Plastometrex, a materials science company based in Cambridge, England, has launched an Innovate UK-funded program to tackle the problem of in-field metal strength testing. The company leads a consortium that also includes global asset inspection company Rosen, leading testing service provider Element Materials Technology, and The National Physical Laboratory. The program will apply Plastometrex\u2019s novel platform testing technology (called PIP) to the inspection of high-value metal assets in the field.<\/p>\n
Each year, millions of tons of structural metal are produced to support the ever-increasing need for modern infrastructure. From bridges to rails and energy systems, large-scale metal structures form a critical part of modern society. When these structures fail, the consequences can be disastrous. In 2018, for example, pipeline failures accounted for nine deaths and almost $2 billion in damages in the US alone.<\/p>\n
Given the consequences of failure, the testing and inspection of in-field assets is big business, with a global market valued at over $24 billion. Current technologies include ultrasonic systems for crack detection, corrosion monitoring solutions, and chemical composition analysis. However, there is no widely accepted method for testing the underlying strength of the metal from which the assets are made.<\/p>\n
Conventional destructive methods rely on shutting down assets and extracting material in order to run laboratory-based tensile tests \u2013 a practice that is often unviable due to the structural damage this creates and the costs that are incurred. This can leave operators with limited material property data, making it difficult to reliably predict the useful remaining life of their components.<\/p>\n
Plastometrex\u2019s PIP technology extracts accurate material strength data (stress-strain curves) in a way that is non-destructive, accurate, and very fast using a unique combination of automated indentation testing and advanced numerical methods. The company bench-top testing device launched 2020 is now being used by leading universities and companies across the world. The newly funded program will support the company in developing a portable version of this system, moving the technology out of the laboratory and into the field.<\/p>\n
Plastometrex will release this portable testing system in 2023. The system will be applicable to all metallic materials and will be used to test the strength of a variety of critical metal assets. The data from Plastometrex\u2019s machines will provide operators with a key piece of information needed to increase the safety and operating efficiency of these systems.<\/p>\n
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