ACOUSTIC EMISSION & NDT ENGINEERING SERVICES

 

An important goal for Mistras Group Hellas is the search for excellence through innovative R&D in NDT and Acoustic Emission. The continuous R&D conducted by the company targets the development of unique Acoustic Emission and NDT applications and instrumentation, and has resulted in numerous Scientific Publications.

Additionally, Mistras Group Hellas has close cooperation, through direct contacts and/or joint R&D projects, with universities, institutes and industrial partners in order to expand its R&D goals and targets. R&D interests and activities of the company can be generalized in the following categories:

  • Acoustic Emission basic and applied research for the development of new applications aimed towards improving material and structural integrity.

  • R&D for the advancement of Acoustic Emission and Non-Destructive Testing techniques and practices into the 21st century.

  • R&D involving the integration of Neural Networks and Artificial Intelligence in NDT.

  • R&D aimed towards solving the difficulties of assessing the integrity of complex geometries of materials and structures that only a global technique like AE can solve.

 

RESEARCH PROJECTS

 

1. " SENSKIN: 'SENsing SKIN' for Monitoring-Based Maintenance of the Transport Infrastructure”

Under the auspices of the Horizon 2020 Framework Program of the European Community (2014-2020), Topic: MG-8.1a-2014 - Smarter design, construction and maintenance, Mistras Group Hellas is participating as a beneficiary in the Research and Innovation project: " SENSKIN: 'SENsing SKIN' for Monitoring-Based Maintenance of the Transport Infrastructure ". The project aims to improve Structural Health Monitoring techniques for transport infrastructure through the development of an innovative monitoring and management system for bridges based on an inexpensive, low power, wireless, skin-like sensor.

 

Visit the SENSKIN website: http://www.senskin.eu/

Visit the EU Horizon 2020 website: http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/

 

2. "Development and Demonstration of a Novel Integrated Condition Monitoring System for Wind Turbines (NIMO)"

 

Under the auspices of the Seventh Framework Program of the European Community (2007-2013), THEME: 5, ENERGY, ACTIVITY ENERGY.2: "RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY GENERATION", AREA ENERGY.2.3: "WIND", Mistras Group Hellas is participating as a beneficiary in the project: "Development and Demonstration of a Novel Integrated Condition Monitoring System for Wind Turbines - NIMO". The project aims to develop and successfully implement an integrated condition monitoring system for the continuous evaluation of wind turbines. NIMO will advance existing state-of-the-art condition monitoring technology used in wind turbines by delivering an advanced system which will be able to reliably evaluate the condition of critical structural components, rotating parts and braking mechanisms.

Visit the NIMO website: http://www.nimoproject.eu/

Visit the EU FP7 website: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html

 

3. "Development of a Novel Integrated Inspection System for the Accurate Evaluation of the Structural Integrity of Rail Tracks (INTERAIL)"

 

Under the auspices of the Seventh Framework Program of the European Community (2007-2013) THEME: 7, SUSTAINABLE SURFACE TRANSPORT, ACTIVITY: 7.2.5.1 "Competitive industrial processes", ACTIVITY CODE: SST.2008.5.1.1: "Advanced and cost-effective infrastructure construction, maintenance and monitoring", Mistras Group Hellas is participating as a beneficiary in the project: "Development of a Novel Integrated Inspection System for the Accurate Evaluation of the Structural Integrity of Rail Tracks - INTERAIL". The project aims to develop and successfully implement an integrated high-speed system for the fast and reliable inspection of rail tracks. The application of the high-speed system will be complemented through the implementation of novel, semi-automated testing equipment which will be deployed for the verification and evaluation of the defects detected during high-speed inspection.

Visit the INTERAIL website: http://www.interailproject.eu/

Visit the EU FP7 website: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html

 

4. "Development of Novel Inspection Systems for Railway Wheel sets (SAFERAIL)"

 

Under the auspices of the Seventh Framework Program of the European Community (2007-2013) (http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html), THEME: 7, SUSTAINABLE SURFACE TRANSPORT, ACTIVITY CODE: SST.2007-4.1-01: "Safety and Security by Design", Mistras Group Hellas is participating as a beneficiary in the project, "Development of Novel Inspection Systems for Railway Wheel sets - SafeRail". The project is developing novel methodologies and techniques for the inspection of wheel sets in order to minimize wheel set failures and damage caused by faulty wheel sets to the rail tracks and rolling stock.

