Jonathan Welch November 19, 2024 Articles,Events,Featured
Experiences and Thoughts on the 20th WCNDT Incheon, Korea
By Manfred Johannes, Immediate Past President SAINT

Introduction
The 20th WCNDT took place at the Conference Centre in Incheon, South Korea, from May 27 to May 31, 2024. The event attracted 3,145 participants from 64 countries. A total of 936 presentations (oral and poster) were delivered across 163 sessions. The exhibition was also a major highlight, with 211 exhibitors from 29 countries, alongside 25 global NDT societies and regional conference representatives in the NDT Village.

Exhibition
SAINT and AFNDT shared a stand in the NDT Village. The booth, set up on May 26 by Abdul Raman Mahomed (Mo), attracted significant attention. Mo, alongside Thandy Mokgobu, her colleague, Kamal Sahaimi from Morocco, and myself, engaged with visitors throughout the event.
The stand stood out due to its professional appearance and unique items like giraffe souvenirs and coasters, which were highly sought after. Bags were rationed daily to ensure availability until the last day.
Stand at NDT Village

ICNDT Activities in Incheon
The ICNDT held numerous meetings and workshops in conjunction with the WCNDT. Below are some highlights:
Sunday, May 26: Executive and Advisory Committee Meetings, WG1 Certification Meeting.
Monday, May 27: NDT Frontiers Workshop discussions on certification and digital training models.
Tuesday, May 28: Various committee meetings and ICNDT General Assembly (GA 1).
Wednesday, May 29: NDT Academia Research Day.
Thursday, May 30: Workshops on NDT reliability, human factors, and more, followed by GA 2 and voting sessions.
Friday, May 31: Certification Workshop Program highlighted debates on NDT Level III qualifications.
ICNDT Activities

General Assembly and Hosting Bid
During the ICNDT General Assembly, presentations from six countries vying to host the 2032 WCNDT were delivered. For the SAINT presentation, I introduced the session, followed by a video highlighting the CTICC infrastructure and Cape Town. Mo handled the second part, and Adriaan Fourie addressed visa requirements and logistics.
Despite strong efforts and positive feedback, South Africa fell out in the third round of voting. Ultimately, Singapore won the bid. Lessons learned include the importance of regional voting strategies and broader African representation.
Hosting Bid Presentation

Reflections
The 20th WCNDT showcased the global NDT community’s strength and collaboration. Although South Africa did not secure the hosting bid, the event was a success in promoting the country’s capabilities and building international connections. Key takeaways include:
Enhancing African countries’ participation in ICNDT voting and activities.
Leveraging innovative stand elements like coasters and giraffe souvenirs to draw attention.
Continuing efforts to bid for future WCNDT hosting opportunities.

Letter of Thanks
On behalf of the 20th WCNDT Organizing Committee, I would like to express our deepest gratitude for your contributions. The conference set a record high in participation, with 3,145 attendees and 936 presentations across 163 sessions. Thank you for your support and dedication to making this event a success.
Dong-Jin Yoon, Organizing Committee Chair

Purpose of the Forum:

To keep the NDT stakeholders abreast with what is happening in the NDT landscape since the Stakeholder meeting at the Willows Park Conference Centre, Kempton Park, held in 2013.

Objectives of the Forum:

To: Inform stakeholders about SAINTs planned forums.

• Provide feedback on the role of SAINT
• Provide feedback on the registration of the NDTT qualifications with SAQA.
• Gather stakeholder input
  

  Registration	09:30	10:00
  Proceedings	10:00	13:00
  Light finger lunch	13:00	14:00
  Proceedings	14:00	15:00

Mrs Natasha van der Walt, President SAINT                                         10:00 10:10

1. Progress Report since 2013

Dr Manfred Johannes, Immediate Past President of SAINT                  10:10 10:30

1. SAQA registered NDTT qualifications                                                         10:30 11:30

Dr Manfred Johannes

Mr Thabo Mokwena, Manager Quality Assurance, Merseta

1. Equivalence of NDT qualifications in SA                                                      11:30 12:30
2. Dr Manfred Johannes and Garth Appel

