National research centre
National research centre
Keywords: Aircraft components
A new UK national research centre that recently opened in Wales is to set to play a critical role in ensuring the future safety of materials and components used in virtually all areas of engineering most importantly aerospace.
The Non Destructive Testing (NDT) Validation Centre in Port Talbot has been established in response to the demand from industry for a completely independent evaluation of the accuracy of existing NDT techniques and procedures. The Centre will be run by TWI, one of the world's foremost research and technology organisations, from their base in ECM, Port Talbot, and will provide a unique resource for industry in the UK and Europe.
NDT has been described as an industry whose prime objective is saving lives by ensuring structures are fit for purpose. NDT techniques help determine the presence and size of defects in components and are applied in virtually all areas of engineering such as engines, power plants, buildings and electronics but there is growing concern that a number of these techniques are less reliable than previously thought. Defects in materials or components that are invisible to the human eye could have potentially devastating consequences if not detected early enough.
Dr Robert John, Chief Executive of TWI, said flaws were present in all fabricated parts but the need was to establish that they were below the level that could effect the performance of the component or structure. “Any fabricated item – whether it is a turbine an aircraft jet engine or a suspension bridge, can fail, sometimes with disastrous effect, if it contains a critically sized defect”. “NDT technology helps us to determine the presence and size of defects in components. Make no mistake, the world is not perfect and flaws are present in all fabricated parts.”
He said that even with the best training in the world operators could be mistaken in their use and interpretation of NDT techniques. A recent carefully controlled survey found that as many as two of every three NDT reports were erroneous. “The answer lies in greater automation ensuring consistency of technique and in verification of the findings with actual observation. This is the function of the validation centre which will have an impact in almost all spheres of manufacturing.”
Experts at the centre will provide an independent health check using highly sophisticated equipment designed and developed for specific tests that can detect a crack just 1:10,000 inch wide and defects that are 0.02mm in diameter. The technology can even detect changes in materials before a defect occurs. An industrial and academic survey commissioned by the DTI and WDA also confirmed the need for a validation centre that would offer independent research to improve the understanding and performance of NDT techniques.
This need is reinforced by industry placing increasing demands on NDT and the new developments in robotics, data handling and signal processing that are revolutionising the techniques now available. The centre will verify and improve the accuracy of detection to increase confidence of manufacturers, regulators and users alike.
Funded by the DTI and Welsh Assembly Government the £3m centre aims to gain global recognition within five years as one of the world's leading centre for NDT validation. The WDA managed Knowledge Exploitation Fund has provided£750,000 towards equipment to enable the academic partners – Swansea Institute and Swansea University's materials research centre – to provide academic research expertise and provide NDT services to Welsh SMEs in partnership with TWI. The Centre was officially opened by DTI Minister Alun Michael and Andrew Davies, Minister for Economic Development and Transport at a launch attended by senior industrialists representing local and national companies including Rolls Royce, and leading academics. TWI Wales is already involved in an extensive local training programme for NDT technicians which are in short supply world-wide and the new centre will employ ten highly qualified staff which could double over the next three years.
Andrew Davies said the decision to site this UK resource in Wales reflected the high level of academic expertise within the field of materials technology and would complement existing R&D carried out by TWI. “We cannot compete with emerging industrial nations on the basis of cost alone – we must augment and strengthen the R&D base of our economy, support innovation and stimulate industry/ academic links – all prevailing features of this new centre.
“It will bring tremendous benefits for industries and create a centre of world class expertise in Wales in a critical technology. This will be supported by Swansea Institute which is become the first higher education institution in the UK to establish an MSc in Non Destructive Testing and Evaluation.”
He added that the new centre would act as a catalyst for further regeneration of the region, helping to create not only high quality jobs but creating a renewed sense of optimism for the future.
Tony Dunhill (NDE Technology Acquisition Specialist) from Rolls Royce said the centre would provide a national resource that would be an important element in delivering new or improved inspection technologies to make the world a safer and more efficient place.