Visit the SAFERAIL website: http://www.saferail.net

 

5. "Continuous health monitoring and non-destructive assessment of composites and composite repairs on surface transport applications (COMPAIR)"

 

Under the auspices of the Seventh Framework Program of the European Community (2007-2013) (http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html), THEME: 7, SUSTAINABLE SURFACE TRANSPORT, ACTIVITY CODE: SST.2007.5.1.2: "Cost effective manufacturing and maintenance", Mistras Group Hellas is participating as a beneficiary in the project, "Continuous health monitoring and non-destructive assessment of composites and composite repairs on surface transport applications - ComPair". The project is developing advanced NDT on composite materials and components of surface transportation vehicles.

Visit the COMPAIR website: http://www.compairproject.com/

 

6. "Assessment of the Seismic Vulnerability of Existing Buildings and Development of Advanced Reinforcement Materials and Techniques (ARISTION)"

 

Funded by the Community Support Framework III, under the auspices of the Hellenic Ministry of Development, General Secretariat for Research and Technology, and within the scopes of the Operational Program "Competitiveness", measure 4.5 "Built Environment and Seismic Risk Management", Mistras Group Hellas is a collaborating partner in the "Assessment of the Seismic Vulnerability of Existing Buildings and Development of Advanced Reinforcement Materials and Techniques (ARISTION)" project. Mistras Group Hellas will perform NDT in very large scale concrete structures including healthy and damaged and repaired structures, and will collaborate with the rest of the partners in developing testing procedures and evaluation criteria, as well as correlation of the NDT results with vulnerability assessment. The employed techniques will include Acoustic Emission, Acousto-Ultrasonics, Impact Echo and Ultrasonics. Download Aristion brochure (pdf, 265 kB).

 

 

7. "Laser Multitask Non Destructive Technology in Conservation Diagnostic Procedures (LASERACT)"

 

Under the auspices of the European Commission, 5th Framework Program, "Environment and Sustainable Development", Key Action: City of Tomorrow and Cultural Heritage, Mistras Group Hellas is participating as a main contractor in the project, "Laser Multitask Non Destructive Technology in Conservation Diagnostic Procedures (LASERACT)". The project is developing novel instrumentation and standardized methodology protocols elaborating in synergy with existing methods and practices in order to provide solution to a long standing problem in art conservation structural diagnostics improving conservation strategies and advancing the state of the art in art conservation diagnostic procedures. Novel peripheral instrumentation prototype is being developed for field application. Mistras Group Hellas is offering know-how and state-of-the-art NDT instrumentation and is developing novel excitation means for the Laser-based techniques.

 

Visit the LaserACT website: http://www.iesl.forth.gr/programs/laseract/

 

8. "Marine Power Plant Management and Monitoring using Acoustic Emission (AE-WATT)"

 

Under the auspices of the European Commission, 5th Framework Program, "Competitive and Sustainable Growth", Mistras Group Hellas is a main contractor for the "Marine Power Plant Management and Monitoring using Acoustic Emission (AE-WATT)", project. The project is developing management and monitoring system using multi sensor based measurement and analysis techniques particular for critical failures in large marine movers such as ship diesel engines and stationary diesel power plants. The methods developed will have wide generic applicability to other reciprocating and rotating machines of all sizes. Mistras Group Hellas is designing and developing innovative AE sensor, especially optimized for the particular needs of the project's application, both in terms of its harsh, industrial operating environment, but also in view of its characteristics (frequency, sensitivity etc.), using high-tech instrumentation.