1. Radiation Safety                                                                                               12:30 13:00

Garth Appel, Vice President SAINT

1. Finger Lunch and Networking                                                                     13:00 14:00
2. General Discussion                                                                                        14:00 14:50
3. Vote of Thanks                                                                                                14:50 15:00

Natasha van der Walt

1. Networking                                                                                 15:00

RSVP by 16th February 2023                 Garth Appel                                         garthappel@gmail.com

garth@professional-body-ndt.org.za

Robin Marshall                                           saint@saint.org.za                          Please indicate choice of face to face or virtual (MS Teams)

NDE in Nuclear 2023
Submit your abstract by 31 January 2023
SNETP invites all interested organisations to submit technical papers for presentation during the conference. Topical items of interest with a focus on nuclear power plant applications include:
Reactor design for inspectability including SMRsAdvanced manufacturing and NDE Automated analysis of NDE data including Artificial Intelligence /Machine Learning
NDE 4.0
Research, development and application of NDE technologies and equipment
In-service inspection (ISI) effectiveness / Risk-informed ISI
NDE reliability and qualification
NDE modeling and simulation
NDE optimization
NDE for materials characterization and measurement of properties
NDE for coarse grained materials
NDE of concrete and other non-metallic materials
Personnel and human factors including NDE personnel training and certification
Regulatory and Code Issues and Harmonization
Plant operational experience and plant modernisation
Structural health monitoring
Plant life management
Smart materials and other NDE considerations
Abstract Submission

To be considered for inclusion in the conference programme please send an abstract of the technical presentation / paper to the NDE in Nuclear 2023 Programme Committee (nde2023.progcom@snetp.eu).The abstract should clearly state the title, authors and their affiliation, and explain the paper’s content, objectives, and conclusions.

All abstracts received by January 31, 2023 will be considered.

More information on abstract submission and registration can be found on the website

Website
Paper contributions will be made freely accessible on NDT.net Open Access Archive of Nondestructve Testng ISSN 1435-4934 (www.ndt.net).

FINAL CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS, close on 31st October!

Mark the final deadline on your calendar. Don’t miss your chance to submit an Abstract at #ECNDT2023!

Following SAINT AGM on 10th April 2025, SAINT is pleased to announce the following members have been voted on to the council executive.

President, Joy Barnard

Vice President, Manfred Johannes

Honorary Secretary, Tshepo Mpatlanyane

Honorary Treasurer, Devone Appollis

Acting Immediate Past President, Graham Duk

Co-opted : Abdur Rahman Mahomed

Manager of SAINT Professional Body : Garth Appel

SAINT President’s Report 2020
52nd Annual General Meeting
Welcome

It is a privilege to welcome all members to the 2020 SAINT 52nd Annual General Meeting and to present the President’s Report in accordance with the SAINT Constitution. This report outlines the activities, progress, and developments of the institute during the past year.

Introduction

The year 2020 presented significant challenges globally due to economic pressures, social disruption, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these challenges, SAINT and its Council continued working to support the NDT industry and ensure progress on key initiatives.

During the year, SAINT experienced several Council changes. Manoli Coumbias (Honorary Treasurer) resigned early in the year and Harold Jansen (President) resigned in the third quarter. In accordance with the SAINT Constitution, the remaining Council members appointed replacements to ensure continuity. Wayne Claassens assumed the role of President, Evashan Maistry-Thavar was appointed Vice-President, and Andre Fouche and Manfred Johannes were appointed to fill vacant Council positions.

Members of Council 2020

The following members served on the SAINT Council during 2020:

Wayne Claassens President

Evashan Maistry-Thavar Vice-President

Hennie Fourie Honorary Treasurer

Andre Fouche Honorary Secretary

Manfred Johannes Immediate Past President

Robin Marshall Administrative Secretary

Council Activities

During 2020 the following meetings were held:

6 Council Meetings

2 SPBNDT Meetings

1 Special General Meeting

2 WCNDT Bid Committee Meetings

SAINT Professional Body (SPBNDT)

SAINT continued its work with MERSETA, the QCTO, and the Department of Employment and Labour to advance professional recognition and statutory regulation of the NDT industry.

