To the 30th anniversary of Energodiagnostika Co. Ltd. history of foundation and development

Dr. A.A. Dubov, General Director of Energodiagnostika Co. Ltd.

For the first time the company named “Energodiagnostika” appeared on my initiative in November 1990 in Warsaw, Poland, and then in October 1993 in Sliven, Bulgaria. A scientific and production association – SPA Energodiagnostika – was founded in Moscow in November 1992.

The name of Energodiagnostika companies founded in 1990-1993 in Poland, Russia and Bulgaria had the meaning of “energy equipment diagnostics”, since by that time I had worked in the Electric Power industry for more than 30 years.

Later, somewhere in 2005, in connection with realization of the physical bases of the metal magnetic memory (MMM) method as a method for assessing the energy state, we also had a new concept that reflects the name of the Energodiagnostika company - diagnostics of the inspected object's energy state.

Thus, the very development of the MMM method within the company called “Energodiagnostika” led to appearance of a fundamentally new methodology – energy diagnostics (assessment of the equipment metal's energy margin to resist external loads)!

From the very beginning, the basis of Energodiagnostika Co. Ltd. activity in Russia, Poland, Bulgaria, China and other countries was development of a new technology for non-destructive testing (NDT) based on the use of the magnetic memory of metal. The development of the MMM method and Energodiagnostika Co. Ltd. was ensured by solving the following main tasks:

• Financial support of the company.
• Design and manufacture of fundamentally new devices-magnetometers for the MMM method.
• Development of regulatory documents for the MMM method and its standardization.
• Scientific and experimental substantiation of the new inspection technology. The MMM method turned out to be fundamentally new compared to the known magnetic NDT methods. Therefore, I had to organize a large complex of research works.
• Arrangement of training in the MMM method for Energodiagnostika Co. Ltd. employees and experts from other enterprises – customers of our products.
• Advertising and promotion of the MMM method and new inspection devices. Development of advertising booklets, website, videos and presentations, publication of books, articles, reference lists, participation in exhibitions and seminars, promotional trips to customer enterprises.
• Holding Russian and international conferences on the topic “Diagnostics of equipment and structures using the MMM method”.

Earning money to solve these tasks at the first stage (1991-1995) was carried out by performing diagnostic work at power plants in Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Bulgaria and India.

Over the past 30 years, the company has developed in many directions. Today we have offices in Moscow, Reutov, Ryazan and Beijing.

The accredited independent body for certification in the field of NDT (NDT Certification Body) is located in the office in Oktyabr Street in Reutov. The metrological laboratory and the department for instruments repair and specialized scanning devices design and manufacture is located in Stroiteley street in Reutov. Development and manufacture of the TSC type (testers of stress concentration) inspection instruments is carried out in Ryazan.

Scientific and technical potential of specialists working for the company and involved in solving specific practical and scientific tasks has a high professional level: from ordinary engineers to Doctor of Science certified for Levels II and III in non-destructive testing of various industrial facilities.

Energodiagnostika Co. Ltd. is a Partner of the Russian Welding Society (RWS), an active member of the Scientific and Industrial Union “Industrial Safety, Risk Management, Control and Monitoring” (SIU RISCOM), heads the TC 132 subcommittee SC 1 “SSS Control and Lifetime” of the Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology, the Specialist International Group for the metal magnetic memory at the International Committee for Non-Destructive Testing (ICNDT) and the C-V-E-a sub-commission on the metal magnetic memory at the International Institute of Welding (IIW).

Over the past 30 years, significant work has been carried out in the field of development of regulatory and technical documentation on the MMM method and its standardization. Physical bases of the method have been developed on the basis of modern concepts of materials science and fracture mechanics.

Currently, more than 60 guidance documents, approved by Rostekhnadzor and industry institutes, are applied in various industries in Russia with the use of the MMM method. There are six national and two international standards (ISO) on the MMM method.

Promotion of the MMM method to the level of an international standard was implemented through the International Institute of Welding (IIW) during the period of about 14 years. In accordance with the international Round-Robin program approved by IIW, experimental verification of the method in laboratory and industrial conditions was carried out in six countries of the world (USA, Germany, Poland, Russia, China, and India). During the period from 1994 to 2010 more than 40 IIW documents on the MMM method in various aspects of its development (theory, practice, inspection instruments and techniques, training) were published.

Currently, on the basis of international standards on the MMM method, national standards have been put into effect in 12 countries of the world.

In 2010, Rostekhnadzor included the MMM method in the list of major magnetic methods allowed for use at hazardous industrial facilities.

In 2011, as a result of experimental verification of the MMM method efficiency in laboratory and industrial conditions conducted by TUV Rheinland specialists, a Certificate for the use of the method in examination and diagnostics of pressure equipment and vessels was obtained.

As of June 2022, the MMM method and the inspection instruments manufactured by Energodiagnostika Co. Ltd. were implemented in 46 countries of the world.

Energodiagnostika Co. Ltd. Certification Body trained more than 3000 experts in Russia and about 1000 experts in other countries in the MMM.

The program of experts training and certification in the MMM is agreed with Rostekhnadzor. This Program and the Training Handbook were reviewed by experts from different countries within the framework of the IIW Commission “Quality Control of Welding” and adopted as an IIW document No. V-1347-06.

Of particular note is the work of the Certification Body on experts training in the field of non-contact magnetometric diagnostics (NCMD) of pipelines based on the MMM method. This unique NDT technology for assessment of the condition of gas and oil pipelines, heat pipelines, water pipelines located under a soil layer or under water at a depth of 2-3 m or deeper, is currently becoming more and more widespread in Russia and other countries. As of the present time, Energodiagnostika Co. Ltd. Certification Body, which is the only center for NCMD training, has certified about 400 experts.

Summing up the totals of Energodiagnostika Co. Ltd. development over the past 30 years, one should once again note the importance of the metal magnetic memory method for quality control of engineering products during manufacture and for assessing the lifetime of operated equipment and structures.

Despite 30 years of experience in the development of a fundamentally new NDT technology using the magnetic memory of metal, the discussion on perception of this technology among the “official experts in magnetic processes” continues. The MMM method opponents try to refer it to the well-known magnetic NDT methods. Without getting into the physical bases, and, as a rule, not having practical experience in this technology, some experts refer the method to the magnetic flux leakage (MFL), while others – to the fluxgate method by the type of sensors used in our TSC instruments.

MMM has a conditional relation to well-known magnetic methods. First of all, the MMM method solves the problem of equipment's stress-strain state control, and in a particular case, when the rejection criteria are known, it can be used as a flaw detection method. The MMM method by its physics is most closely related to acoustic emission (AE). The magnetic signal (anomaly) sources in the MMM and AE signals are identical by their location on the inspected object. AE and MMM signals occur in stress concentration zones – sources of developing damages.

In conclusion, it is necessary to focus the attention of experts on the most important area of experimental and scientific research in order to further develop NDT technology based on the MMM. This work cannot be interrupted. Cooperation of Energodiagnostika Co. Ltd. with industry and educational institutions and, most importantly, with industrial enterprises in Russia and other countries, which has been carried out for more than 30 years, should continue in the future. In order not to lose ground in the MMM method development and to remain the leading company in this field, we must constantly improve our work in all areas.