With the introduction of mandatory training hours for EN 473 Level 3 examinations, TWI has introduced a course that provides preparation for basic and main method examinations, which is available at TWI's training facilities in Abington and Middlesbrough, UK. The training objective is to provide candidates with the foundation knowledge required to take basic and main method examinations. It is aimed at experienced senior inspection personnel who wish to attempt EN 473 Level 3 certification.

Oceaneering has announced the birth of a brand new addition to its family of advanced NDT systems. The 'baby SCAR' was inspired by the Oceaneering and Sentinel model 959, said to be the safest gamma radiographic system in the world.

Technologies Consulting International Inc (TCI Inc) has entered into an exclusive agreement with Inspection Software Systems to promote, market and sell the TubePro 2D and 3D software packages in the Middle East and South America. The TubePro 2D and 3D versions allow for central storage and retrieval of information regarding customers, testing equipment, instruments, drawings, 3D models, reports and inspection data.

In February, the International School of Aerospace NDT (ISA NDT) was pleased to welcome Mr Austin Dunn of the Infrared Institute to its school to conduct ISA's first Thermography Level 2 course in accordance with EN 4179:2009.

CEOC International, the International Confederation of Inspection and Certification Organisations, and EFNDT, the European Federation for Non-Destructive Testing, have signed co-operation agreements with EUROLAB, the European Federation of National Associations of Measurement, Testing and Analytical Laboratories.

Following an audit by BINDT in December last year, TEST NDT International received accreditation by the National Aerospace NDT Board (NANDTB) as an Outside Agency (OA) Level 3 service provider this March. This follows on from the accreditation by BINDT as a training provider, which was granted in February of this year.

Mistras Group, Inc has joined forces with HITCO Carbon Composites, Inc in the USA to produce a 12-axes ultrasonic C-scan imaging gantry scanning system, believed to be one of the largest scanners built thus far for the inspection of aerospace carbon composite components.

SGS recently organised two seminars regarding personnel certification in the field of non-destructive testing (NDT). Held in the City of Manila, Philippines, on 16 March 2010 and in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on 18 March 2010, the seminars were designed to introduce the different certification systems.

Now entering its fortieth year in business, materials characterisation specialist Malvern Instruments is celebrating winning its fifth Queen's Award, a significant achievement that reflects the drive and commitment of everyone in this high-tech company. Details of the award were announced on the occasion of Her Majesty The Queen's birthday on 21 April 2010. Malvern is to receive the 2010 Queen's Award for Enterprise in the category Innovation, in recognition of the company's continuous innovation and development of its award-winning Zetasizer Nano range of particle characterisation systems.

Instrumentation specialist Ashtead Technology has announced the addition of the advanced Olympus I-Speed 3 high-speed video (HSV) camera to its comprehensive fleet of remote visual inspection (RVI) equipment.