Discussions progressed regarding the formation of SAQCC NDT, an independent entity intended to serve as the principal body for the NDT industry in South Africa. This initiative supports the long-standing objective of achieving statutory recognition for NDT professionals.

To streamline this process and avoid duplication of professional bodies, Council proposed that SPBNDT be relinquished and transitioned into SAQCC NDT, including a formal name change and the writing off of the initial loan used to establish the professional body. This step will allow the new entity to begin operations without financial constraints and move the industry closer to formal legislative recognition.

SAINT will continue to operate as the National NDT Society and a member of the International Committee for Non-Destructive Testing (ICNDT), focusing on:

National conferences and industry events

Promotion of new NDT technologies

Marketing platforms for suppliers and service providers

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) support

Membership engagement and industry collaboration

Membership

During 2020 SAINT recorded the following membership numbers:

Corporate Members: 30 companies (50 voting representatives)

Individual Members: 41 members

Website and Digital Engagement

Plans were initiated to revamp the SAINT website to improve both design and content. Additional initiatives included the NDT Quiz platform, which provides CPD opportunities and encourages engagement with the SAINT website.

SAINT also maintained an active social media presence, regularly sharing industry news, events, and updates to keep the NDT community informed.

Standards Committee (SABS TC135)

The committee held one virtual meeting during 2020. Manfred Johannes was nominated as Chairperson of ISO/TC135 SC2 and SABS TC135. Work also continued on reviewing and prioritising the adoption and reaffirmation of key ISO and British Standards relevant to the NDT industry.

Conferences

The 2020 World Conference on Non-Destructive Testing (WCNDT) in Korea was postponed to 2021 due to the pandemic.

SAINT also submitted a bid to host the 2028 WCNDT in Cape Town, working closely with the Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau. If successful, this event would again highlight South Africa and Africa as leaders in the global NDT community.

SAINT Awards

Due to the impact of the pandemic and national lockdown restrictions, SAINT Awards for 2020 were cancelled.

Incoming Council (20202022)

The following members were elected to serve on SAINT Council for the 20202022 term:

Wayne Claassens President

Zakhele Bhayi Vice-President

Hennie Fourie Honorary Treasurer

Natasha van der Walt Honorary Secretary

Manfred Johannes Immediate Past President

Robin Marshall Administrative Secretary

Acknowledgements

Council extends sincere appreciation to all members, partners, and contributors who supported SAINT during this challenging year. Special thanks are extended to the Council members, administrators, and volunteers whose dedication continues to advance the recognition and development of the NDT profession in South Africa.

Despite the challenges faced during 2020, the progress made toward formal recognition and legislation of the NDT profession represents a major milestone for the industry.

Wayne Claassens
SAINT President
4 December 2020

Individual membership is once again open to all with an interest in NDT.

Please click on the link to register on line or click on the register tab on the home page.

It is here at last, 2021. Back in October, when the UK put its clocks backwards by an hour, I reminded someone that they would be able to have an extra hour’s lie in bed. The response was, never mind an hour, I wish that I could sleep until the end of the year and wake up in 2021. I think a lot of us would mirror that sentiment. 2020 was a strange and difficult year. Unprecedented is a word frequently used, but in my lifetime I recall other periods of uncertainty. The industrial unrest in the early 1970s which led to power cuts had a big economic impact and normal life was disrupted. The dwindling coal stocks led to the imposition of a three-day week and electricity was rationed. School children came home from school literally in the dark because street lights were off. Electricity was only switched on for set periods of time and we had to read the evening newspaper to find out when the power would be turned on in our particular local area. Homework and other indoor activities were done by candlelight.

