| Within the European Community there are over 110 refineries, 400 chemical plant and an estimated 10 million kilometres of interconnecting and transmission pipelines and pipe-work. An estimated 40% to 50% of the pipelines/pipe-work is directly accessible for Non Destructive Testing (NDT) and inspection. The majority of the pipe-work and vessels carry toxic and/or flammable fluids, at high temperature and pressure where breach of component containment can have considerable safety, environmental and economic implications. There is an estimated 200 offshore oil and gas production installations operating within European waters with thousands of kilometres of critical topside accessible pipe-work. Digital radiography will allow safer, faster and more economical 'in-situ' radiography to be undertaken on pipe work welds and parent material thus helping meet European safety, environmental and social objectives. The aerospace and automotive industries throughout Europe produce millions of steel and alloy precision castings each year, many of which are used in safety critical applications. In the main the current practice is to examine using film radiography 'off-line' of the casting production process. Digital direct radiography will significantly reduce the inspection cycle inspection time by allowing the radiography to talk place 'in-line' at the foundry. The consortium SME's aim to develop digital radiographies systems to meet the stringent defect delectability requirements of the petrochemical, aerospace and automotive industries. A step change in the use of 'in-line' and site radiography is intended, such that the safety, environmental and economics benefits to industry are compelling. Hence, the consortium SME's will access the 500 million Euro per annum, in- service inspection market for pipeline/pipe-work in the oil and gas and petrochemical industries as well as the precision casting inspection market place for the aerospace and automotive industry. |
