be addressed to fully realize their poten-
tial. VR, AR, and MR technologies are
advancing rapidly, with current hardware
limitations—such as resolution, field of view,
and battery life—being improved with
each new iteration. Integrating immersive
tools and digital twins with existing inspec-
tion workflows and data management
systems is paving the way for faster adop-
tions of digital inspection capabilities. This
integration directly enhances operational
efficiency and boosts business return on
investment (ROI). Furthermore, the cost of
VR, AR, and MR technology is decreasing
rapidly as the technology matures and
more device options become available.
Finally, cloud computing and 5G networks
are making these technologies more
accessible, even in remote areas, which is
crucial for accelerating business adoption.
Adopting new technologies involves
a learning curve and requires effective
change management. As inspectors
and users become more familiar with
immersive technologies and digital
twins, adoption will accelerate, neces-
sitating changes at various levels within
the industry. The inspection industry
operates within a framework of strict
regulations, and aligning new technol-
ogies with these standards is essential.
Regulatory bodies are beginning to
recognize the advantages of VR, AR,
and MR technologies and are working
toward developing guidelines and
standards to facilitate their use. As the
benefits of these technologies become
more evident, regulatory acceptance
and standardization will inevitably be
addressed.
Concluding Remarks
Digital twins created from inspection
data can be utilized repeatedly across
multiple applications. When combined
with immersive 3D visualization, they offer
significant opportunities to transform the
inspection industry. Continuous advance-
ments in technology, improved business
integration, cost reduction, regulatory
acceptance, and innovations in AI will inev-
itably drive faster adoption in the inspec-
tion industry. As key barriers to entry are
eliminated, digital twins combined with
VR, AR, and MR are poised to become
integral tools in ensuring higher safety,
quality, and efficiency of inspections
across various sectors.
AUTHOR
Ali Merchant, PhD: Founder and CEO, iQ3
Connect, Woburn, MA ali@iq3connect.com
DISCUSSING
DIGITALIZATION
AND HOW IT’S
CHANGING NDT
The evolving role of digitalization and
advanced technologies in the nondestruc-
tive testing (NDT) industry was the focus
of the ASNT 2023 Annual Conference and
the main topic of a discussion INSPENET
TV had with ASNT CEO Neal Couture,
CAE, which is now available online. In the
interview, recorded during the final night
of the ASNT event last fall, Couture talks
about digitalization as it pertains to NDT
and shares how ASNT has managed to
unite the community of NDT experts,
highlighting the organization’s efforts
and achievements in creating a space
for discussing technical and business
challenges in the sector. Watch the full
interview at https://inspenet.com/video-tv/
industry-non-destructive-testing/.
INSPENET.COM
FREE DOWNLOAD
OF ULTRASONIC
TESTING UT
TRAINING BOOK
A revision of the practical exercise book
and field guide UT of Thin-Walled Steel
Pipe Flaws by Jimmy Ellis is now available
as a free PDF book download. The book
covers manual detection, characterizing,
and sizing of thin-walled steel pipe flaws,
with links to 57 YouTube videos. The
previous edition has been downloaded
over 2600 times in the past five years. The
latest version is expanded to be appli-
cable to more industry segments. The
book and its accompanying videos are
appropriate for beginners just starting
to learn how to do manual UT but
progresses to many advanced techniques
the experienced UT technician could find
useful. Navigation is enhanced for the
experienced user, with detailed contents
and subject tables.
UTOFPIPELINEDIGS.COM
NEUTRON IMAGING
TECHNOLOGY
CONVENTIONAL
RADIOGRAPHY
A new anal-
ysis from
Phoenix
Neutron
Imaging
comparing
neutron
radiology to
more commonly used NDT techniques is
now available for free online. The 2024
Non-Destructive Testing Industry
Report first examines the current state of
the NDT market and the trends driving
NDT adoption before delving into head-
to-head comparisons of neutron imaging
with other NDT techniques, including
photos. “While neutron imaging is most
commonly practiced within the aero-
space and defense industries,” the report
states, “other markets are incorporating
it into their processes to improve quality,
safety, and accuracy in a variety of appli-
cations.” The report may be downloaded
at https://go.phoenixneutronimaging.
com/industry-report.
