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Make your Non Destructive Testing greener by new eco-friendly practices and technologies (GREEN TESTING)
Start date: Jan 1, 2011, End date: Jun 30, 2014 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Background Non-destructive testing (NDT) forms an integrated part of the manufacturing process for high quality products in the automotive, nuclear and aeronautical sectors. NDT techniques include magnetic particle examination (MPE) and penetrant testing (PT). Both of these procedures possess environmental and health risks from noise, chemical and magnetic pollution, soil contamination and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. Other environmental impacts associated with NDT procedures include high consumption of energy and water as well as large volumes of complex waste streams. Objectives The project aims to demonstrate new environmental-friendly practices and technologies for surface NDT in production and in service applications. Principles of sustainable consumption and production will underpin efforts to improve the environmental footprint of NDT technology by optimising protocols and working methods. Emissions into air, water and soils, as well as the amount of waste produced will be reduced significantly. Consumption of electrical energy and water will be tackled and accident risks (associated with electromagnetic fields and dangerous chemicals) will be addressed. New (versatile and modular) demonstration plants will be developed and tested in a large range of applications. Design factors being tested will include acoustic resonance, IR thermosonic, and guided wave applications. A stakeholder awareness campaign will promote the project findings to highlight the viable and sustainable potential of innovative and clean NDT technologies that apply resonance acoustic, IR thermosonic and ultrasonic guided wave methods. These will be shown to provide an effective alternative to conventional MPE and PT approaches. Testing platforms for end-users and vocational training will also form part of the project. Expected results: Demonstration of new eco-friendly NDT practices capable of: Reducing waste materials and consumption of energy and chemical inputs by 20-30% compared with conventional PT approaches; Reducing magnetic ink consumption and wastes by 20-30% compared with conventional MPE approaches; Achieving cost savings of 30% compared with conventional PT and MPE approaches. Implementation of innovative eco-technology replacing MPE and PT resulting in: Elimination of chemical inputs and waste; Energy savings of up to 90% and cost savings of up to 70%.Indirect results will include improved working conditions by limiting employee exposure to noise, magnetic fields and chemical agents. The project will also contribute to consolidating legislation linked with the IPPC (Integrated Pollution, Prevention and Control) EC Directive (COM 2007 final).

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