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RCNDE

The Research Centre for Non-Destructive Evaluation (RCNDE) is a collaboration between industry and the Universities of Bristol, Nottingham, Strathclyde, Manchester, Warwick, Liverpool, Southampton and Imperial College London to coordinate the latest research on Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) technologies, matching it to the needs of industry – both now and in the future. The Centre was founded in 2003 and co-funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and its original 5 industrial members. Since then, the membership has grown to 12 Tier 1 industrial members. 2 Tier 2 industrial members,  and more than 40 associate members, a category introduced in 2005 to incorporate vital technology providers and the key players within the supply chain. The industrial membership of RCNDE is represented by the NDE Research Association (NDEvR) and RCNDE is governed by the RCNDE Board.

 

Founded on the guiding principles of world-class scientific research and industrial application, the Centre is uniquely placed to help industry to face ever more challenging requirements for integrity and safety, and adopt new approaches to inspection and quality control.

 

2023 marks the 20-year anniversary since the launch of RCNDE. To celebrate what we have achieved since our launch in 2003, we have produced an anniversary publication. You can read and download the RCNDE “20 Years of Excellence with Impact” brochure here.

 

Our Vision and Mission

RCNDE’s Vision is to be the world-leading centre of excellence in NDE research through active partnership with the industrial user community.

 

RCNDE’s Mission is to continue playing a leading role in the UK and global innovation landscape by:

  • Supporting world-class scientific research by funding and partly funding cutting-edge research in the area of non-destructive evaluation.
  • Delivering industrial benefit by liaising and collaborating with its wide and well-established industrial membership.
  • Developing the NDE professionals of the future by supporting teaching and training and contributing to the UK’s education environment.
  • Supporting the RCNDE community and wider stakeholders through horizon scanning, capture and articulation of future requirements and needs.





“Strong relationships with industrial partners have led to a successful centre that is internationally recognised” EPSRC
(EPSRC Review of Mechanical Engineering, 2011)

Our story

RCNDE4

In 2021 RCNDE entered its fourth phase, RCNDE4, with a renewed drive to continue delivering its original vision to be the world-leading centre of excellence in NDE research through an active partnership with the industrial user community. With the aim of transforming NDE into a fully integrated part of the engineering life cycle, RCNDE4 is constructed around a wide portfolio of activities. These range from longer-term, higher risk adventurous research, through medium-term application research and short-term practical developments to technology transfer activities. Other activities include strategic leadership initiatives such as the NDT Leadership Forum, NDE 4.0 Working Group and various requirements-capture workshops in collaboration with the British Institute of NDT. In addition, RCNDE has a linked Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Innovation in NDE (FIND-CDT), co-funded by EPSRC and  CNDE’s industrial members, which provides an excellent route for members to access emerging technology and trained NDE engineers and  scientists. This connection also establishes a technology transfer pipeline in which student projects further develop fundamental research originating from RCNDE towards industrial application. 

2003-2008
RCNDE 1
  • £4.2M grant, £2.3M match industry funding
  • Original universities: Imperial College, Bristol, Strathclyde, Bath, Nottingham, Warwick
  • 5 full members at the start -> Airbus, Rolls-Royce, DSTL, RWE npower and NNL, formerly BNFL.

2005

  • Associate membership category created

2007

  • NDEvR is established to represent the industrial members of RCNDE.
2008-2013
RCNDE 2
  • £2.6M grant; £2.8M match industry funding
  • 6 universities
  • 14 full members average
  • 9 associate members

2010

  • NDEvR embarks on a Strategic Partnership with EPSRC to promote and co-fund long-term research, postgraduate training and knowledge exchange in the field NDE.
2014-2020
RCNDE 3
  • £5.4M grant, £2.8M match industry funding
  • University of Manchester gets involved
  • Bath University leaves the consortium
  • 15 full members/29 associate members
2021
RCNDE 4
  • Portfolio of grants
  • Expansion of activities
  • Different TRLs
  • 12 Tier 1 industrial members/ 2 Tier 2 industrial members/ 42 associate members

2021

Universities of Liverpool and Southampton join RCNDE

2022

Creation of the Tier 2 industrial membership category

20 Years of Excellence with Impact

2023 marks 20 years since the inception of the Research Centre in Non-Destructive Evaluation (RCNDE). This brochure celebrates the impact of RCNDE, reflects on key milestones and imagines the future for both the Centre and NDE.

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RCNDE – an internationally renowned membership-based industrial-academic collaboration that coordinates research into NDE technologies, ensuring research topics are relevant to the medium to longer-term needs of industry.

Activities

Our research Strategic activities Technology transfer

Latest news

  • RCNDE Spring 2025 Annual Meetings
  • RCNDE 2025 Spring Event
  • Publication of report on “Civil Structures workshop”

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