From May 21-23 the South African Institute for Non-Destructive Testing (SAINT) in conjunction with the CSIR, Eskom, Armscor, The University of Pretoria and SASOL organised a conference on Modelling in Non-Destructive Testing (NDT).

Modelling capabilities in NDT are essential for inspection qualification and validation. Industry in the RSA is also obliged to make use of qualified inspection procedures to demonstrate effective application of NDT in order to minimize the risk of failure in safety critical components and systems.

Academics, scientists and technologists from all over the world were invited to introduce the technology and the state-of-the-art capabilities and know-how in the field of modelling to the industry in South Africa.

Invited speakers from outside South Africa included:

Ed Ginzel an independent consultant with the Materials Research Institute in Ontario, Canada. He has many years' experience in visualisation of ultrasonic fields.
Dr. Karl Mayer from the University in Kassel, Germany. He has supervised many relevant projects and diploma theses ; during the last 6 years he was one of the leading scientists of a research group funded by the German Research Council concerning non-destructive testing of concrete where modelling has essentially contributed to the understanding of sophisticated wave propagation phenomena.
Olivier Roy and Laurent LeBer from the company M2M - NDT who provide NDT equipment and the modelling programme CIVA. CIVA is at present the most widely used NDT modelling programme.

The programme at the University of Pretoria included the following speakers and topics. Several of the presentations have been provided in pdf format:

21 & 22 May 2007 Modelling developments in NDT
1.	Opening of the conference	Professor Roelf Sandenberg, Dean of Faculty of Engineering
2.	NDT Modelling - An Overview	E Ginzel, MRI
3.	Introduction to the EFIT approach to modelling	Dr K. Mayer, University of Kassel
4.	Diffraction approach to modelling	Philippe Rubbers, ESKOM
5.	Introduction to CIVA and GTD modelling	Oliver Roy, M2M-NDT
6.	Forward and Inverse Modeling in Phase Sensitive Acoustic Microscopy	Prof. A. Every, University of the Witwatersrand
7.	How to Define Inspection Process Through Simulation	J.M. Pouybuffant Rotek Engineering
8.	Application of Modelling in North America	E. Ginzel, MRI
9.	Application of Modelling to Concrete Bridges	Dr. K. Mayer, University of Kassel
10.	The application of CIVA modelling to welds	M. L. LeBer, M2M-NDT
23 May 2007 Developments in NDT in the RSA
11.	Opening remarks	Manfred Johannes, CSIR
12.	Concerns for Codes to NDT Advancement E. Ginzel, MRI
13.	NECSA - Centre for radiography	Frikkie de Beer, NECSA
14.	Development of a Camera system for detection of UV, Visible light and IR	Roel Stolper, CSIR
15.	Billet Inspect IR	Pieter de Lange, H Rohloff
16.	Laser technology - vibration monitoring	Abrie Oberholster, University of Pretoria
17.	NDT for the PBMR - A progress report	John Fletcher
18.	AMTS and CSIR	M S Johannes, CSIR
19.	Shearography	Prof. J. Gryzagoridis, University of Cape town
20.	ECSA - Personnel Certification	M S Johannes, CSIR
21.	Can NDT do the job?	Hugh Neeson, ESKOM
22.	Closing remarks	M S Johannes

The Modelling Conference in Pretoria organised by SAINT has been an excellent practice run for the 18th World Conference of Non-Destructive Testing.

SAINT is very proud to announce South Africa's bid for holding the 18th World Conference of Non-destructive Testing in 2012 has been successful.

A valuable partnership has been established with the conference organizers of the International Convention Centre in Durban, which will be the venue for the conference. As the NDT community in South Africa is small, a tremendous amount of work will be required from all parties and SAINT hopes that in the organizing of an event of this nature it can call on the assistance and input from the South African NDT fraternity.

For more information please contact Deon Wessels president of SAINT at saint@acenet.co.za or Manfred Johannes at mjohannes@csir.co.za.

11 Papers or Slides in NDT.net Database