PHOENIXNEUTRONIMAGING.COM
NEWMEDIA
|
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E1934 (REAPPROVED 2024): STANDARD GUIDE
FOR EXAMINING ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL
EQUIPMENT WITH INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Infrared thermography (IRT) is a nonde-
structive testing technique that uses
infrared imaging to detect and measure
thermal energy emitted from objects.
This method captures temperature varia-
tions on the surface of equipment, which
can indicate underlying issues. Regular
thermographic inspections facilitate
better maintenance planning by identi-
fying issues before they lead to electrical
and mechanical equipment failures.
Methods for examining electrical equip-
ment include detecting overheating in
electrical components such as circuit
breakers, transformers, and switchgear,
which may indicate potential failures
or malfunctions. By catching abnormal
temperature patterns early, IRT helps
prevent equipment failures and reduces
the risk of electrical fires. In mechanical
equipment testing, identifying compo-
nents that are overheating due to exces-
sive friction or misalignment with IRT
helps prevent mechanical failures and
extends the lifespan of equipment. By
monitoring the thermal performance of
mechanical equipment, IRT helps ensure
that machines operate efficiently and at
optimal performance levels.
The most recent version of ASTM
E1934, released in the Book of Standards,
Volume 03.03, has been reapproved by
ASTM Subcommittee E07.10. This stan-
dard outlines the responsibilities of both
the end user and the infrared thermog-
rapher when inspecting electrical and
mechanical systems. It specifies what
should be included in the documentation
of qualitative and quantitative infrared
examinations. The guide covers the use
of equipment and materials near heated,
moving, or electrically energized compo-
nents. Users must establish proper safety,
health, and environmental practices and
identify any regulatory limitations before
using the equipment.
This guide serves as a resource for
end users to specify, and for infrared
thermographers to perform, infrared
examinations of electrical and mechan-
ical equipment. It outlines their shared
responsibilities and aims to identify
and document anomalies. In electrical
systems, warm anomalies usually result
from increased resistance due to loose
connections, short circuits, overloads,
load imbalances, or faulty components,
while cool anomalies indicate failed
components. In mechanical systems,
warm anomalies often arise from friction
due to improper lubrication, misalign-
ment, or worn components, whereas
cool anomalies indicate component
failure.
STANDARDS EDITOR
Hossein Taheri, PhD: Georgia
Southern University, Statesboro, GA
htaheri@georgiasouthern.edu
IN DEVELOPMENT
The following section provides a summary of
new standards, drafts, and revisions that may
be of interest to the nondestructive testing and
evaluation (NDT/E) community. This summary is
provided in Materials Evaluation on a quarterly
basis in January, April, July, and October. For the
latest information, please visit the website of the
standards provider.
PROJECT INITIATION
ANSI procedures require notification by ANSI-
accredited standards developers of the initiation
and scope of activities expected to result in
new or revised American National Standards.
The following is a list of proposed actions and
new standards that have been received recently
from accredited standards developers. To view
information about additional standards for
which a project initiation notification has been
submitted, and to search approved American
National Standards, please visit ansi.org, which
is a database of standards information. Note that
this database is not exhaustive.
Ñ BSR/AWS D17.4-202x, Specification for
Additive Friction Stir Deposition for Aerospace
Applications. This is a new standard. This
standard provides a process specification for
the AFSD process that can be followed for
purposes of creating and qualifying a depo-
sition procedure specification (DPS) that will
produce qualified components for aerospace.
It borrows some of the common language and
terminology from the existing AWS D17.3 and
AWS D20 specification but accounts for the
specific requirements for this additive manufac-
turing process. This standard would initially be
used by the aerospace community to certify the
process, but, like the AWS D17.3 specification, it
is anticipated that a larger community will use it
as a general AFSD process specification.
Ñ BSR/ADCI 01-202X, Commercial Diver Training
– Minimum Standard. This is a new standard
establishing a core curriculum to train entry-
level marine technicians and commercial divers
to assist in general operations in oceanographic
and commercial maritime enterprises and safely
carry out technical operations underwater.
Ñ BSR/UL 2278-202x, Standard for Safety
for Megawatt Charging Configured Electric
Vehicle Couplers. This is a new joint standard
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