Technical insights for NDT and industrial automation.
Practical guides and technical comparisons on industrial radiography and CT, ultrasonic testing, videoscopes, XRF material analysis and warehouse and production automation, written for people who have to choose and buy.
How to choose an inspection method, instrument and automation.
Each article helps turn a generic request into a concrete specification (method, configuration, standards, application requirements), which is the data you need to request a quote. The newest are at the top.
IQI selection for radiography: wire or hole-type indicator to ASME V, ASTM and ISO 17636
Enter thickness, material and position to get the hole IQI (2T hole) or the essential wire per ASME V T-276 and ASTM E747/E1025, or the ISO 17636 W or H value.
→Free toolFrom ISO 5817 quality level to weld radiography: technique class and acceptance level
Free tool: go from an ISO 5817 or ISO 10042 quality level to the ISO 17636 technique class and the ISO 10675 acceptance level. UT, PT and MT included.
→XRF/PMI analysisXRF analyzer FAQ: what XRF is, how it works, what it measures and what it costs
Real questions about XRF answered: meaning, how it works, elements it detects, gold and precious metals, PMI, handheld analyzer cost, safety and calibration.
→Non-destructive testingNon-destructive testing FAQ: methods, welds, standards and costs
What non-destructive testing is, the main NDT methods (UT, RT, PT, MT, VT, CT), weld inspection, ISO 9712 and ISO 17635, outside service or in-house.
→Industrial radiographyWeld radiography: how to organize testing in-house or with an outside service
Weld radiography: when it is required, ISO 17636 and classes A and B, source and detector, radiation protection, in-house or outside NDT service.
→Penetrant testing PTLiquid Penetrant Testing of Welds: Procedure, Materials, Standards and Method Limits
Liquid penetrant testing of welds: ISO 3452-1 steps, color contrast vs fluorescent, kits, ISO 23277 acceptance levels and when to switch to MT, UT or RT.
→Magnetic particle MTMagnetic Particle Testing of Welds: How It Works, Equipment, Standards and Limits
Magnetic particle testing (MT) of welds: principle, yokes and bench units, dry or wet, visible or fluorescent, ISO 17638, ISO 23278 and demagnetization.
→Industrial CTCT scanning of plastic and composite parts: what it shows and how to prepare the analysis
Voids, fiber orientation, warpage against CAD, metal inserts and plastic welds: what industrial CT shows on plastics and composites. Quote for the analysis within 24 hours.
→ Industrial CTReverse engineering with industrial CT: from part to STL and CAD model
From CT volume to STL mesh and CAD: internal geometry, surface determination, accuracy and when CT beats optical scanners and CMMs. Your quote for the scan arrives within 24 hours.
→ Industrial radiographyIndustrial Radioscopy: When It Pays Off over Radiography
Real-time X-ray inspection of castings, wheels and welds in series: radioscopy vs radiography and CT, standards, ADR validation, installation. Reply with a quote within 24 hours.
→ XRF/PMI material analysisPortable XRF analyzer for mining: what it measures and how to choose
Portable XRF analyzer for mining and ores: measurable elements, limits on Mg, Al, Si and gold, sample prep, QA/QC, JORC, NI 43-101 and instrument choice.
→ AMR automationMobile manipulators: when an AMR with a robot arm pays off for parts handling
Mobile manipulators, AMRs with a robot arm and vision: when they beat a fixed robot with a shuttle, real payloads, accuracy, standards and feasibility.
→ Industrial CTIndustrial CT: when to buy a scanner and when to use a service
Industrial CT: buy a scanner or use a CT service? Voxel size vs real resolution, metrology or defects, scan time, artifacts and costs beyond the machine.
→Industrial radiographyIndustrial radiography: cost, purchase and evaluation of an X-ray system
What an industrial radiography system costs: cost per exposure, source choice, Italian licensing under Decree 101/2020, staff and a tailored quote in 24 hours.
→Ultrasonics UT/PAUT/TOFDPAUT and TOFD Instruments: How to Choose One Before You Buy
16:64 channels, groups, TOFD, scanners, software, ISO 18563 verification and training: what to ask before buying a PAUT instrument. Quote for the instrument within 24 hours.
→RVI / VideoscopyBuying an Industrial Videoscope: Full Cost, a Test on Your Part, and Support
Buying an industrial videoscope: three-year spend, a demo on your own part, verifying 3D measurement, service in Italy. Your quote arrives within 24 hours.
