NDE N_Ext for Future Labs

Although the TICS industry has been advancing by leaps and bounds, the term “NDE 4.0” is buzzing in the past few years. While some are already calling “Industry 5.0”, NDE industry is still struggling to adopt the 4.0. One reason could be that many IT / instrument providers are focusing solely on NDE rather than a comprehensive solution for the entire ecosystem. The eco system includes the entire organisation, laboratory, staff, and several interconnected bodies (accreditation, regulatory, taxation), customers, suppliers. Moreover, the laboratory may also be conducting metallurgy, mechanical & chemical testing or allied processes (survey, heat treatment, inspection). Hence, the current 4.0 model, focused just on NDE, is less favourable for TICS industry to satisfy the entire ecosystem. As the sole founder owner of the largest privately owned Australian laboratory business, the author has faced many challenges while implementing digitalisation. The TICS industry can be inefficient by using several fragmented generic Apps developed by major OEM or individual providers. The author will share insights about genuine requirements of the TICS industry. We must think beyond NDE 4.0 and adopt a factual eco-system “NDE N_Ext”, based on the overall NDE & extended services. The term “NDE N_Ext” is an indicator of actual NDE innovations over the past decades & future developments. The term “N_Ext” allows us to go beyond industry 4.0 or 5.0, and comprises extension to several interconnected testing fields, business compliance processes, and also other entities interacting with a laboratory in the eco-system. “NDE N_ Ext” covers comprehensive objectives and ever evolving goals for NDE & beyond. The author will share an IT architecture about true “NDE and extension” wherein the entire eco-system is cyber-human-cyber model, or possible to link with other industry 4.0 (& beyond) entities. A success story about a true eco-system, that is being used by many Australian labs since 2014. It will indicate gross savings achieved by digital automation that is cyber communicating with other entities or can connect with other cyber ready entities.