GE-MCS USM Vision Proves its Worth at Studio VM in Italy

The USM Vision portable ultrasonic (UT) weld inspection system from the
Inspection Technologies business of GE Measurement & Control, has provided
impressive gains in productivity for Studio VM, the Italian Technical Services
company. It has also allowed Studio VM to deploy technicians who are not
experts in Phased Array (PA) and Time of Flight Diffraction (TOFD) to meet the
needs of an important customer who required accurate inspection using these
advanced techniques.

Studio VM was founded in 1990 and now offers a comprehensive portfolio of
NDT services using a wide range of non-destructive testing (NDT) technologies,
including eddy current, remote visual inspection and acoustic emission. Its
ultrasonic capabilities extend from hardness testing and simple flaw detection
to TOFD and PA. Its customer base includes large oil and gas contractors as well
as general engineering companies throughout Europe.

A recent project involved the inspection of welded pipework systems for a
major pipeline fabrication contractor. To satisfy inspection codes, the
circumferential welds of the fabricated pipes need to be inspected by both
phased array and TOFD. Studio VM already had an automated circumferential
weld inspection system but were experiencing problems with it. The fabrication
contractor also had a similar girth weld inspection system but this also proved
unsuitable for the task. As a result, Studio VM decided to invest in a USM vision
system, which uses technicians who are not specialists in PA and TOFD to
perform the inspection, with the interpretation of results being performed by
just one ultrasonic expert.

This proved eminently successful, as Giampaolo Bruschi, owner of Studio VM
explains, "Following short technician training provided by GE, we first used the
USM Vision on girth welds on 18 inch diameter, 20mm thick pipe and our
operators were soon able to scan 34 welds in one 10 hour shift. We have since
worked on welds in 12mm wall thickness pipe and in 24 working days, one of
our teams scanned 585 joints, which required either double scanning by TOFD
or double scanning by Phased Array when there was only one-sided access.
More recently, we have been working on 8mm pipe, where we have been five
times faster than X-ray inspection. Our end customer has naturally been very
pleased with the speed and quality of the inspections and, as a service
company, I am extremely confident that our investment in GE technology will
continue to bear fruit."

The USM Vision is a hand-held ultrasonic flaw detection system which combines
software and hardware to allow code-compliant inspection, easily, reliably and
speedily. It will not replace radiography in every instance but it offers users an
opportunity to eliminate radiography constraints when required, as well as
making best use of the expertise of the limited numbers of available, qualified
ultrasonics inspection personnel.

About Measurement & Control

Measurement & Control is a leading innovator in advanced, sensor-based
measurement, non-destructive testing, inspection and condition monitoring
and flow and process control solutions. Providing healthcare for our customers'
most critical assets, we deliver accuracy, productivity and safety to a wide range
of industries, including oil & gas, power generation, aerospace, metals and
transportation. Headquartered in the Greater Boston Area, USA, Measurement &
Control has facilities in countries around the world, and is part of GE Oil & Gas.
For further information, visit www.ge-mcs.com.