There was uncertainty over when normal life would resume, and whilst it did, the impact continued long after the event. In the light of the changes made in 2020, which ones will we keep after the pandemic is over? The simple lesson of 2020 is the truth in the proverb: Necessity is the mother of invention. It is interesting to google this proverb and to see all the different descriptions of its meaning. If we really need to do something we will usually figure a way to do it. Difficulty (necessity) inspires inventiveness, ingenuity and creativity. Urgency (necessity) generates a more effective response from people than their own motivation.

If you look back to last year, each one of you will be able to see how this proverb was personally applied. One of the biggest changes was communicating virtually, rather than face to face, working remotely and finding alternative activities and pastimes. We were lucky in that many technological solutions already existed and didn’t need to be invented, but their adoption, for most people, went from ad-hoc to everyday use. Of course, invention, or more appropriately innovation, is not just about physical items and necessity brought about a shift in views and mindsets, and many people stepped up to support local communities and those in need. Oh, and we all got to better appreciate clean air and our local fauna and flora.

However, whilst we have made the most of a difficult situation in the adoption of new practices, there have been some key negatives, which necessity dictates that we need to address in the year ahead. The biggest casualty has been serendipity. I have written about serendipity a number of times, the most recent being in December 2019, because it is valuable in offering that unexpected benefit. We have squashed serendipity in our work and our professional interactions and, more topically as I write this, in our shopping and present selections.

With the COVID restrictions on workplaces and the emphasis on working remotely, we have lost, or at least diminished, the opportunity for bumping into people outside of our immediate teams, the opportunity for conversations based on interest rather than necessity, and the opportunity to overhear someone else’s problem or solution. This has the biggest impact on the more recent starters to the company or the profession. This year, the BINDT conference was conducted online and was a great success. Being online meant that it was accessible to a wider audience, who may not have been able to attend a physical event. It also provided the flexibility to organise attendance to sessions of interest around the demands of the day job. Similarly, the BINDT branch meetings are being currently being held on Zoom. I am not sure if this is the case as I haven’t tried it, but in principle someone in the South of England could attend a North of Scotland meeting if the topic was of interest. The downside to joining the conference or branch virtually is that it makes it harder to connect with someone new and to be inspired by the person and their story. This again is more detrimental to new people, to both professional and geographical areas, but also restricts the exposure to new perspectives and ideas for everyone.

As you contemplate 2021, think about what of the newly acquired benefits you wish to maintain but also think about how we can stimulate serendipity. The necessity to mother your invention is the future sustainability of the NDT profession and that of your companies. Consider also how we can get in the habit of adopting invention / innovation without out it being out of immediate, desperate necessity.

Thanks to Bernard McGrath for his kind permission to allow us to reproduce his On the Job Articles from the BINT magazine.

We are surrounded by amazing technology and the rate of improvement has been rapid. Looking at current developments and at future potential, we can see that this rate of change shows no sign of slowing down. The benefits delivered by advances in technology have been emphasised during the current situation with the coronavirus. On a personal level, I feel grateful for having access to the technology that allows me to communicate and receive both life’s necessities and nice to have items, without having to leave the house. On a wider societal level, there are numerous examples of impressive technology, which has allowed improvements to be made in all academic disciplines, industry sectors and walks of life.

So, it is with more than a little trepidation that I own up to the one thing that heartens me every time I make use of it. It is not so much technology as clever design. It is, of course, the pocket sewn on to the top of the tongue in my trainers, which allows me to tuck the ends and bows of the laces out of the way. Such a simple idea that is so useful. It also allows the shoes to be worn temporarily without the danger of treading on or tripping over the laces. Yes, I do know that in this situation I could just tuck the laces down between my foot and the shoe, but it is less comfortable or slick to implement. You may think that this is a trivial subject to highlight, but it does offer a number of lessons for consideration: the importance of good design derived from understanding the users’ needs; improvements do not need to be earth shattering but can be both simple and incremental; appropriate pre-existing technology may be a solution.

