A-Star Group

• Radiography Testing
• Ultrasonic Testing
• Magnetic Particle Testing
• Penetrant Testing
• Ultrasonic Thickness Gauging
• Boroscope
• Visual Testing

• Phased Array UT
• Time of Flight Diffraction
• Eddy Current Surface Inspection
• Alt Current Field Measure
• Ultrasonic Testing Crawler
• Open Vision Radiography

ACFM® is an electromagnetic inspection technique that introduces an alternating current into the surface of the component to detect surface-breaking cracks. The presence of a crack disturbs the electromagnetic field and the return signal is instantaneously converted by advanced mathematical techniques so that the operator is alerted to the presence of a defect. Immediate defect sizing and recording is a major benefit compared to alternative NDT methods.

APPLICATIONS

• Crack detection in any orientation
• Can be applied on ferrous and non-ferrous materials.

Laser scanning using LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), is a new inspection technology that provides faster, safer, and better coverage of any structure. The 3D laser scanner is used to capture millions of individual points on buildings, storage tank shells, bottoms, and roofs, and the data can be used for fitness-for-service assessments (FFS).

API 653 standards require measured data on the verticality of tank shells, the roundness of tank shells, the flatness of the tank bottom, and any subsidence.

Laser scanning also captures information on appurtenances such as nozzles, access points, stairs, and ladders as well as nearby structures and terrain. Built-in cameras capture digital images that provide additional documentation of tank conditions.

Software is used to take data from an inspection and automatically merge multiple point clouds into a single cohesive dataset. With the software enabling basic clean-up and organization, the resulting point cloud provides a comprehensive and precise picture of the inspection, enables users to create high-density 3D digital representations of storage tanks, analyse the data following API 653 Standard guidelines, and automatically detect out-of-tolerance areas

APPLICATIONS

• Storage Tank measurement and calibration
• Storage tank settlement and deformation survey and Fitness for service assessments(FFS)
• Construction structures, buildings, jetty, oil rig platforms, FPSO, and ship platforms.

IR thermography is used to measure temperature variances of a component as heat flows through, from, or to that component. Images of the detected temperature distribution are called thermograms and are used to confirm machinery is running normally and to detect abnormal heat patterns within a machine, indicating inefficiency and defects and they make it possible to see heat-producing objects invisible to the naked eye.

The primary goal of infrared thermography IR thermography is utilized in many industries and applications. In the oil and gas and chemical processing industries, for example, thermography can be used to detect piping insulation issues, and fluid levels, or identify trouble spots where rotating equipment is experiencing too much friction. Furthermore, IR testing is commonly used to locate hot spots and anomalies such as voids and inclusions. The benefits of IR testing include extended equipment life, decreased unscheduled shutdowns, reduced risk of equipment failure, and increased performance.

APPLICATIONS

• Predictive Maintenance and Condition Monitoring
• Piping and Pressure Vessel Insulation issues
• locate hot spots and anomalies such as voids and inclusions
• heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment
• Energy audits

PEC can be applied to in-service assets and can detect damages through thick insulation such as aluminum, stainless steel, and galvanized steel weather jackets. It is an effective tool for corrosion-under-insulation (CUI) and flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC) assessments.

PEC can be done without the need for contact with the surface of the material. Because of this, it can be useful in situations where an object’s surface is rough or inaccessible. This method also doesn’t require surface preparation or removal of any insulation. It can be a quick and cost-effective solution for corrosion detection.

APPLICATIONS

• Corrosion under Insulation(CUI)
• Insulated pipes and vessels
• Corrosion under fireproofing
• Underwater and splash zone structure inspection
• Storage tanks, marine vessels

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), or Drones are simply any aircraft that does not have a human pilot.

UAV are primarily used for visual inspection to keep your workforce out of harm’s way while performing flawless inspections using cutting edge drone data capture capabilities. High resolution(HD) cameras with the option of thermography(IR) images, allow them to get a close up, accurate view of a structure, even from a great distance. GPS enabled image stabilization,

They can be used to inspect nearly any structure, both indoors and outdoors, but they are most useful in the inspection of structures that are difficult to reach by traditional means. Data visualization is taken to the next level of 2D data measurements such as measuring length and dimensions of the inspected items.

Compared to traditional inspection, the use of UAV is cheaper, faster, and safer, without requiring shutdown, the construction of scaffolding, or sending inspectors into dangerous situations.

UAV have a range of uses in variety of fields including recreational, commercial, or military purposes.

APPLICATIONS

• Quick overview and evaluation of hard to reach areas
• Tall structures, such as flare stacks, cooling towers, elevated pipe trays, chimney and smoke stack.
• Storage tanks, Aerial survey.
• Confined spaces in which space is limited for traditional inspections.
• Structures that are over water such as bridges, jetty or the undersides of oil rig platforms, FPSO’s and ship platforms.

An X-ray beam is focused on the imaging detector. In medical applications, the anatomy of the patient that needs to be examined is positioned in front of the detector. As the beam passes through the anatomy and hits the detector it is filtered by a scintillator.

The scintillator comes in different substrate materials and in this application, it is most often Cesium Iodide (CsI) Gadolinium Oxysulphide, or Gaddox (GdOS). The scintillator emits light from exposure to the X-ray beam and is deflected by a mirror onto a lens which focuses the light onto the 9 or 16 Megapixels of the CCD depending on the platform of IDC technology.

APPLICATIONS

• Corrosion, Pitting in Insulated Pipelines
• Process Pipelines Corrosion Findings
• No need to remove insulations
• Weld Inspection for Quick Review
• Profile Radiography for Corrosion Findings

In AUT of pipeline girth welds a phased array & TOFD probes are mounted on a band strapped around the pipe adjacent to the weld and are driven around the pipe’s circumference. As the probe(s) travel around the pipe, ultrasonic data are collected from the weld and the software enables flaw sizes and positions to be displayed. AUT is replacing radiography for pipeline girth weld inspections worldwide for both onshore and Offshore. With very fast scanning speeds, to keep pace with construction, it is necessary to complete a weld inspection in less than 2 minutes 0f 48” dia.

APPLICATIONS

• Inspect pressure vessels, piping, storage tanks, spheres, and other equipment while in service for potential damage
• Offers a full volumetric inspection providing details on shell material degradation such as erosion, corrosion, hydrogen blisters, hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC), and related interlinking cracking