Automatic assessment of industrial plant components
Under the auspices of the XPECTION project an innovative material ageing characterisation method that employs on site X-ray diffraction was generated. The novel inspection methodology can be easily integrated into the infrastructure of inspection and maintenance of industrial plants. The method includes hardware and software for obtaining data, evaluation of residual life-time and process simulation. The XpectionTool experimental prototype covers all operations from evaluation of two-dimensional X-ray diffraction data evaluation to monitoring materials properties. The tool is very flexible and may be easily adapted to any infrastructure. Using raw-data format as an input, its use doesn't require any specialisation skills in crystallography. Although the main application area is inspection and maintenance, it may be also used for quality control in production and material research using two-dimensional X-ray diffraction. The XpectionTool is highly suitable for fossil-related electric power generation and petro-chemical industries. Other potential applications include all-types of electric power generation, aircraft manufacturing and maintenance, pulp and paper, chemical, food, foundries, cement and concrete. The XpectionTool is unique in its development since the user is capable of completing all the evaluation steps involved using only one tool in the simplest way possible. There are no requirements for data formatting, which is both time and resource consuming. Its adoption may significantly benefit industries performing inspection, manufacturers of X-ray diffraction components and research organisations. For further information on the project, click at: http://projects.tecnatom.es/xpection