→AMR automationAutonomous forklifts and AMRs: evaluating an automation project
Autonomous forklifts and AMRs: data to collect, sizing the fleet on the worst hour, building constraints, EN ISO 3691-4:2023 and questions for the supplier.
→XRF/PMI material analysisVerifying gold fineness at the counter: XRF procedure for gold buyers
XRF spectrometer for gold buyers: the counter procedure for testing fineness, plated items and tungsten-core bars, when to send to assay and what to record.
→XRF/PMI material analysisScrap yard alloy sorting: separating 304 from 316 with XRF
How to separate 304 from 316 stainless, copper and nickel alloys in the scrap yard with portable XRF, avoid downgrades and document lots for the mill.
→Warehouse automationFire protection in automated warehouses: the insurer writes the criterion
Sprinklers and compact automated warehouses: why the protection criterion sits in an insurer's data sheet, what it covers and six questions to ask.
→Industrial CTCT porosity: same casting, two different numbers. What to write in the specification
Why two CT labs report different porosity on the same casting: segmentation, threshold, voxel size and test report. What to fix in the specification.
→Digital radiographyDigitizing industrial radiographic film with a film digitizer
Industrial film digitizers for radiographic film: Dmax, resolution, bit depth, SNR, ISO 14096:2026 classes and DICONDE archiving. A quote for the digitizer within 24 hours.
→XRF/PMI material analysisXRF in the Foundry: Alloy Verification at Pouring and Intake
Foundry material analysis with a portable XRF spectrometer: charge, pouring and intake checks, the carbon limit, when OES is needed, which standards apply.
→Industrial radiographyWeld radiography acceptance levels: ISO 5817, ISO 10675 and who decides
Weld radiography: ISO 5817 quality level, ISO 17636 technique class and ISO 10675 acceptance level. Who sets them and what the X suffix changes.
→Industrial automationAMR fleet charging: the fleet stops before the battery does
Sizing AMR fleet charging: dwell windows, number of stations, charge thresholds, LFP or NMC chemistry, the cold-storage limit and charging-area standards.
→XRF/PMI material analysisPMI in Oil & Gas: Material Analysis of Piping, Valves and Welds
Handheld XRF material analysis on pressure equipment: separating P11, P22 and 316, when carbon and silicon need LIBS or OES, and who sets the criterion.
→AutomationAutomating pallet handling with AMRs in a running warehouse: where to start
Pallets and autonomous mobile robots in a working warehouse: the first flow to automate, sharing aisles with forklifts, building checks, WMS and VDA 5050.
→Industrial CTCT dimensional metrology: how internal geometry is measured
CT dimensional metrology: internal dimensions without cutting the part, CAD comparison, task-specific uncertainty to VDI/VDE 2630, CT vs CMM vs optical.
→Ultrasonics UTUltrasonic Corrosion Mapping: Mapping Wall Loss Instead of Measuring One Point
Ultrasonic corrosion mapping on piping, tanks and heat exchangers: encoder, C-scan and B-scan, grid density, CUI and when a thickness gauge is enough.
→Industrial CTPorosity in castings and die castings: when industrial CT becomes necessary
CT porosity analysis of castings and die castings: where radiography stops, what CT adds, the voxel size you need, ASTM E505-22 and BDG P 203.
→RVI / VideoscopyVideoscope Inspection of Heat Exchangers and Piping: Method, Geometries and Limits
Videoscope inspection of heat exchangers and piping: API RP 571 damage, 4 and 6 mm probes for TEMA tubes, API 510, RP 572 and 570, limits and UT/IRIS.
→XRF material analysisHandheld XRF analyzer: what drives the price
What sets the price of a handheld XRF analyzer (SDD or Si-PIN detector, tube, calibrations, service) and how to compare purchase, rental and an outside lab.
→Intralogistics automationGoods-to-person automated warehouse: when it really pays off, with numbers and thresholds
When a goods-to-person automated warehouse pays off: order lines per day, item counts, the cost of walking, space, shifts and the cases where it doesn't.
→Ultrasonic testingUltrasonic Thickness Gauge: Wall Thickness Measurement and Corrosion Monitoring
Ultrasonic thickness gauge for corrosion: pulse-echo, Mode 1, 2 and echo-to-echo, dual-element probes, typical errors, ISO 16809:2025 and remaining life.
→Warehouse automationAutomated warehouse: how to choose between AS/RS, goods-to-person, vertical lift modules and AMRs
Automated warehouse options compared: AS/RS, goods-to-person, vertical lift modules and AMRs, selection parameters, payback method, WMS, safety and pitfalls.
