Manufacturers know well the difficulties of testing products in ways that are non-destructive or otherwise unobtrusive. Today’s high-tech products are made from the most sophisticated and sometimes delicate materials, so testing material composition or structural integrity can sometimes be a challenge. If you’re in materials or electronics manufacturing, non-destructive testing, or NDT testing, represents the way of the future.
What Is NDT Testing?
NDT Testing is a method of scanning materials or parts using x-ray computed tomography or 3d scanning technology. Industrial NDT testing processes allow customers to reduce their new product inspection costs and failure analysis costs between 25 and 75 percent when compared to existing technology. One of the most commonly used methods of NDT testing is by using computerized tomography, or CT scanning. Industrial CT scanning was invented in 1972 by British engineer Godfrey Hounsfield of EMI Laboratories, England and by South African-born physicist Allan Cormack of Tufts University, Massachusetts. Hounsfield and Cormack were later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their contributions to medicine and science.
CT-based NDT tests use computers that take data from several X-ray images of structures inside a manufactured material and converts that data into pictures on a monitor. Tomography is the process of generating a 2-dimensional image of a slice or section through a 3-dimensional object. In other words, different “slices” of images are taken and then re-assembled to create a 3D image.
What Can NDT Testing Do For You?
Industrial NDT testing can reduce your costs, your manufacturing times, and best of all, allow you to ship the highest quality products possible. Testing is a huge part of RandD, and any steps you can take to reduce testing time and costs are far worth it in the long run. Non-destructive tests save material costs as well, since no prototypes need to be destroyed in order to test material composition. While CT scanners have become commonplace in medical settings, they have still not made their way into most manufacturing or RandD sectors. Investing in industrial CT scanning technology today will put your manufacturing operation on the cutting edge of industrial manufacturing. Don’t get left behind! Do your research and invest in NDT testing technologies today.