The development of a standardized electronic file format for worldwide viewing of digitally-transmitted nondestructive test results is the goal of a new subcommittee added to ASTM Committee E07 on Nondestructive Testing (NDT) in June. Easily accessible, clear computer images of parts subjected to nondestructive testing render improved components for airplanes, medical devices, and other products.

Leaders of the film, electronic imaging, aerospace, steel, shipbuilding, and research industries have sent their foremost application engineers to participate on new ASTM Subcommittee E07.11 on Digital Imaging and Communication in Nondestructive Evaluation (DICONDE). Thirty-one individuals are participating to date, representing producers, users, and testers.

In their scope, the subcommittee stated that the proposed DICONDE standardized file format will be based on the universally-adopted medical standard DICOM, and will be DICOM 3.0 compatible; support standardization of multiple data fields; and allow international passage of digital image data from source to storage, acquisition to archive.

Heading new Subcommittee E07.11 are chairman Christopher Voelker, Boeing McDonnell Aircraft and Missile Systems (e-mail: christopher.y.voelker@boeing.com), vice-chairman Regi Serluppens, AGFA (e-mail: regi.serluppens.rs@belgium.agfa.com), and secretary Gerald Nightingale, GE Aircraft Engines (ben.nightingale@ae.ge.com).

Objectives of the new subcommittee include the implementation of validation tools at the Fuji and AGFA Web sites; inclusion of GPS (global positioning system) as an image file attribute; implementation of the OFFIS (Oldenburger Forschungs - und Entwicklunginstitut für Informatik - Werkzeuge und - Systeme) source code to further develop the database engine; and extending the data dictionary tables to include all general NDE systems that use digital imaging.

To participate in these activities or for further technical information, contact Christopher Voelker, Boeing McDonnell Aircraft and Missile Systems, MC S029-1270, PO Box 516, St. Louis, MO 63166-0516 (314/233-5971; fax: 314/232-1253; e-mail: christopher.y.voelker@boeing.com.) Subcommittee E07.11 meets Sunday, Jan. 21 during the Jan. 21-25 meetings of Committee E07 in Plantation, Fla. For meeting or membership details, contact Director George Luciw, ASTM (610/832-9710; e-mail: gluciw@astm.org; or use e-mail link on committee page).