In the early days of nuclear power plant inspection, there were only the basic methods of radiography (RT) and manual ultrasonic testing (UT) for volumetric examinations. Inspectors used cumbersome single-wave UT tools that had limited capabilities to detect flaws in nuclear reactor components and piping. Today, the once analogue practice of nuclear plant inspections has undergone a digital transformation. Technological advances in predictive maintenance, such as AI, sensors and other automated tools, have led to improved inspection quality to enhance nuclear safety.

Non-destructive Evaluation (NDE), or Non-destructive Testing (NDT), refers to the inspection of materials without affecting their useability and the overall integrity of the asset in which they are installed. NDE is applied in many industries. In the case of nuclear power generation, it is used to evaluate components in both the initial manufacturing phase and throughout the reactor’s lifecycle.

Read the full article at NEI Magazine.