Over the last decade, there has been a significant push by some to get away from conventional radiography.
Some industries, like medical and aerospace, have already done so. What has not transitioned to computed radiography/digital radiography to the extent that I would have expected, has been oil and gas. This transition has happened in other parts of the world, but along the Gulf Coast that transition has been slow.
The technology is more widely used in large capital projects, pipelines and mechanical integrity programs. The most common reasons for this preference are data sharing, speed of inspection and consistency are some of the contributors in utilizing computed/digital radiography over conventional radiography.
In my experience over the years, I discovered several reasons why the change has not occurred, with the most common being cost. Initially, digital radiography was significantly more expensive. Recently, to mitigate this factor, some inspection providers have offered computed/digital radiography at the same cost as conventional radiography. A reluctance to accept digital technology has been another reason for the slow transition. Even though computed/digital images have an equivalent or higher resolution than conventional film, the latter has a higher level of definition. This leads me to the opinion that some clients believe that film is superior to digital images.
Another common reservation with using digital radiography in lieu of conventional is the integrity of the images — specifically, whether the images can be manipulated in some capacity. The digital imaging and communication in non-destructive evaluation (DICONDE) standard format gives the customer information via a report that is tied to the image — detailing the date in which the scan took place, the scanner serial number, plus software type, revision and exposure information. With some training on how the DICONDE format restricts the ability to permanently edit critical data specific to each image, the concern can be lessened.
The ability to review images on your PC is also a tremendous perk and alleviates the need for the client to be onsite in order to receive and review images. Images and associated data can be automatically saved to a variety of external sources such as USB drives, external hard drives or cloud-based servers for data management. This also provides the ability to review data in real time, adding another layer of oversight.
Progress comes at an eventual cost. Technician wages are going up and this certification requires a significant amount of on-the-job training. The technology and software are always changing. The systems coming out are evolving to become more consistent and user friendly, while the cost has remained somewhat flat compared to conventional radiography. I cannot imagine doing another mega project again without using these modern systems and technologies.
With so many changes taking place in the world, specifically the push to go green, current supply chain issues and increasing quality expectations, it seems like a simple choice to make the switch to digital.
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