Enhancing NDT Digital Workflows: Building and Optimizing with X-PACS

Today's NDT field is undergoing a significant shift towards digital transformation.

Traditional inspection processes can sometimes lead to inefficiencies and data management challenges.

Increasing inspection speed, enhancing accuracy, and ensuring transparency throughout the entire process are common goals for all NDT professionals.

To achieve these objectives, digitizing and optimizing the entire inspection workflow is essential.

In this article, we will delve into X-PACS, a solution for NDT data management and workflow improvement, and explore how you can move away from analog methods to build a complete digital workflow and maximize efficiency.

Challenges for Traditional NDT workflow

Many sites still rely on RT film, scatter inspection data across various systems and folders, and manage inspection orders, report creation, and staff administration separately.

It can be difficult to get a real-time status overview of all orders, inspections, and test reports.

Manual report creation and template updates can consume considerable time.

These issues slow down inspection speed, increase the potential for errors, and make data management and collaboration challenging.

Starting your Digital NDT Workflow Journey with X-PACS

X-PACS overcomes the limitations of traditional workflows by providing a powerful solution to digitize and centrally manage the entire NDT inspection process, from data acquisition to report generation, storage, sharing, and remote approval.

As a web-based archive and review solution, X-PACS sets a new standard for digital NDT data management.

Building and Enhancing Digital Workflow Using X-PACS

X-PACS offers comprehensive features that contribute to digitizing and improving efficiency across various stages of the NDT workflow.

• Data Integration and Centralized Management:

  X-PACS manages data generated from various NDT equipment and software in an integrated manner using a Vendor Neutral Archive(VNA) approach.

  This ensures data consistency and accessibility and complies with the DICONDE standard, enabling efficient data transmission and analysis.

• Efficient Data Acquisition and Digitalization Support:

  It supports digitizing existing inspection data, such as analog RT film, and efficiently importing digital inspection image data into the system.

  For instance, the ScanBot system digitizes analog X-ray films into high-resolution digital images.

  This helps reduce data entry errors and increase accuracy.

• Providing Digital Image Review and Analysis Capabilities:

  Professional software features are provided to effectively review and analyze high-resolution digital inspection images.

  Various image processing tools and analysis functions support defect detection and quantification, contributing to increased inspection accuracy.

  AI-driven enhancements can also improve analysis speed and accuracy.

• Excellent Data Accessibility and Sharing:

  With a web-based interface, data can be easily accessed and managed from anywhere, anytime, through a web browser without complex installations.

  This facilitates data sharing, enabling collaboration and efficient communication.

• Supporting Remote Inspection Approval Systems:

  Utilizing web-based data access and sharing capabilities, X-PACS supports establishing a remote inspection approval system that allows inspection results to be reviewed and approved without time and location constraints.

  Relevant experts can access inspection data regardless of geographical limitations to share opinions and make quick decisions.

• Integration with Existing Enterprise Systems:

  It can seamlessly integrate with existing systems like MES, SAP, and ERP through Web API and DICONDE standards, connecting NDT data to broader business processes and optimizing data flow.

• Robust Data Security:

  For the security of important NDT inspection data, advanced security protocols are used to ensure data integrity and prevent unauthorized access.

  This is essential for safely protecting critical inspection data.

Benefits of Digital Workflow Improvement

Digitizing and optimizing the entire NDT workflow using X-PACS offers the following key benefits:

• Increased Efficiency and Productivity:

  By streamlining data acquisition, centralizing management, leveraging advanced analysis features, enhancing remote access and collaboration, inspection speed is increased, unnecessary time waste is reduced, and overall work efficiency can be improved by up to 50%.

• Enhanced Accuracy and Reliability:

  Minimizing manual processes and performing inspections under consistent conditions reduces the likelihood of human error.

  Advanced analysis features aid in the accurate detection of even subtle defects, increasing the accuracy and objectivity of inspection results.

• Cost Reduction:

  Costs associated with film, development, and storage are reduced, inspection time is shortened, and operational costs like travel expenses can be saved through remote approval.

  Discovering defects at an early stage can reduce costs related to rework.

• Improved Data Management and Accessibility:

  All data is centrally managed according to the DICONDE standard, making it easy to search and share.

  It can be accessed anytime, anywhere.

• Enhanced Collaboration:

  The web-based platform allows relevant experts to easily access data, share opinions, and make joint decisions, improving collaboration efficiency.

Benefits of Digital NDT Workflow

conclusion

The digital transformation of the NDT inspection workflow is no longer optional, but essential.

X-PACS provides the foundation for a comprehensive integrated solution covering the entire NDT process, including data digitalization and acquisition support, centralized data management, image review and analysis, web-based access and sharing, and remote approval support.

Through X-PACS, NDT professionals can perform inspections that are faster, more accurate, and more efficient, maximize productivity in data management and collaboration, and ultimately provide safe and reliable inspection results.

Prepare for the future by improving your NDT workflow through digital transformation.

X-PACS will be a reliable partner on the journey.