The digitisation of the recording and reporting of non-destructive testing (NDT) provides the basis for transforming the whole inspection cycle into a fully digitalised workflow. For some inspection and monitoring applications there is a digital break between the generation of NDT files by the service provider and the utilisation of the data by the asset operators. Digital data interfacing is a foundational requirement for more advanced capabilities such as analytics, digital twins, machine learning and predictive integrity management. To understand this digital data interface, and prevent it becoming a barrier, it is beneficial to understand the asset operators’ future vision for storing, accessing and utilising digital NDT data.
Based on a survey of HOIS Category 1 members, the operators’ future vision for NDT data management is underpinned by an increasing requirement to store all types of inspection data under their own management. The drivers for this being to ensure data security and accessibility into the future. To support this, there is an increasing requirement for open format files for all types of NDT. Visual and radiography already have wide uptake of open formats for raw data. Raw ultrasonic testing (UT) data is lagging behind in this respect and UT open formats are still under development with multiple ongoing initiatives. Key UT file format initiatives are discussed in the report.
Open file formats and standardised interfaces offer significant benefits for long-term data use and digitalisation. As open file formats become more common, the requirement for bespoke software to read different file types from different NDT modalities will reduce, as will the requirement for bespoke APIs to provide the interfacing between programs. APIs can also provide access to legacy applications without the requirement to reformat archived data.
A standardised approach to processed data, especially UT, still needs to be considered for some end use applications. There is potential to include this as part of the open file formats.
This project was competed and a report issued.