In a recent post, John Moody described being asked how he generates the content for his Memoranda. I have been asked a similar question. The answer is that I don’t necessarily generate the content. Obviously, I write about thoughts and experiences which are uniquely my own, but often these, particularly the thoughts, are stimulated by others. To illustrate the point, the author of the book I have just finished reading this morning asks: Is anything written ever truly original, and from only one person’s mind?. My articles are often constructed by curating the output of others. Not all of these thought provocations result in a full article and here are some such stimuli.

A recent television interviewee highlighted the need for collaboration to get out of the current situation and rebuild society after COVID-19. He highlighted that science is based on collaboration and that the most important achievements have resulted from collaboration and not one particular individual. Dr Hilary Leevers, chief executive of EngineeringUK, in commenting on the report I referred to in last month’s column, emphasised the fact that more diverse workforces are more creative and resilient. I would suggest that this is a direct result of enhanced collaboration.

In October, I mentioned Alexander von Humboldt, his interactions with Goethe, the combination of science with art and the emotions that art stimulates. This connects with an article I wrote in April 2016, entitled Learning lessons in observation from art. I related how Darwin observed nature but also used his imagination to connect knowledge and see larger patterns. It is no surprise to learn that Humboldt was a big influence on Darwin. More recently a new piece to the jigsaw has been added with an extract from a book by Carlo Rovelli in a weekend paper. The extract describes how Dante described the universe in a similar way to Einstein but six centuries earlier. The text goes on to say that in order to understand the world, both poetry (art) and science create new ways of thinking. Both are visionary and may arrive at the same result. I am sure there is more to gain from this connection, even in NDT!

An article by Nassim Taleb introduced me to a new word, iatrogenic, which is used to describe an illness, injury or medical disorder caused by the healer, through incorrect diagnosis or the prescription or treatment. This happens outside of medicine because, in certain circumstances, it is preferable to do nothing rather than to apply a solution which may cause harm due to lack of knowledge. It is important to understand the limitations or gaps in our knowledge and this is particularly important in NDT if we are to avoid human error.

So three sentiments for you to ruminate over. I would suggest that the first, collaboration, is the key to the successful application of the other two.

Published here with the kind permission of Bernard McGrath

Individual membership is once again open to all with an interest in NDT.

The Organizing Committee of the 20th World Conference on Non-Destructive Testing (20th WCNDT) has made the difficult decision to postpone the conference as follows. We are not considering a virtual format as an option for the 20th WCNDT and the health and safety of everyone participating in the conference shall be the top priority.

The new conference dates:
27 ~ 31 May, 2024
Songdo Convensia, Incheon, Korea
(The venue remains the same.)

We deeply regret any inconvenience caused by the change of dates. However, The decision to postpone the 20th WCNDT has not been taken lightly. We all know the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic is still fluid due to the problems such as the resurgence of the virus variants, there is considerable uncertainty regarding travels of foreign participants in May-June 2022.

The Organizing Committee of the 20th WCNDT strongly believes that under the current circumstances where travel restrictions remains in force, a postponement to May 2024 would ensure a most successful face-to -face conference program while facilitating as many delegates as possible to attend from around the world.

Most importantly, all paid registrations, already accepted abstracts, contracts for exhibition and sponsorship will remain valid for the new dates. The Important Dates will be updated in accordance with the new conference dates so that the additional submission of abstracts becomes possible. Also, frequently asked questions (FAQs) to check a few important facts about the 20th WCNDT will be additionally updated during January 2022. The official website of the 20th WCNDT(www.20thwcndt.com) will be resumed with a new important schedule, a revised conference program, and other essential information as early as in May 2022.

We truly appreciate your patience, understanding and support over the years as the conference has been postponed and many details kept changing due to the COVID-19 outbreak. At the same time, we hope that you would still be able to join us in spite of this schedule change. In this regard, we would like to cordially ask you for your continued interest and active participation.

We wish you stay healthy and look very much forward to seeing you all in May 2024.

