UTComp featured in ACMA’s Composites Manufacturing publication

March 5, 2018

Geoff Clarkson, President and CEO of UTComp, is featured in an article about the “new possibilities” and potential applications for FRP and other composite materials in Composites Manufacturing, the official publication of the American Composites Manufacturers Association.

In the article, Beyond Pipes and Tanks, Clarkson discusses an engineering solution the company provided to make a basin liner that could withstand the rapid, extreme temperature changes involved in a titanium dioxide extraction process at a mineral processing plant. The article also focused on the advantages of UTComp’s UltraAnalytix® inspection system, noting:

“UTComp uses ultrasonic testing, similar to that used for steel and other metal pipes and tanks but processes the resulting information differently to detect changes within the FRP and account for FRP’s much wider variation in sonic velocity (the speed at which the ultrasonic sound travels) and other responses than steel. The analytics software can calculate the condition of in-use FRP products as a range with approximately 95 percent confidence. Clarkson points out that this technology provides a more objective, data-based approach to service life decisions, which ultimately can save industrial end users downtime and replacement costs.”

Read the full article.

Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) Methods for FRP

Comparison of NDE methods for determining Remaining Strength Factor of FRP for completion of Assessment as per proposed Part 16 update to API 579-1/ASME FFS-1:

NDE Method
Acoustic Emission (AE)
Acousto-ultrasonics (AU)
Attenuation-based ultrasonics (UAX)
UltraAnalytix (UAX+)
Applicable Standard
ASTM E1067
ASTM E1495
ASTM C1332¹
Combines ASTM C1332 & E1495
Inspector Certification Available
ISO, ASNT, SNT-TC-1A
SNT-TC-1A
SNT-TC-1A
SNT-TC-1A
Included in ISO or ASNT Training



Number of Calibration Specimens Required for an Inspection
0
1 or 2
2
0
Destructive Testing and Analysis of Calibration Specimens Required



Available Equipment Provides Output Values



Automated Processing for PDS Available



Remaining Strength Factor and Remaining Life Provided