization in NDT and NDE has happened and will continue to happen, independent of whether individuals or companies like it or not. However, we can shape it—together.

Digitization

Informatization of NDT started with digitization, with the switch from analog storage of results to digital: the unification of the means of storage to a binary representation. Meaning all results—all data—are stored using the same method of storage. Yes, there is an evolving variety of storage media for digital data, like hard drives, thumb drives, and CDs, but all data is stored using 0s and 1s on all those devices and can be copied lossless from one to the other. Digitization in NDT started several decades ago and has happened throughout all NDT methods and techniques. For some applications, some analog media is still used, but more and more NDT results are getting scanned or digitized in some way.

Digitalization

With the first digital devices, companies started to invest in improving human-machine interfaces and adding tools to support inspectors. Those were the first steps toward digitalization in NDT—to simplify processes using digital tools. This process continued over the years, allowing reconstruction technologies like computed tomography (CT) and total focusing method (TFM); automated inspection systems; robot-based component handling; automated detection, classification, and sizing of inhomogeneities; and many other innovations. It also allowed simulation of NDT processes, which enabled a deeper understanding of the inspection process(es) and helped to gain knowledge and solve challenges, issues, and problems.

Currently, a variety of new tools are helping to drive digitalization in NDT further. One example is NDT workflow management systems. Such systems enable digital planning of inspections, certification and qualification tracking, report creation, results communication, quoting, invoicing, and such. They are similar to the ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems used for large industries, but tailored to NDT.

Similarly, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and deep learning (DL) enable new ways of indication detection and classification. That’s one small digitalization step for informatization, and one giant leap for NDT/E.

Digital Transformation

The next informatization step after digitization is digital transformation. Digital transformation is waiting for the first success stories to break free. At this stage, digital transformation might be hard to grasp. Up to the moment, the closest thing to digital transformation that humans have experienced is the Internet and the smartphone. With the switch from the cell phone to smartphones, a new ecosystem was created—an ecosystem that allowed a completely new range of products (apps and accessories), which disrupted both our private lives and the ways we do business and allowed data sharing in ways never imagined before.

The Future of NDT

Now imagine something similar for NDT: a platform that allows us to automatically exchange quotes and purchase orders between systems without the need to use email, PDFs, or paper. A platform that can communicate with a service to handle training, qualification, and certification needs. A platform that allows communication with other systems like ERP, MES, SCADA, or PLM. A platform that allows communication and data exchange along the various supply chains and value chains. A platform that allows the integration of all NDT and NDE devices. A platform that allows the easy automatic configuration of the devices. A platform that allows for the use of data analysis or any AI solution you want to use. A platform as easy to use as your smartphone.

Such a platform will transform how we all do business, create a new ecosystem, allow a vast variety of new products, and allow market possibilities and growth never seen before. Digital transformation will become reality—and we, the NDT industry, can start now to shape it actively. Otherwise, the NDT industry will be transformed by force from the outside.

Digital transformation is the step from the “ego system” to the ecosystem and can only be approached together. Experts from all around the globe have identified this to be the major opportunity and at the same time the major challenge the NDT industry is currently facing. In response, a group has been formed within the International Committee on Nondestructive Testing (ICNDT) for NDE 4.0. Together is the only way, and NDT/E desperately needs international collaboration to actively shape this digital transformation’s future. Where digitization was the change to a binary representation of data, digitalization is the change to a binary representation of processes, and digital transformation will be the change to a binary representation of an ecosystem.

But remember—don’t panic! This transformation needs to be taken stepwise, and every player in the NDT market needs to decide how they should prioritize.

The NDE 4.0 group within ICNDT is taking on this task with multiple working groups:

• Research institutes around the globe are currently working on a plan on how to synchronize their research activities toward NDE 4.0.
• A guideline for the creation of a roadmap toward NDE 4.0 is close to being published.
• The work on a standard to unify NDE 4.0 terminologies is on its way.
• Multiple national societies are working on standardizing interfaces and data formats and are reporting to the ICNDT NDE 4.0 group.

Last but not least, the group is in the process of organizing the next International Conference on NDE 4.0 in Berlin on 22–26 October 2022: conference.nde40.com. I hope we will meet all of you and shape the future of NDT and NDE together.

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Johannes Vrana, Vrana GmbH, Rimsting, Germany, contact@vrana.net.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Ripi Singh for all the highly valuable conversations on digitization, digitalization, and digital transformation, many thanks to the members of the ICNDT, EFNDT, ASNT, and DGZfP NDE 4.0 groups, and to everybody actively working toward the future of NDT/E.

NDE Outlook is a new Materials Evaluation column focusing on possibility thinking for NDT and NDE. Topics may include technology trends, research in progress, or calls to action. To contribute, please contact Associate Technical Editor Ripi Singh at ripi@inspiringnext.com. This column is reprinted from the January 2022 issue of ME.

Published papers from ASNT periodicals and conferences are available to members at https://ndtlibrary.asnt.org/