»I travel all over Germany performing acoustic emissions testing, usually with a whole vanload of equipment in tow––lots of cable drums, the heavy measurement device itself, and of course all the sensors. One of the most modest items I take along is my mechanical pencil, but it has a crucial role to play! As soon as the sensors are set up I take the pencil and snap the lead off against the vessel at various points. The sensors react to these clicks, which enables us to locate and test them. We use the results to computer-generate a perfect model of the vessel; as we conduct our measurements, we can establish the exact points where there are cracks or other damage.

Acoustic emissions testing is a huge step forward for vessel testing. The vessels used to have to be emptied and cleaned to allow the testers to inspect them personally, and then filled with water to generate the necessary pressure. This process caused major disruption to operations. When it comes to areas of industry such as pharmaceuticals or vessels containing highly flammable materials like hydrogen or liquefied gas, AE testing offers an enormous safety plus, both for us and for our customers! They can allow operations to continue as normal, saving time and costs. As part of our ongoing improvements to our customer service, we are currently addressing continuous surveillance. This enables tank conditions to be assessed at any time, allowing risks to be identified immediately and remedied.«