The RCNDE industrial members' 2022 vision for the future requirements of NDE

Abstract

The UK Research Centre in Non-Destructive Evaluation (RCNDE), established in 2003, has become a leading industrial-academic collaboration for undertaking industrially relevant research in the fields of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) and structural health monitoring (SHM). The industrial members produced their first five-, ten- and 20-year vision for NDE in 2011 and updated it in 2016. This article describes the newly updated vision for NDE that was produced by the industrial members in 2021/2022. The overall vision presented in this article is a consolidation of the individual industrial sector visions, a process that is possible due to the fact that many longer-term objectives are common across sectors. This enables research projects to be defined that appeal to multiple industries and demonstrates the power of collaboration to deliver relevant solutions. To aid understanding, the responses have been grouped into three themes: improvements desired in the capabilities of NDE technologies; asset-based inspection challenges that need to be met; and aspects that deliver and help to realise the benefits of Industry 4.0. The vision produced by RCNDE's industrial members will be used to shape the core research programmes and identify opportunities for new collaborations. It will help to bring forward the application of inspection and monitoring technologies to meet future industrial needs and timescales.