Supporting Digital Radiography Training in Australia

ATTAR (Advanced Technology Testing and Research), headquartered in Victoria, Australia with a team of around 45 employees provides a range of services such as non-destructive testing, failure analysis and forensic engineering, risk assessment services, and specialist testing of structures and vessels. ATTAR also provides year-wide training courses for all major NDT techniques such as radiography, ultrasonic, magnetic particle, and eddy current testing.

ATTAR has been using DÜRR NDT computed radiography scanners since 2015 and more recently the DRC 2430 NDT high-resolution flat panel detector since 2019. The systems are used primarily for digital radiography training targeting the industrial and engineering sectors. More specifically, training and exams for the AINDT Welds Level 2 radiography certifi­cation are carried out using the DRC 2430 flat panel detector. From early 2023, the panel will also be used in a new profile radiography course to be offered by ATTAR.

The DRC 2430 NDT panel is particularly suited for weld evaluation as its small pixel size of 76 microns allows it to achieve ISO 17636-2 Class B compliance for a wide range of material thicknesses. ATTAR uses the panel for a full week each month with around 50 students becoming familiar with the system every year. Both systems are used in a fully-enclosed radiation cabinet in combination with an X-ray generator.

ATTAR uses the DÜRR NDT D-Tect X inspection software to acquire and analyze images from both systems and according to ATTAR NDT trainer and consultant Ken Williamson: “the D-Tect X acquisition and viewing software is intuitive and easy to use, in particular the various measurement tools. Software updates are also simple and very worthwhile as they allow the software to quickly adapt to meet the needs of industry.”

On the comparison to conventional film radiography, Ken commented: “using a digital system such as from DÜRR NDT makes it so much easier to create radiographic reports. Films also have an environmental impact and technicians generally find it more comfortable to look at digital images on a monitor rather than physical film on a viewer.”

Equipment reliability and support is extremely important to ATTAR and on this experience, they commented: “the after-sales service is fantastic, in particular the fact that you do not feel on your own if you require troubleshooting”. DÜRR NDT achieves this high level of support in partnership with EN DE TEK Australia who also performs maintenance and any other required service activities to ensure the systems are always running per specification.