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Executive Summary: Advancing Microstructural Inspection with Spatially Resolved Acoustic Spectroscopy (SRAS)

Institution: University of Nottingham
Innovation Focus: Non-destructive microstructural imaging using laser ultrasonic Spatially Resolved Acoustic Spectroscopy (SRAS)
Sectors Impacted: Aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and high-value engineering materials

The Innovation

Understanding material microstructure is critical for ensuring the performance and safety of high-value engineering components, yet conventional techniques are often slow, destructive, or limited in scale. The University of Nottingham, supported by RCNDE, developed Spatially Resolved Acoustic Spectroscopy (SRAS)—a fast, non-destructive laser ultrasonic technique capable of mapping grain structure, size, and orientation across complex components.

Commercial and Industrial Impact

High-Resolution, Non-Destructive Microstructural Imaging

  • Rapidly maps grain structure and crystallographic orientation across a wide range of engineering materials.
  • Works on complex geometries and a variety of surface finishes, including curved and as-manufactured components.

Enabling Inspection of Large and High-Value Components

  • Allows localised inspection of large components, enabling them to re-enter service without destructive testing.
  • Reduces costs associated with scrappage and over-conservative safety margins.

Integration with Advanced Manufacturing

  • Developed for compatibility with additive manufacturing, including integration into build chambers for in-process inspection.
  • Supports real-time evaluation of microstructure and defect detection during production.

Adoption Across High-Value Sectors

  • Applied to critical materials such as titanium, nickel, steel, and aluminium used in aerospace and advanced engineering.
  • Collaborations with industry leaders, including Rolls-Royce and Renishaw, and licensing to CPI demonstrate strong commercial uptake.

The RCNDE Advantage

RCNDE has played a key role in:
  • Funding and supporting the development of SRAS through targeted research programmes
  • Enabling collaboration between academia and major industrial partners
  • Accelerating the transition of SRAS from laboratory innovation to industrial application
  • Supporting cross-sector adoption in aerospace, manufacturing, and advanced materials

Why It Matters to Industry

  • Provides fast, non-destructive insight into material microstructure and integrity
  • Enables inspection of complex and large components without costly destructive testing
  • Supports quality assurance and process control in additive manufacturing
  • Strengthens capability for high-performance, safety-critical engineering in Industry 4.0

Result

UK research output and NDE technology now delivers global impact—transforming asset management and safety across energy, chemicals, and heavy industry.

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