 

 

Visit the AE-WATT website: http://mole.imm.dtu.dk/aewatt/index.php

 

9. "Air Conformal Fiber Optic Ice Detection System (ACIDS)"

 

Under the auspices of the European Commission, 5th Framework Program, "Competitive and Sustainable Growth", Mistras Group Hellas is a sub-contractor of Hellenic Aerospace in the "Air Conformal Fiber Optic Ice Detection System (ACIDS)" project. The project's objective is the development and testing of system capable of detecting presence, thickness and type of ice accreted on the leading surfaces of rotary and fixed wing aircraft. Mistras Group Hellas performs Acoustic Emission testing of composite material samples with embedded optical fibers, and advanced Pattern Recognition analysis, in order to assess the effect of optical fibers in the structural integrity of the structures tested. Comparison of AE behavior of samples with and without optical fibers, under various loadings is being performed, as well as damage assessment using AE.

 

 

10. "Acoustic Emission Proof Testing and Damage Assessment of Wind Turbine Blades (AEGIS)"

 

"Acoustic Emission Proof Testing and Damage Assessment of Wind Turbine Blades - AEGIS", 1998-2002, funded by the European Community, in the Framework of the Non-Nuclear Energy Program, JOULE III. Within the scopes of the project, the Partners successfully developed a methodology for the structural integrity assessment of wind turbine blades, either in-service, or during certification testing, based on Acoustic Emission monitoring during static or fatigue loading. Mistras Group Hellas has developed, within the framework of the project, specialized Pattern Recognition software for AE data analysis and wind turbine automatic structural integrity assessment, which is directly exploitable, as a commercial product, and which Mistras Group Hellas is currently marketing to interested companies. Within the framework of the inter-company cooperations developed as a result of the project, Mistras Group Hellas will provide consulting services to blade testing and certification institutions, while the developed methodology for AE monitoring during blade testing is expected to lead to the creation of a relevant European norm.

 

 

Visit the AEGIS website: http://www.eru.rl.ac.uk/AEGIS/aegis.htm

 

11. "Non-destructive wave analysis of materials and composition testing (MYKKINES)"

 

"Non-destructive wave analysis of materials and composition testing", 1998-2001, funded by the Ministry for Development, General Secretariat for Research and Technology. Engineering and development of prototype devices for the quality control of several types of concrete, at various solidification stages, and for the quality certification of small metallic components of tanks has been concluded. Mistras Group Hellas performed extensive testing of concrete specimens using Acoustic Emission and Acousto-Ultrasonics data fusion and Pattern Recognition analysis. Additionally, Mistras Group Hellas developed methodology for the measurement of the hardening depth of metallic links using Resistivity NDT.

Acoustic Emission AEGIS s/w for W/T Blades

Non-Destructive Wave form Analysis and Structural Testing of Concrete, during and after solidification.

Under the framework of the national MYKKINES project work was performed on mortar and concrete specimens utilizing Acousto-Ultrasonic techniques for the early determination by NDT of the W/C ratio. Further work involved the monitoring by Acoustic Emission of specimen compressive strength tests. Further in-house analysis fusing Acoustic Emission and Acousto-Ultrasonic data utilized NOESIS to apply pattern recognition algorithms for the discrimination of failure mechanisms and early prediction of sustained damage.

The Application of a Combination of NDT methods for Small Parts of Mass Production During Different Production Stages.

Development of Unsupervised Pattern Recognition Techniques for Damage Characterization in Composite Materials.

 

 

12. "Engineering and normative planning, and organization of non-destructive testing (NDT) to be carried out in the process of building of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline"

 

"Engineering and normative planning, and organization of non-destructive testing (NDT) to be carried out in the process of building of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline", 1998-2000, funded by the Ministry for Development, General Secretariat for Research and Technology under the "Bulgaria-Greece Joint Research and Technology Programs". Mistras Group Hellas performed engineering and normative planning, and organization of non-destructive testing (NDT) to be carried out in the process of building of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline. The proposed methodologies are applicable to, basically, any existing pipeline, as well. The conduction of relevant NDT field tests by Mistras Group Hellas' engineers, in combination with the systematized methodology proposed, which is continuously improving since then, are the solid proof of the successful exploitation of the results.

 

 

FEASIBILITY STUDIES AND CONSULTING SERVICES

 

Mistras Group Hellas' highly educated professionals can confirm the feasibility of your NDT application and provide innovative engineering solutions for your NDT requirements.

Mistras Group Hellas ABEE also offers consulting services geared towards the normative planning and organization of in-service NDT applications, particularly for companies who seek predictive maintenance solutions and planning.