Plastometrex Secures Innovate UK Funding

Each year, millions of tonnes of structural metal is produced to support our ever-increasing need for modern infrastructure. From the bridges we drive across, rails we ride along, and energy systems we rely on, large-scale metal structures form a critical part of our modern society. When these structures fail, the consequences can be disastrous. In 2018, for example, pipeline failures accounted for nine deaths and almost $2 billion in damages in the US alone.

Given the consequences of failure, the testing and inspection of in-field assets is big business, with a global market valued at over $24 billion. Current technologies include ultrasonic systems for crack detection, corrosion monitoring solutions, and chemical composition analysis. However, there is no widely accepted method for testing the underlying strength of the metal from which the assets are made. Conventional “destructive” methods rely on shutting down assets and extracting material in order to run laboratory-based tensile tests – a practice that is often unviable due to the structural damage this creates and the costs that are incurred. This can leave operators with limited material property data, making it difficult to reliably predict the useful remaining life of their components.

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