NDTonAIR · Training Network in Non-Destructive Testing and Structural Health Monitoring of Aircraft structures

NDTonAIR: Training Network in Non-Destructive Testing and Structural Health Monitoring ofAircraft structures

The NDTonAIR was a European Training Network (ETN) funded in the framework of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie ITN actions ETNs drive scientific excellence and innovation bringing together universities, research institutes, and other sectors to train Early Stage Researchers – ESRs - and help them gain experience of different working environments. The NDTonAIR consortium was formed by universities, research centres, and companies that worked together on innovative nondestructive testing (NDT) and structural health monitoring (SHM) technologies. NDT and SHM are multi- and inter-disciplinary applied fields of engineering sciences that concern the inspection, characterization and quantification of the “quality” of materials and industrial goods and of the health of engineering structures. NDT and SHM include many techniques that allow the nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of a material, component or structure, without causing damage. Application of NDE techniques is necessary to explain or prevent failures that cause or could cause economic losses and, above all, hazards for people. NDTonAIR aimed to train a new generation of scientists having a wide background in NDE, able to develop their activities both in academy and industry and playing an active role in promoting the importance of NDE. The research and training activities focused on NDE for aerospace in general and aircraft in particular. The long-term objective of NDTonAIR is to contribute to the EU competitiveness and innovation in aircraft production and in many other industrial and civil sectors by developing new techniques and sensors to face key problems in NDT and SHM and by improving existing NDE techniques. This goal was pursued by offering a coordinated and innovative training & research program for ESRs. The training consisted of lessons and workshops organized by the consortium together with individual research training developed at the recruiting institutions and at other NDTonAIR members. Most of the ESRs were also enrolled in PhD schools and at the time of writing 4 ESRs were already awarded a PhD while many others are close to complete their programs. Training and research programs were combined to create a stimulating environment and a unique opportunity for the ESRs’ career development perspectives. The networking aspect was a key feature of the NDTonAIR project, the strong interaction originated within the project enhanced the process, in many cases by combining expertise in new ways to improve standard techniques or solving critical key issues. During these years, the project reached important results. Many of them were published in international journals, and some of these results are currently being evaluated for technology transfer initiatives or commercial applications. At the same time, the ESRs greatly enriched their research and complementary skills. Many ESRs prosecuted their research activity within the consortium. Some others were selected for new positions in universities, research centres, and companies related to NDT, SHM, or aerospace.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз