NDE 4.0
NDE 4.0 is the short designation for the fourth revolution of non-destructive testing
Contents
Overeview
| Perception | NDE 1.0 | NDE 2.0 | NDE 3.0 | NDE 4.0 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revolutionary innovations | Procedures | “View” into components | Computer & automation | Networking, data market | |
| Key enablers | Simple tools | Optical elements, soot, oil, chalk, colors, stethoscopes | Chemical and physical findings, e. g.: Ultrasonic & Electromagnetic waves (MT, ET, microwaves, terahertz, infrared, X-ray, gamma) | Digital technology, robots, drones, reconstruction | Digitalization, networks, interfaces, digital communication, artificial intelligence, machine learning, 5G, quantum technologies |
| Technological basis | Human Senses | Procedures | Electricity | Microelectronics | Software, computer science |
| Missing | Missing | Missing | Missing |
NDE 1.0
Non-destructive testing and evaluation underwent a similar development compared to industry and can also be divided into four revolutions. For the first industrial revolution, the basis was handcraft that had developed over the millennia. For NDE, the basis is perception. Through their senses, people have been able to “test” objects for thousands of years. They looked at components and joints, smelled, felt, tasted and knocked at them to learn something about their condition and interior.
The first revolution or the birth of non-destructive testing took place on the one hand through the introduction of tools that sharpened the human senses, and on the other hand through standardized tests. Procedures made the results of the tests comparable and tools such as lenses, colors or stethoscopes improved the detection capabilities. At the same time, industrialization also made it necessary to expand quality assurance measures.
NDE 2.0
The second revolution of NDE, like the second revolution of industry, is characterized by the use of physical and chemical knowledge and electricity. The transformation of electromagnetic or acoustic waves, which lie outside the range of human perception, into signals that can be interpreted by humans, resulted in a “look” into the components.
NDE 3.0
Parallel to industry, microelectronics, digital technology and computers made the third revolution in non-destructive testing possible. Digital inspection equipment, such as X ray detectors, digital ultrasonic and eddy current equipment, and digital cameras have been developed, making it possible to automate inspection.
The fourth revolution could become the greatest for non-destructive testing, turning the entire business upside down.
NDE 4.0
As with Industry 4.0, the aim is to create new information transparency through networking. This will turn non-destructive evaluation from a niche product into one of the industry's most valuable sources of information. This requires, however, like in the area of Industry 4.0, a standardization of the interfaces and the disclosure of data formats. Companies can now decide whether they want to follow the course of Blockbuster, Kodak, Quelle or Karstadt or rather follow Netflix and Google.
