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The Development of Courses for the NDT Industry in Collaboration

with the Industry Body and the Students Themselves

Phil Picton, Muhammad ZaidEngineering Division,

The University of Northampton, United Kingdom

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Engineering CoursesThe Engineering Division at the University of Northampton provides a range of courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, in full-time, part time and distance learning modes.

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Student numbers

• Student numbers continue were in decline in the UK, particularly in subjects like Engineering

• In order to tackle this it was decided to try to expand sub-degree provision, particularly Foundation Degrees

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Foundation Degrees• The UK Government is keen to promote

Foundation Degrees• A Foundation Degree is equivalent to the

first two years of a BSc• There has to be a strong work-based

element to the course• There has to be a path on to a BSc from

the Foundation Degree

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Distance Learning• The Engineering Division has a range of

sub-degree awards• These are either part-time or distance

learning• It was decided that we would be more

likely to attract students onto the Foundation Degrees if we use distance learning

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Industry-Specific DL Courses• Lift and Escalator Industry Association

(LEIA) Diploma since 1983• Funding from the European Social Fund

for:– FdSc Lift Engineering– FdSc Electronics for Computing

• Also produced a FdSc High Performance Engineering (Motorsport)

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BINDT• In 2005 we were approached by the

Northampton-based British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT) with a view to collaboration.

• They are interested in developing an academic qualification that could be gained by people in the NDT industry.

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Age Profile of NDT Personnel - 30 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80 + Age

Czech Republic 12 31 25 27 5

Percentage

France 16 29 33 21 1

Germany 1.5 15 30 32 17 4 0.5

Slovakia 13 28 41 25 2

South Africa Majority

Spain 12 37 25 23 3

Sweden Majority

UK BINDT 4 9 27 37 18 4 1

UK PCN 15 25 32 23 5

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Course Design• All practitioners of NDT in the UK have

Personal Certification in NDT (PCN)• There are 3 levels, and most people are

level 2• We wanted to give exemptions to people

with certification, and provide the theory needed for the next level of PCN

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Position of the AwardWORK BASED VOCATIONAL ACADEMIC PROF. REG NQF

EQUIVALENT

WO

RK

BA

SED LEA

RN

ING

APPR

ENTIC

ESHIPS

Engineering Doctorate

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Masters Degree Chartered Engineer 7

BSc (Hons) NDT Incorporated Engineer

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PCN Level 3 Foundation Degree Y2

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4

PCN Level 2PCN Level 1

Foundation Degree Y1

EngineeringTechnician

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SCHOOL LEAVER OR OTHER ENTRY LEVEL

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Content – Stage 1• STAGE 1

ENG1035 Introduction to NDT

ENG1036 Material Properties

ENG1021 Electronic Principles

ENG1024 Mathematics for Technology Part 1

ENG1037 Technical Project

ENG1038 Personal Development

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Exemptions• Students must take all modules, however,

PCN Certification (or its equivalent) allows exemptions:

• PCN Level 1 certification (or equivalent) – Students are exempt from Introduction to NDT and Technical Project

• PCN Level 2 certification (or equivalent) – Students are also exempt from Material Properties and Personal Development

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Content - Stage 2• STAGE 2

ENG2036 Visual and Surface Testing

ENG2037 Radiographic Testing

ENG2038 Ultrasonic Testing

ENG2039 Eddy Current Testing

ENG2040 Quality Management of NDT

ENG2041 Quality Tools and Techniques in NDT

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Exemptions• PCN Level 3• Students are exempt from all of Stage 1

and the specific Stage 2 module in the method in which level 3 certification is held

• e.g. PCN Level 3 in Ultrasonic Inspection would exempt ENG2038 Ultrasonic Testing.

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The Course• The course was validated in July 2007• The course started 1st October 2007• 30 students in 2007/2008• 72 students in 2008/2009• 112 students in 2009/2010• At the end of 2008/2009 20 students

graduated with a FdSc NDT

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Survey

• After discussions with members of the BINDT, a list of suitable topics for a BSc was produced

• Students on the FdSc were given the list and asked to rank order the topics

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ResultsTopic Score

Advanced Inspection 28

Corrosion Analysis 54

NDT Applications 61

Thermographic Imaging 71

Condition Monitoring 75

Planning 84

Modelling 92

Acoustic Emission 107

Radar and Microwave Testing 117

Advanced Sensor and Imaging 126

Advanced Electronics 130

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Topics

• Advanced Inspection, Corrosion Analysis and Thermographic Imaging, were OK.

• NDT Applications would be covered by an undergraduate project.

• Condition Monitoring includes Vibration Analysis, Thermographic Imaging and Corrosion Analysis.

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Design of the courseCode Title Number of Credits

ENG3010 Corrosion Analysis 20

ENG3012 Thermographic Imaging 20

ENG3014 Vibration Monitoring and Analysis 20

ENG3017 Advanced Inspection Methods and Techniques

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ENG4005 Technology Project 40

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BSc NDT• The BSc Top-Up degree was validated in

March 2009• Students who had completed the FdSc

could progress onto the BSc• In addition, students who held PCN Level

3 in 4 appropriate topics could have direct entry

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Enrolment

• The course started in January 2010• 28 students have enrolled on the BSc• 9 of the 28 are direct entry

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The future

• The students were surveyed about an MSc

• All of them indicated that they would continue their studies if an MSc was available

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Conclusions• The new Foundation Degree in Non-

Destructive Testing satisfies the criteria for a successful course because it has been designed in conjunction with the BINDT

• The BSc was designed in conjunction with the students

• MSc?