More services offered by testing laboratory Site metallography, chemical analysis, hardness testing and ferrite determination have been introduced as field services by AMTAC Laboratories of Altrincham, UK.

For the evaluation of components which must be metallurgically examined in the field, AMTAC's on site metallography service employs acetate replica techniques complemented by portable electropolishing equipment and

microscopes equipped with Polaroid photographic units. Recent projects carried out by AMTAC using these techniques have included the evaluation of castings and sections of North Sea oil rigs, and offshore modules in Saudi Arabia and Italy to verify their metallurgical structure and grain size.

AMTAC Laboratories Ltd, Norman Road, Broadheath, Altrincham, Cheshire WA 14 4EP, UK

Market ing deal signed

Sonatest plc has concluded an agreement with NDT Instruments Inc under which several NDT Instruments products will be available in Sonatest livery for sale, both in the UK and throughout Sonatest's international network of distributors.

The products, which include ultrasonic thickness meters and bond testing instruments, will enable Sonatest to offer a broader range of instrumentation.

Sonatest p/c, Dickens Road, Old Wolverton, Milton Keynes MK12 5QQ UK

Gasifier pipe to be tested

Nondestructive testing of nearly 9000 m of carbon-steel and stainless pipework in bores ranging from 10 to 250 mm diameter is to be carried out as part of the construction of an experimental gasifier plant by British Gas.

Scheduled for completion by the end of 1987, the plant will be built by Press Construction's Renfrew office.

Press Construction Ltd, Industrial Engineering Division, Haughton Road, Darlington, Co Durham, DL 1 2BL UK

A call for papers for the 12th World Conference on NDT (Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 23-29 April 1989) is to be issued in April of this year.

So far the following organizers of the event have been appointed: President: G.M. van Dijk (KEMA); Vice-President and Technical Programme: J. Boogaard (DSM); Finance: J.T. Eering (RTD); Exhibition: B.J. Vaessen (Agfa- Gevaert); Supplementary Events: A.M. Nijssen (Technical University Twente).

Advanced composite NDT will be one of the areas covered by the

19th SAMPE Technical Conference on "The Nation's Future Materials Needs' (13-15 October 1987, Arlington, VA, USA).

US government officials will be involved in the conference as plenary speakers and co-chairmen of sessions. They will come from the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Strategic Defence Initiative, NASA and the Departments of Transportation, Energy, Commerce and Interior.

Some' sessions will probably be closed to non-US nationals unless previously approved to attend.

SAMPE, PO Box 2459, Covina, CA 91722, USA

A Guidance Note on Radiation Safety in Underwater Radiography has recently been published by the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Subjects covered include maintenance and design of radiography equipment that is taken below surface, storage of exposure containers containing radioactive sources, radiation meters, alarm signals, working arrangements and operating procedures, special requirements for controlled areas and emergency procedures.

The subject material described is unique to underwater radiography and its particular problems associated with underwater working and the effect of water on ionising radiations.

Guidance Note GS41 - Radiation Safety in Underwater Radiography is priced £2.00 from her Majesty's Stationery Office.

A four-page catalogue of eddy- current probes for special applications has been produced by Eddy Current Technology Incorporated of Virginia, USA.

The probes include a 3.2 mm diameter differential probe, flexible U-bend probes and 3D flexibles, but the firm stresses that "if you don't see it, we probably make it anyway'.

Copies of the brochure may be obtained from: Eddy Current Technology Inc, 20 IA Horace Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23462, USA

Nondestructive Testing is the title of Volume 03.03 of the 1987 Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Test methods and practices for acoustic emission, electro- magnetics, leak testing, liquid penetrants, magnetic particles, radiography and ultrasonics are all included, together with reference radiography standards, test methods and practices for metallography.

Available in October 1987, the book will cost £53 (£47.50 to ASTM members) in Europe and is available from: American Technical Publishers Ltd, 68a Wilbury Way, Hitchin, Harts SG4 0TP, UK

NDT International February 1987 69