Using Remote NDE, including External Experts in the Inspection Process, to Enhance Reliability and address Todays NDE Challenges

The paper discusses the challenges for NDE operating in the environment of advanced manufacturing techniques characterized by networking of systems. The information environment is impacting all industrial areas (Industry 4.0) and production of individual components tailored to meet the needs of individual customers. The emerging approach of using remote NDE is seen as a potential technique to increase reliability of NDE inspections by integrating additional specialist in to the decision process by “tele-presence.” This can also help to leverage the scarce resource of senior inspectors and have them engaged with industrial inspections at multiple sites. This distance engagement has the potential to enhance performance of inspections, starting from inspection design through to enhanced data analysis and hence enabling reliability of NDE to be improved