Publication - NDT Just got rapid

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Theta Technologies

RD1-TT

NDT just got rapid

Theta Technologies’ first commercially available NDT solution promises to deliver rapid non-destructive testing

the full story

Changing the game for additive manufacturing

The non-destructive testing solution allowing you to unlock the full potential of metal AM

A rapidly evolving additive manufacturing landscape, particularly with metals, has meant that other integral parts of the production workflow have struggled to develop at the same rate.

Non-destructive testing is just one of those key aspects of production and until now, there hasn’t been an effective solution to allow AM metal manufacturers the chance to unlock the full potential of their process. Theta Technologies’ first commercial NDT solution looks set to change all that.

RD1-TT is the first non-destructive testing machine designed specifically to cope with the increasingly more sophisticated and complex metal products being produced as a result of the 3D printing revolution. Manufacturers now have more design freedom than ever thanks to this incredible technology, but the limitations of existing NDT solutions have left many manufacturers unable to unlock that design potential for critical applications. RD1-TT changes all that thanks to Theta’s unique nonlinear resonance non-destructive testing technology.

Complex design geometries and the plethora of surface finishes available fail to deter this machine

Part of the nonlinear acoustic testing family, the nonlinear resonance technique used within RD1-TT can test a multitude of AM-produced metal parts for flaws such as cracks, delaminations, and lack of fusion. Complex design geometries and the plethora of surface finishes available fail to deter this machine when it comes to identifying even the tiniest of flaws deep within the 3D-printed structure.

If a non-destructive testing solution targeted primarily at AM metal manufacturing wasn’t enough, there are some key cost-saving benefits to manufacturers; possibly the most notable being RD1-TT’s ability to test parts immediately after printing without the need for you to undertake costly post-processing measures.

There is of course plenty more to cover but we’ll let you explore the incredible capabilities of this game-changing machine on the following pages.

The benefits of nonlinear resonance NDT

Built for speed

RD1-TT is the first non-destructive testing solution to hit the market that is capable of testing 3D-printed metal parts for potentially detrimental flaws in less than sixty seconds. This dramatically reduces the time required for your non-destructive testing process and means you could test hundreds of parts

Built for AM

Until now, the increasingly complex parts associated with 3D printing has meant that existing NDT methods have been incapable of non-destructive testing. RD1-TT has been designed to test complex 3D printed parts for a variety of flaws including cracks, delaminations and lack of fusion.

Built for detection

Even the smallest of flaws inside metal parts can lead to failure when in use, so it’s essential to identify these flaws at the earliest possible opportunity. The unique ability of our nonlinear resonance technology means that RD1-TT is capable of detecting flaws that other NDT solutions cannot see.

Built for scale

RD1-TT can test metal additive manufactured parts immediately after printing. Not only does this prevent you from adding value to flawed parts by undertaking costly post-processing steps, but it also allows you to scale up your production by testing 100% of the parts you manufacture.

Built for simplicity

Non-destructive testing doesn’t need to be complicated. Our simple testing process and easy-to-understand pass/fail results mean that you no longer require highly-trained operators or experienced engineers to help interpret the test results; yet another cost-saving benefit unique to RD1-TT.

Built for design

The lack of non-destructive testing capability on the market for additive manufacturing has meant that designers have had to work within a number of limiting design requirements. Our unique nonlinear resonance technology found in RD1-TT can test parts of increasing complexity and surface finishes.

Non-destructive testing: No longer complicated

RD1-TT has been specifically designed to keep the non-destructive testing of metal AM parts as straightforward as possible in order to accelerate your manufacturing process. Here is how a typical nonlinear resonance test is conducted.

1: Place your part

The setup of RD1-TT, conducted by our own engineers, will be bespoke to your operation, and metal parts subject to testing. Begin by simply placing your part inside the machine.

2: Set test position

Thanks to its responsive touch screen operation and internal observation camera, positioning the laser detector on the ideal point of your printed part is simple.

3: Begin the test

Once you’ve positioned the detector and entered a few batch and part details for your job reference, press the ‘test part’ button to begin the non-destructive test of your metal part.

4: The results

Less than a minute later, the external touch screen display will inform you whether your part has passed or failed the non-destructive test. The process using RD1-TT really is as simple as that.

Watch a complete non-destructive test

RD1-TT boasts one of the fastest non-destructive testing times of any available NDT product. Don’t believe us? Watch a full non-destructive test of a 3D-printed metal part to see just how rapid RD1-TT actually is.

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Whether you’re looking to stay up-to-date with our latest news or read about how our game-changing non-destructive testing technology is helping our customers, we’re certain that our rapidly expanding digital publication library has something for you.