Time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD) has established itself as a widely used tool for flaw detection in welds and is an accurate and effective NDT technique to determine defect height. This unique ultrasonic method offers significant advantages in the speed and detection of defects and combines a high detection rate with extremely good reliability for both pre-service and in-service inspections.

The Chief Executive of the National Skills Academy for Nuclear, Jean Llewellyn OBE, welcomed the publication of the UK’s Chief Nuclear Inspector Dr Mike Weightman’s final report on the lessons to be learned from the Fukushima Dai-ichi incident.

Peak NDT marked the presentation of its Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation 2011 with a celebration and workshop held over two days in October at its premises in Derby and Derbyshire County Cricket Club.

During an award ceremony at Argyll-Ruane Ltd’s premises in Rotherham, The British Institute of NDT (BINDT) and The National Skills Academy for Nuclear decided that it was in the public interest if both were members of each other’s organisations. The National Skills Academy for Nuclear is keen to understand how prepared we will be in terms of the provision of NDT services when generators start to build nuclear power stations. Equally, BINDT is keen to be at the forefront of the development of education and vocational NDT programmes to ensure that an adequate resource is provided.

Monitran, a world leader in the development and manufacture of transducers for the measurement of vibration, proximity and displacement, has promoted Andy Anthony to the position of Managing Director.

A very rainy Aberdeen hosted an all-time record-breaking attendance at what was the largest exhibition and conference in the history of SPE Offshore Europe. AGR Field Operations was amongst over 1,500 exhibiting companies, representing business operations from around the globe and covering more than 25,000 m2. This year’s theme was ‘Securing Safe, Smart, Sustainable Supply’ and was attended by some 32,000 delegates.

A partnership between Phoenix Inspection Systems and French nuclear support services company COMEX Nucleaire has resulted in a major contract win.

Lavender International is pleased to announce that it has the latest edition (2011) of SNT-TC-1A now in stock.

Argyll-Ruane Ltd, which operates from four UK centres – with multiple PCN examination delivery points in the UK, and covering Europe through to the Far East via partnering BINDT accredited trainers – has spent 2011 undertaking multiple new projects, including a new centre location (Advanced Manufacturing Park, Rotherham), existing centre upgrades – new practical radiography cell, additional resources, eddy current and computerised radiography resources, a new penetrant line, AGR UT TOFD and phased array equipment… and that’s just the start!

What does MQ&E do? Well, the answer is in the name: it manages membership applications, including overseeing Engineering Registration, it manages qualification processes, including the accreditation of BINDT-accredited training organisations, and it manages the Institute’s education initiatives.