I certainly jumped the gun last month when I wrote about seeing clearly now that the lockdown has eased. Just as the new edition of NDT News dropped through our letterboxes, new restrictions were imposed, pulling the rug from under my optimism. The result is a profusion of mixed emotions: frustration and sadness at what is considered a step back and the squashing of hopes for the immediate future; worry and fear about the sudden increase in cases and the potential impact; and relief that action is being taken.

There has been a lot of emotion on show during this pandemic. This is despite the efforts to follow the science. Science is perceived to be devoid of emotion, as it is derived by logic and reason based on objective measurements. This is patently not the case, as has been shown on numerous occasions. Science is studied by humans and all humans have emotions which are difficult to totally suppress or ignore. This opens up an area of philosophy about which I do not pretend to have even a basic knowledge. However, through a book I am currently reading, I have been exposed to ideas which connect this and other issues raised in previous articles.

The book is a biography of Alexander von Humboldt. If you haven’t heard of him, you are likely to have heard of the Humboldt current, which runs up the coast of Chile, or another of the many geographical features and biological species that are named after him. An inspired scientist and explorer, von Humboldt’s curiosity led him to investigations in many different disciplines and he meticulously and systematically took scientific measurements with the most advanced instruments available. The book describes the debates at the time between the pros and cons of knowledge based on reason and logic, derived by the mind, and knowledge based on observed, experimental evidence obtained through the senses. Reason was considered objective. Empirical evidence, because it is obtained through the senses, was considered to have a degree of subjectivity. But even reason has a subjective component, because the thought processes belong to human beings with all the influences that affect their behaviour.

Whilst von Humboldt was a strong proponent of empirical evidence and he firmly believed in the need to get out and experience the natural phenomena he was investigating. He didn’t take such measurements in isolation but viewed them in the context of the system as a whole. When I was reading about his interactions with Goethe, who combined science with art, I started to consider whether there was any relevance to NDT.

I have written a few times about the historic reliance of NDT on empirical data, about the recent development of accessible theoretical models and, in January 2017, on observation and measurement. The key issue is what do we consider objective, and therefore can be relied upon, and what is considered subjective, with the possibility of a degree of unreliability? Obviously, manual inspection techniques are expected to have the largest input of subjectivity and hence have been the focus of human factors and reliability studies over the years. Automated inspection techniques have been seen as a route to reducing the influence of the operator on inspections, but again studies have shown that different subjective influences come in to play with potentially similar consequences. The golden bullet of artificial intelligence and machine learning doesn’t escape; there have been any number of instances of algorithms and data sets showing subjective bias.

But subjective input into an inspection need not be detrimental if the operator is applying an appropriate level of experience. By appropriate, I mean experience based not just on years of testing but on observing the responses of many defects, something which is not easy to come by. This brings me to my question. Consider such an experienced operator who is applying either a manual or an automated inspection. The signal shows an anomaly but falls short of a pattern that a machine would recognise. The operator has an intuition an emotional response or gut feeling that there is a defect present. Would that be acceptable? Have you ever had that experience?

Or am I letting my emotions run away with me?

Thanks to Bernard McGrath for his kind permission to allow us to reproduce his On the Job Articles from the BINT magazine.

Vision and Mission

Our Vision

To create a safer world through the wider use of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and advanced diagnostic technologies.

Our Mission

To lead a global network of NDT societies and regional groups dedicated to promoting the development and application of NDT science and practice for the benefit of industries and the public worldwide.

Introduction

The activities of the International Committee for Non-Destructive Testing (ICNDT), its regional groups, and member societies were significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020. The most notable impact was the postponement of the 20th World Conference on Non-Destructive Testing (WCNDT), originally scheduled for June 2020 in South Korea.

Because many ICNDT governance processes are normally conducted during the World Conference, alternative arrangements had to be made. According to the ICNDT Constitution, the General Assembly (GA) must take place during the WCNDT to elect officers, approve key decisions, and determine the host location of future conferences.

The ICNDT Executive Committee (IEC) therefore recommended postponing the General Assembly, extending the terms of current officers and auditors, delaying the decision regarding the 22nd WCNDT, and postponing ICNDT awards until the conference could be held. These proposals were submitted to the membership for approval through an email ballot, where they received unanimous support.