→Industrial radiographyWeld and casting radiography: typical cases and how to read the defects
Radiographic testing of pipe welds and castings: exposure techniques, IQIs, defects and the ISO 5817, ISO 17636 and ISO 10675 correspondence explained.
→Industrial radiographyX-ray tube: focal spot, geometry and parameters in practice
X-ray tube in practice: focal spot, geometric unsharpness, kV, mA·s and filtration, and how they set image quality in industrial radiography.
→XRF material analysisHandheld metal spectrometer for scrap yards: how to choose one
Which handheld spectrometer a scrap yard needs: XRF, LIBS or mobile OES by alloy family, aluminum, ruggedness and data, and how to test it on your own material before buying.
→AMR automationAGV vs AMR: real differences between guided vehicles and autonomous mobile robots, and which one to choose
AGV vs AMR compared: fixed-path guided vehicles and autonomous mobile robots on infrastructure, layout changes, EN ISO 3691-4:2023 safety and cost structure.
→RVI / VideoscopyBorescope Inspection of Turbines and Engines: An Applied Guide
Borescope inspection of turbines and engines: blade and combustor defects, access ports, 3D measurement, standards and what a turbine borescope must offer.
→Ultrasonics PAUTPhased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT): What It Is, Advantages and When It Pays Off
Phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT): multi-element probes, focal laws, S-scan and E-scan, PAUT vs conventional UT, and ISO 13588, ISO 19285 and ISO 20601.
→Industrial CTIndustrial CT scanning: how it works, key parameters and standards
Industrial CT scanning: projections and 3D reconstruction, cone or fan beam, voxel size and real resolution, artifacts, ISO 15708 and ASTM standards.
→XRF/PMI material analysisMetal Part Traceability: EN 10204 Certificates and PMI Analysis
Traceability of metal parts from heat to finished component: marking, EN 10204 3.1/3.2 certificates, material analysis with XRF or LIBS and incoming checks.
→AutomationAMRs: how to calculate ROI, TCO and payback in intralogistics
The business case for autonomous mobile robots: savings that hold up, recurring TCO costs, payback from a worked example with stated assumptions, spec items.
→AutomationAMRs and safety: how autonomous mobile robots reduce workplace injuries
AMR safety: Italian forklift accident data, IEC 61496-3 laser scanners, ISO 13849-1:2023, EN ISO 3691-4:2023 and the EU Machinery Regulation from 2027.
→XRF/PMI material analysisXRF analysis of gold and precious metals: method, standards and limits
Precious metals XRF analyzer: spectral lines and overlaps, information depth, ISO 23345, ISO 11426 fire assay and legal fineness in Italy.
→XRF/PMI material analysisLIBS vs XRF in PMI: Measuring Carbon and Telling L Grades Apart
Why an XRF spectrometer can't read carbon and a LIBS spectrometer can: separating 304L and 316L from standard grades and preparing the surface right.
→XRF/PMI material analysisPortable XRF analyzer: how to choose the right spectrometer for PMI and alloys
How to choose a portable XRF analyzer or handheld spectrometer for PMI and alloys: X-ray fluorescence, SDD detector, calibrations, carbon and cost.
→Industrial videoscopy RVIHow to choose an industrial videoscope: the parameters that matter
How to choose an industrial videoscope: borescope, fiberscope or video endoscope, probe diameter and length, articulation, optics, lighting and IP rating.
→Radiography and ultrasoundRadiography or ultrasonic testing: which NDT method for welds
Weld inspection: when to choose radiography and when ultrasonic testing, phased array or TOFD. ISO 17635, ISO 17640, POD data. Reply and quote within 24 hours.
→Digital radiographyDR detectors for weld radiography: how to choose one
DR detectors for weld radiography: SRb and ISO 19232-5, ISO 17636-2:2022 class B, scintillator choice and calibration. Your quote for the detector arrives within 24 hours.
→Industrial radiographyCR or DR? Digital industrial radiography compared
CR or DR in industrial radiography: ISO 17636-2:2022 class B, ISO 16371-1 plates, DDA panels, BAM data and when each one pays off. Tailored quote for the system within 24 hours.
→X-ray sourcesIndustrial X-ray tube and generator: how to choose them
Choosing an industrial X-ray tube and generator: kV from ISO 17636 curves, duty cycle, waveform, panoramic or directional, Italian 200 keV rule. Quote for tube and generator within 24 hours.
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