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.
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.