Meetings and Governance

Annual Meeting 2020

The ICNDT Annual Meeting was held on 24 January 2020, with several members attending in person. During the meeting:

• The 2019 Annual Report was approved

• The 2019 financial accounts were accepted

• The 2020 budget and membership fees were approved

• Updates were provided regarding preparations for the 20th WCNDT

ICNDT General Assembly Online

An online General Assembly was held on 31 July 2020, chaired by Dr Sajeesh Babu. Three regional groups and 29 member societies attended. Reports were presented by regional organisations, working groups, and ISO representatives.

Member societies also shared their experiences of managing NDT operations during the pandemic. Despite restrictions, many organisations successfully adapted their activities through online meetings, digital training, and remote collaboration.

ICNDT Executive Committee (IEC)

The Executive Committee met five times online during 2020 to address operational matters and respond to the rapidly changing global situation. Meetings were held in April, May, September, and November.

The committee focused particularly on the future planning of the WCNDT conference and maintaining the operations of ICNDT during the pandemic. The Chair expressed appreciation to the committee members and officers for their dedication during this challenging period.

World Conference on Non-Destructive Testing (20th WCNDT)

The 20th WCNDT, organised by the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing (KSNT), was originally scheduled for 812 June 2020 in Seoul. Prior to the pandemic, preparations were progressing successfully with over 1,100 paper abstracts submitted and a fully booked exhibition.

Due to global travel restrictions and safety concerns, the conference was postponed several times. Initially rescheduled to MayJune 2021, it was later decided that a physical conference would be held in early 2022 to ensure international participation.

Despite the uncertainty, interest in the event remained strong with hundreds of registered delegates and exhibitors continuing to support the conference.

Working Groups and Committees

ICNDT operates through a number of specialised working groups, which continued their activities during 2020 primarily through online collaboration.

Working Group 1 Qualification and Certification

WG1 held an online workshop in May 2020 to address challenges faced by certification bodies due to pandemic restrictions. Guidance was developed to assist certification organisations in maintaining compliance with ISO/IEC 17024 and ISO 9712 requirements.

Certification Executive Committee (ICEC)

The ICEC continued managing the Multilateral Recognition Agreement (MRA) and certification body registrations. By the end of 2020:

• 47 organisations were signatories to the MRA Schedule 1

• 18 Personnel Certification Bodies (PCBs) were registered under Schedule 2

Research and Education (WG3)

WG3 prepared a series of technical workshops covering topics such as:

• NDT reliability

• NDE 4.0

• NDT education

• personnel certification

A webinar on NDT reliability was scheduled for early 2021 in collaboration with the British Institute of NDT (BINDT).

Communications (WG4)

WG4 continued improving communication platforms including the ICNDT website and journal. A photography competition and digital communication initiatives were also developed.

Condition Monitoring (WG6)

WG6 continued supporting international events and research related to NDT and condition monitoring technologies, including collaboration with the World Congress on Condition Monitoring (WCCM).

Regional Activities

ICNDT operates through several regional federations that coordinate NDT activities around the world.

APFNDT (Asia-Pacific)

The Asia Pacific Federation for Non-Destructive Testing continued its operations through online meetings. The 16th Asia-Pacific Conference on NDT was postponed to October 2023 in Melbourne due to pandemic restrictions.

AFNDT (Africa)

The African Federation for Non-Destructive Testing faced delays in organising its Annual General Meeting due to both the pandemic and internal restructuring. Plans were made to hold a virtual AGM and to progress work on the organisation’s constitution and strategy.

EFNDT (Europe)

The European Federation for Non-Destructive Testing continued operations through virtual meetings and reorganised its working groups to focus on emerging areas such as NDT 4.0, additive manufacturing, and human factors.

PANNDT (Pan-America)

The Pan-American Federation for NDT held virtual meetings to share best practices for adapting training, certification, and examinations to online environments. The next PANNDT Conference is scheduled for 2023 in Canada.

