Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation
Sic'em
- NDT/NDI/NDE/QNDE is the practice of detecting features of a part without altering the part itself. It is often, incorrectly, regulated to the detection of flaws and imperfections, but it may allow the qualification of the as-manufactured part behavior.
- NDT (nondestructive testing), NDI (nondestructive inspection), and NDE (nondestructive evaluation) are often used interchangeably. They are often used as a pass/fail philosophy of “detection”. The question posed by the operator is often “Can I detect a feature of a given size/type?"
- QNDE, quantitative nondestructive evaluation, changes the concept a bit to where the operator changes the question to: “Can I quantify the size/type/number of features?”
- Baylor researchers approach the world of inspection from the latter approach. And we extend the question to “What is the size/type/number of features, and what will their impact be on the current and future part performance?”
