The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Innovation in Non-Destructive Evaluation (FIND-CDT) has been created to provide EngD and PhD programmes in the vital field of non-destructive evaluation: an underpinning technology that encompasses a wide range of sensing, imaging and analysis techniques. 

FIND-CDT connects universities with industry. The result is research that makes a difference – EDF, Airbus and E.ON are just a few of the companies our students have worked with to create real impact.

The University of Bristol leads, alongside centre partners Imperial College London and the Universities of Manchester, Nottingham, Strathclyde and Warwick. The CDT has been co-created by a consortium of 49 companies, including Airbus, Rolls-Royce, EDF, BAE Systems and Shell.

The CDT has close links to the UK’s internationally leading Research Centre for Non Destructive Evaluation with a vibrant network of more than 250 researchers across a range of disciplines based in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, mathematics and imaging sciences departments in the participating universities.

With these partners, we have developed bespoke cohort-based doctoral training to equip our CDT graduates with the breadth and depth of knowledge that UK industry requires across this multidisciplinary subject. EngD and PhD students will be trained by leading academic and industrial experts through taught modules on the core technical disciplines, as well as in innovation and entrepreneurship and an industrially linked doctoral research project.

This responds to rapidly changing needs of UK industry and a society that demands low costs with high levels of safety and reliability. This need is driven by many factors such as new materials, advanced manufacturing technologies, digitalisation, the Internet of Things, robotic systems, the civil nuclear renaissance and the pressing requirement to extend the life of our ageing national infrastructure.

The combination of breadth and depth of training equips our graduates with the broad interdisciplinary technical skills to deliver innovative solutions across key industrial sectors and the transferable skills needed to become future innovators and industry leaders.

The Bristol group is recognised as a world leader within NDE, having produced several important research outcomes that are now exploited by industry, both in the UK and around the world.

During the first three years of the programme, students will undertake a range of cohort-based taught units, allowing time to build knowledge and ignite curiosity. This will include advanced technical courses and training on innovation and entrepreneurship. Alongside this, there will be opportunities to get involved in science communication, public engagement and international internships, and to present work at national and international conferences.

Visit our programme catalogue for full details of the structure and unit content for the Future Innovation in Non-Destructive Evaluation CDT programme.

We have a range of projects and industrial sponsors for applicants to choose from and this changes over the year, so please contact us for details. Projects fall into three broad themes:

• The Future NDE technologies theme will focus on the physics and engineering of the sensing transducers, imaging and processing methods.
• Future infrastructure NDE will be driven by the need to reduce manual inspection through increased use of robotic manipulators and permanently installed systems.
• Future manufacturing inspection places speed and automation at its core which must be seamlessly integrated, including into fast-moving production lines.

Ultrasonics and Non-destructive Testing

The Ultrasonics and Non-destructive Testing group undertakes research into the fundamentals and applications of ultrasonics. We are particularly active in the following areas: array imaging; materials characterisation (eg nonlinear ultrasonics); NDT of composites; structural health monitoring; ultrasonic particle manipulation (ie acoustic radiation force devices). Our philosophy is to undertake a balance of fundamental engineering science ultrasonics research alongside more applied research. We see this mix of fundamental and applied as incredibly valuable and our aim is to see selected topics through from conception to industrial uptake. This means that most of our projects are collaborative, sometimes with industry and sometimes with other university groups.