Acknowledgements

ICNDT expresses sincere appreciation to its Executive Committee members, regional federations, working groups, and volunteers for their commitment and dedication during a challenging year.

Special recognition is extended to the 20th WCNDT Organising Committee and the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing for their continued efforts to reorganise the conference under difficult circumstances.

Despite the challenges faced in 2020, ICNDT and its global network remain committed to advancing non-destructive testing technologies and promoting safety worldwide.

As lock down is gradually eased, we are still learning about this new virus. We were told right from the start that particular groups of people (e.g. the elderly) were most likely to be hardest hit. This was refined further, with evidence being reported that obesity increased susceptibility. Evidence has shown that BAME communities have been hit especially hard. Initially, we were told the virus attacked the lungs. More recently it has been discovered that it can be present in lots of other organs including the brain. Young people were likely to have minor symptoms and yet there have been recorded cases of previously healthy young people dying. The mantra has been following the science. As we can see the science has been developing over time. Guidance has been offered based on information known at the time. As more knowledge is obtained, the guidance is updated, but more knowledge doesn’t just fill in the gaps, it can highlight further gaps that were previously unknown.

In the past week, I have gained a small, but fascinating and disparate, amount of knowledge from a daily newspaper, a magazine and television. Knowledge about the natural world and people, which inspires and leaves you wanting to know more. The first piece of new knowledge was that bumble bees can induce plants to flower up to a month early by making small incisions in their leaves. They do this when there isn’t much pollen available such as in early spring. The study which provided evidence of this was published towards the end of May and was reported in many newspapers and science magazines and online. The researchers tried to emulate the bees and created similar holes to those made by the bees. Whilst these did stimulate the plants into flowering early it was not as early as when the holes were made by the bees. I find it fascinating: how did the bees know to do this in the first place? The other lesson offered by this study is that it was generated by a student observing the behaviour of the bees and being curious enough to wonder why they were making small cuts in the leaves on plants without flowers and not taking pieces away or eating them.

More recently in a running magazine, I read an article on the life of Kihachiro Onitsuka, founder of the running shoe manufacturer ASICS. The whole article is enthralling, but one part of it particularly caught my interest. When designing a shoe for marathon runners, Onitsuka investigated the cause of blisters, which marathon runners suffered widely from at the time. I have had any number of blisters in my time: the most recent caused by flip flops, when working from home during those few weeks of summer we had. I have always thought that they were caused directly by the mechanical friction of the skin, but it turns out that they are produced by the body’s response to the heat generated by the friction. The solution was to provide cooling in the shoe. The first attempt was to use water and when that failed, the shoe was designed to draw in and expel air to cool the foot.

The third piece of my new knowledge, comes from a BBC documentary, which at the time of writing is still available on iPlayer. It is the story of a 13-year-old girl, Hazel Hill, who had a particular affinity for mathematics. Her father worked in the Air Ministry and was involved in updating the design of early models of the Spitfire in the 1930s. Hazel’s father wanted to justify doubling the number of guns on the plane, but was unable to do the necessary calculations on his own. So he enlisted the help of Hazel. Working together at night on the kitchen table, they generated the graphs and the data necessary to support the increase. And, as they say, the rest is history. My immediate reaction to this is why did we not know this before?. With all the past and present initiatives to encourage school children, and girls in particular, into STEM subjects and ultimately jobs, why has this amazing, motivating PR opportunity gone begging?

You are probably asking what has all this got to do with NDT? The answer is nothing directly, but everything indirectly. As described above, the bee study came about by someone just observing what was going on around them and having the curiosity to investigate further. The design of a better marathon running shoe was produced by worrying about the solution to a problem, identifying the root cause and then not being afraid to try and fail until the answer was found. Mr Hill enlisted the help of someone he knew had the skills to help him achieve his objective, irrespective of age and gender, and together they put in the concerted time and effort to succeed. If we all adopt these characteristics, what new NDT knowledge could we generate?

Published here with the kind permission of Bernard McGrath