Non-destructive testing: A key resource for industryNon-destructive testing (NDT) is a technique used to assess the integrity of mechanical components and materials without damaging them. It is also used to monitor the propagation of defects from the production phase through to maintenance checks during the life of the product. Non-destructive testing makes use of a number of techniques, including non-contact ultrasound, magnetic imaging and X-ray tomography. The technology is already in use in a number of sectors, including the aerospace and energy industries, for the inspection of critical components such as structures, engine components, landing gear, jet engines and turbines. NDT is also being applied to critical components in the petrochemical, nuclear and similar industries.GERIM2: An R&D platform in the Ile de France regionLaunched in the spring of 2012, the aim of the GERIM2 project is to bring together all laboratories and industrial companies active in non-destructive testing research in the Ile de France region. Supported by the Ile de France region and Digiteo with a total capital investment of more than 2 million euros, GERIM2 is intended to encourage innovation in the field of NDT by bringing together promising technologies in order to facilitate their transfer to industry. The platform will be established in the new Digiteo building on the Paris Saclay Campus.The project will benefit from the complementary nature of the main NDT facilities in the Ile de France region, including publically funded research laboratories such as the CEA, ENS Cachan, Paris XI, CNRS, Supélec, and INRIA , and industrial users such as AREVA, CETIM, DASSAULT Aviation, EADS IW, EDF, EXTENDE, SNECMA, and TECHNIP. GERIM2 will cover a wide range of NDT technologies, including non-contact ultrasound, adaptive ultrasound imaging, high resolution and high sensitivity magnetic imaging, and multi-resolution robotic X-ray tomography. The research carried out will lead to the validation of new simulation modules by comparison with actual inspections, the development of unpublished reconstruction algorithms, and the establishment of partnerships in the fields of hybrid modeling , statistics and data processing. A boost for competitiveness Developing the latest NDT technologies and encouraging cooperation between the leading bodies active in this field in the Ile de France region, the GERIM2 platform will provide a strong regional innovation ecosystem for the sector, and will constitute a lever of competitiveness against a background of growing international competition. This unique European facility will provide the publically funded laboratories involved with access to a useful validation tool to assess their current work, together with a reliable support structure for future upstream research projects. The R&D platform will provide a major new resource for the industrial partners, responding to a strong demand for access to the latest and best equipment to suit their applications. This access to the GERIM2 infrastructure will provide a boost to their competitiveness in terms of prototyping, shortening of development cycles, improved reliability and safety, and productivity gains. The SMEs associated with the project will benefit directly from the results obtained, and will be in a position to propose innovative solutions to their customers that have been validated by the platform. About Digiteo Located on the Saclay site and strongly supported by the Ile de France region and local authorities, Digiteo is the leading French research grouping in the field of Information and Communication Science and Technology. Certified by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the grouping brings together twelve founding associates; the CEA, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, Supélec, INRIA and the Paris South University, the Ecole Centrale Paris, ENS Cachan ENSTA ParisTech, the Mines Telecom Institute, the University of Versailles St Quentin, and Mines ParisTech). The scientific and technological scope of Digiteo ranges from the design and development of software-intensive systems and system-on-chip products, on-board systems and robots to high performance computing solutions and large software infrastructures. In addition to the work of its founding institutions, Digiteo works to support and encourage the sharing of expertise, and to provide additional resources to fund research projects and technology transfer. For more information: www.digiteo.fr About CEA LISTThe French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA) is a public research body operating in four main areas: Low-carbon energy technologies, information technology and health technologies, large-scale research facilities (TGIR), defense and global security. Building on a basis of excellence in fundamental research and a recognized skills base, the CEA participates in a wide range of research projects in collaboration with leading academic and industrial partners. With 16 000 researchers and other employees, the CEA is a leader in the European research community with a growing international presence. At the heart of the Saclay site in the Ile de France region, the CEA-LIST Institute focuses on research into intelligent digital systems. Its R&D programs, all with potentially major economic and social implications, centre on interactive systems (ambient intelligence), embedded systems (architecture, software and systems engineering), and signal detection and processing (industrial control systems, health, safety and metrology). By developing cutting-edge technological research, CEA LIST helps its industrial partners to enhance their competitiveness thanks to innovation and technology transfer.For more information: http://www-list.cea.fr/