About ANDSCAN

About

	System description
	ANDSCAN® Reader
	Connectivity
	Training
	Links to Related Sites
	Contact Information

The original R-theta arm marketed with ANDSCAN software from 1992 to 2003

System description

ANDSCAN^® is a versatile Windows™ application for acquiring and analysing 2-dimensional scans of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) data. Typical uses include ultrasonic scanning of composite structures for aerospace and motor-sport applications, eddy-current imaging of multi-layered aluminium structures and low-frequency vibration scans of sandwich composites. A variety of coordinate positioning machines can be employed to provide the information about probe location.

Background

ANDSCAN^®, the portable scanner developed by QinetiQ (formerly the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, DERA), is one of several scanning systems which have recently revolutionised the application of hand-held NDT methods. The ability to provide a two-dimensional map showing the structural integrity of a component is of great benefit across the spectrum of NDT. When combined with data storage, post-processing, versatility, and the rapid incorporation of new techniques through software updates, the advantages are overwhelming. In making such a system available to the NDT operator, the crucial requirement has been to reduce to a minimum the additional equipment and time required for the inspection. The Scanning Revolution

An integral objective of the NDT research and development work at QinetiQ has been the rapid transfer of its technology to the end user. By producing software-based systems, and regularly updating the commercial version (ANDSCAN^®) with user-friendly versions of the new techniques, it has been possible for QinetiQ to dramatically reduce the technology transfer time. ANDSCAN History

Key Uses

Aerospace

ANDSCAN is widely used in civil and military aerospace for scanning areas of composite and metallic structures using conventional ultrasonic, eddy-current and acoustic flaw detectors. Whilst the Large-Area Grid capability allows coverage of large structures such as wings, the high resolution makes characterisation and sizing of defects highly accurate. Software tools provide the semi-automated measurement of a range of defect parameters.

Offshore, Oil & Gas

Large areas of the external surface of pipes are regularly scanned to map the wall thickness, both to detect gross thinning and also to determine the remaining life of the pipe. Cylindrical curvature correction allows the unwrapping of the pipe surface onto the display, whilst the Large-Area Grid software can automatically stitch scans to provide an overall image.

Photo courtesy of Agfa NDT Ltd.

Motor Sport

Acoustic, or low-frequency vibration methods are commonly used alongside ultrasound to detect and characterise defects in high-performance composite sandwich structures. More than six of the top Formula One racing teams own ANDSCAN systems for regular inspection of such structures.

Typical Applications

Historical

The first ANDSCAN system was a DOS-based application developed by the NDE Group at the Royal Aerospace Establishment, Farnborough, UK. It was manufactured and marketed world-wide from 1992 by Wells Krautkramer Ltd and associated companies in the Krautkramer Group, now part of Agfa NDT Ltd. ANDSCAN for Windows was a further development in 1995 by the same group, but then in a larger organisation – the Defence Research Agency (DRA) – an agency of the UK Ministry of Defence. By the time the 32-bit application: ANDSCAN 2000, was released in December 2000 the agency had grown further into the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA). In 2001 the NDE Group became part of the privatised research company QinetiQ Ltd but is still based at Farnborough. This now forms the basic software package and work the NDE Group is concentrating on developing plug-in hardware and software modules.

ANDSCAN^® Reader

ANDSCAN® Reader is an application that will open ANDSCAN^® files and most other image format files and allow analysis of the data using many tools from the full ANDSCAN^® application. Some tools are only available for analysis of ANDSCAN^®files.

The ANDSCAN Reader application is available free of charge on condition that the licence terms are accepted, and can be downloaded from this page: ANDSCAN^® Reader.