Score a NDE Method for the Technique Selection Tool

Introduction

The MMS15 project www.mms15.com is part of the DTI Measurement in Materials Systems programme (MMS) and is developing an Interactive Knowledge Base (IKB) on NDE of composites. A feature of the IKB is a technique selection tool (TS), formerly referred to as recommend a technique ( (RAT). This allows the user to answer a number of questions to define their inspection problem and suggests NDE methods that could be worth considering.

You can now see the demonstration version of the Technique Selection Tool now working on the development site via www.mms15.com  or www.ndt.aeat.co.uk/noticeboards/mms15iag/ikb enter UserID and password when prompted . Contact info@mms15.com  or call martin.wall@aeat.co.uk  if you need access details.

NDE methods in the IKB are split into Common, Specialised and Developmental. In the MMS15 Project detailed scoring and auditing is only being done for the Common techniques. The IKB multiplies the scores together for the questions that have been answered to give an overall ranking. The user can also see a table of the individual scores for each techniques with comments. A separate listing is given for Specialised and Developmental techniques as there is less experience of their application.  Scores are welcome for all techniques.

 

How to Score

Use the Simple text Scoring form ,  blank spreadsheet or amend or comment on the Initial Score Spreadsheet covering all techniques.  Email to scores@mms15.com  or  martin.wall@aeat.co.uk .  Please fell free to call  or email if you need any clarification. Just click cancel if prompted for a password in Internet Explorer and the documents should load.

  1. Give your Name and contact details. You should also include a simple overall comment about your experience with the method and whether you are a user, supplier, or have experience from research, development or trials. We are very interested in user experience.
  2. Score any techniques you have experience with. If you have equipment or use a variant of the NDE Method that gives improved or different performance, please feel free to score separately.
  3. For each answer put a simple integer score between 0 (rules out) to 10 (no effect) to indicate how in your view the answer would limit the suitability or effectiveness of the technique.

Score     0: Inapplicable/ruled out     10: Fully applicable         0<F<10: Reduced applicability

A simple comment to indicate the basis for the score is also useful: e.g 'Radiography poor for cracking' , 'difficult in this thickness' etc. We are looking for your instinctive feel on how a factor could affect the technique. However as an indication the following indicative may give some guidance: Score 0 Rules out technique; 2 to 3 Significantly Limits; 5 Limits (say effectiveness reduced by ~ 50% ); 7 to 9 Slightly limits; 10 No effect, the answer given does not limit the applicability of the NDE method.

If you are uncertain put a question mark against the score e.g. 6? and amplify in the comment.The default if you have no experience on how a factor may affect the suitability of the NDE method is 10 clarified with a comment. You should also include a simple overall comment about your experience with the method.

For Specialised and Developmental methods less is known. Simply scoring "0" for showstoppers and giving brief comments is sufficient in the context of the MMS15 project. We are happy however to accept full scoring for these methods if you have relevant experience.

List of NDE Methods

The NDE techniques included in the MMS15 IKB include the following categorised as Common, Specialised or Developmental. As agreed at the Partners Meeting in September 2004 :
Common Specialised Developmental
Common These techniques are commonly used and do not require specialised application
  • Acoustic Emission (AE) 
  • Acoustic Impact (AI) 
  • Laser Shearography (LS) 
  • Mechanical Impedance (MI) 
  • Membrane Resonance (MR) 
  • Thermography TT 
  • Ultrasonic B-Scan UB 
  • Ultrasonic amplitude C-Scan UC 
  • Ultrasonic depth scan (2D map of structure, colour represents depth, rather than attenuation) UD 
  • Ultrasonic thickness (A-scan) or 'Ultrasonic A-Scan' UA 
  • Visual (included enhanced) V 
  • X-Radiography XR

 

 These methods need more specialised expertise to apply. To be included the methods need to have been practically applied to composite inspection and there needs to be equipment out there that can be used.
  • Acoustography (AC)
  • Acousto Ultrasonics (AU) · 
  • Angle Probe Ultrasonics (AP) · 
  • Dielectric (DI) · 
  • Eddy Current Methods (ET) · 
  • Lamb and Guided Waves (LW) · 
  • Laser Ultrasound (LU) · 
  • Microwave (MW) · 
  • Polar Ultrasonic Scan (PU) · TOFD (TO) · Ultrasonic Backscattering (UK) · 
  • Ultrasonic Spectroscopy (US) · 
  • UT C-Scan Image Processing (UI) · Velocimetric (VE) · 
  • Velocity Measurement (Vm) · X-Ray Tomography (XT)

 

 These methods are developmental for application to composites. There may be significant research experience in the NDE methods but commercial application to composite materials is limited and generally there is not commercial equipment and services routinely available. In some cases application to other materials is well established.
  • CHIME Head Wave (CH) 
  • Gamma Radiography (GR) 
  • Lock-In Thermography (LT) 
  • Optical Holography (OH) 
  • Vibro Thermography (VT) 
  • X-Ray Backscatter (XB) 
  • X-Ray Refractometry (XR)

 

Auditing

The final scores for COMMON techniques will be Audited by Steve Burch from NNDTC and Robert Smith from Qinetiq as well as others invited to comment. the Audit process can be seen on the MMS15 website www.mms15.com  . The technique solution tool aims to suggest possible methods that users may otherwise have overlooked and points them to the more detailed information in the IKB to they can find out more.