CYBERNET SYSTEMS
WINS 2025 CTMA
TECHNOLOGY
COMPETITION
The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences
(NCMS) named Cybernet Systems Corp. the winner of
the 2025 Commercial Technologies for Maintenance
Activities (CTMA) Technology Competition. As the
top selection from among 35 entries, Cybernet will
receive US$100 000 in project support funding to be
applied toward a selected US Department of Defense
(DOD) demonstration initiative under the existing
CTMA cooperative agreement.
Cybernet’s winning solution, the NDT Tracker for
Mobile C-scan Generation, is a mobile, camera-
based tool that streamlines ultrasonic thickness
grid inspection for aircraft structural components.
The system reduces the inspection labor from
two technicians to one, eliminating hand-drawn
grids and manual data entry. Its patent-pending
AutoClick Combo-Filtering technology automat-
ically selects accurate thickness readings, cutting
average inspection time per cell from 20 s to just
2—a 10​ ​ efficiency gain. Color-mapped C-scan
reports further reduce reinspection needs by
improving communication. The Tracker now
operates from a 0.15–1.5 m (0.5–5 ft) range with a
1.2 m ​ ​ 1.2 m (4 ft ​ ​ 4 ft) inspection area extend-
able via leapfrogging.
Currently in use at Tinker Air Force Base
(Oklahoma City, OK) and Robins Air Force Base
(Houston County, GA), as well as by commercial
aircraft service companies like Delta TechOps,
ST Engineering, and Aeroman, the Tracker is
also under consideration by Boeing, Airbus, and
Gulfstream. It recently received the 2024 SAE/A4A
International Innovation Award and the American
Society for Nondestructive Testing’s Cool New
Ideas Award by popular vote at ASNT’s Annual
Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, last October.
Three finalists presented their solutions during
a livestreamed event at NCMS headquarters in
Ann Arbor, Michigan. Each was given 30 min
to demonstrate their technologies and explain
their potential impact on DOD maintenance and
sustainment operations. A virtual booklet featuring
all entries is on the NCMS website (ncms.org/
ctma-technology-competition).
New this year, NCMS partnered with the
US Navy’s Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRC-
SE), the largest maintenance and technical services
provider in its region, which identified five priority
areas: aircraft data integration, aluminum laser
cutting, robotics and automation, surface prepara-
tion and corrosion control, and expeditionary struc-
tural repair.
“The judges selected this winner from a pool of
extraordinarily innovative technologies,” said Lisa
Strama, NCMS President and CEO. “We’re thrilled to
provide FRC-SE with a solution that addresses real
challenges in maintenance and sustainment.”
SCANNER
Then and now: Cybernet Systems’ NDT Tracker for Mobile C-scan Generation, presented by Cybernet engineer and ASNT member Kevin Tang
(pictured), earned ASNT’s Cool New Ideas Award at last year’s Annual Conference (l) and then won the 2025 Commercial Technologies for
Maintenance Activities (CTMA) Technology Competition in June (r).
8
M AT E R I A L S E V A L U AT I O N • A U G U S T 2 0 2 5
CREDIT:
NATIONAL
CENTER
FOR
MANUFACTURING
SCIENCES
CREDIT:
ASNT

The judging panel included repre-
sentatives from FRC-SE and the Joint
Technology Exchange Group (JTEG),
which reviewed all 35 entries and
selected finalists based on maintenance
relevance, originality, technical maturity,
cross-service applicability, and practical
feasibility.
AI TAKES ON KEY
ROLE IN QUALIFIED
ULTRASONIC
TESTING AT SWEDISH
NUCLEAR PLANT
Artificial intelligence and machine
learning (AI/ML) were used for the first
time to evaluate data in a qualified ultra-
sonic inspection during an outage at the
Ringhals nuclear power plant, Sweden’s
second-largest power station, on 3 June.
The system, developed by Trueflaw
(Espoo, Finland) and EPRI (Palo Alto,
CA), recently received qualification for
use in ultrasonic inspection of pressure
vessel head penetrations. The inspection
vendor was Wesdyne (Täby, Sweden),
and the qualification was issued by the
Swedish Qualification Centre (SQC).
Critical components in power plants
are inspected during scheduled outages
using various nondestructive tech-
niques, including ultrasonic testing (UT).
These inspections are used to detect
possible service-induced degradation
and generate vast amounts of data
that must be reviewed by highly skilled
human experts—a critical task that’s
time-consuming and demanding.
Automated data analysis with AI works
alongside human experts to make the
inspections more efficient and reliable.
AI is used to prescreen the data and
highlight any potential defects found.
The human experts then review these
areas of interest and make the final deci-
sions. Analysis that would take a human
inspector hours can be completed in
minutes with AI support. At the same
time, evaluations become more consis-
tent, and the risk of human error is
reduced. Human experts still have the
final say, with the AI helping to focus their
efforts to make data analysis faster and
more dependable.
“AI/ML has proven itself as a reliable
and valuable tool for nondestructive eval-
uation. The first use in qualified nuclear
inspection is an important milestone and
shows AI can meet the highest of reli-
ability and regulatory requirements,” said
Trueflaw CEO Iikka Virkkunen.
ASNT ANNOUNCES
PARTNERSHIP
WITH INSPECTION
TECHNOLOGY AND
QUALITY ASSURANCE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE
In June, the American Society for
Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) signed
a partnership agreement with the
Inspection Technology and Quality
Assurance National Institute (ITQAN), a
training institute in Saudi Arabia focused
on meeting industry needs and devel-
oping the local workforce. This collabo-
ration aims to support the growth of the
nondestructive testing (NDT) field in the
region by providing access to internation-
ally recognized training and certification.
This partnership agreement estab-
lishes a cooperative relationship to
promote NDT through ITQAN’s educa-
tion and training programs along
with ASNT’s training and certification
schemes. As part of this alliance, ASNT
and ASNT Certification Services LLC will
provide ITQAN with the ability to provide
ASNT-approved training courses, certi-
fication preparatory courses, and ASNT
certifications.
“Our goal is to collaborate with a
local, well-established organization to
deliver ASNT products and services
to the region. This will enhance local
INDUSTRYNEWS
|
SCANNER
DATAFACTS |
INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY MARKET GROWTH
The industrial radiography market is experiencing significant transformation, driven
by heightened demand across sectors such as oil and gas, aerospace, and construction.
Innovations in testing techniques and evolving regulations for safety inspections are
fueling this industry’s evolution.
Market trends emphasize digital transformation, with over 40% of new equipment sales
featuring digital detectors versus traditional film-based systems. The integration of
cloud-based data analytics for remote inspection monitoring is also expanding rapidly.
Additionally, the adoption of portable industrial radiography devices rose by 22% in
2024, enabling onsite inspections in challenging terrains.
Sustainability-focused innovations, such as low-radiation-emission devices, are becoming
mainstream in response to stringent environmental regulations. Cross-industry collab-
orations and aftermarket service offerings are also consolidating market positions,
reflecting shifts in competitive strategies among key players.
Source: Industrial Radiography Market: An Analysis of Size, Shares, Business Growth, and Upcoming Trends
Forecast 2025–2032 coherentmarketinsights.com
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0
2025 2032
US$1.89 billion
US$3.45 billion
Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.0%
A U G U S T 2 0 2 5 • M AT E R I A L S E V A L U AT I O N 9
Revenue
(Billion
USD)