UNIVERSITY of Strathclyde spinout InProcess has been honoured for developing what has been described as the world’s first real-time inspection system for welding using ultrasonic waves to detect defects as they occur.
The innovation could potentially save manufacturers millions of pounds and reduce rework and delays.
The solution secured top prize at this year’s Converge Awards, an annual ceremony designed to celebrate and reward the pinnacle of Scottish academic innovation.
Co-founded by University of Strathclyde researcher Momchil Vasilev, InProcess impressed judges of the Converge Challenge award category, which recognises novel business ideas with solid IP foundations, high commercial potential and scalability, earning a £50,000 cash prize and £20,500 of in-kind business support.
“Welding is an integral part of modern society and enables a number of crucial sectors, including the manufacture of net zero infrastructure like wind turbines where weld defects are very difficult to detect,” said Vasilev. “Currently, these defects are usually found at the end of production, with up to 20% of assets needing further repairs.
“We’ve created the first ultrasonic sensor capable of detecting these defects during manufacturing, potentially saving fabricators millions of pounds. We want to bring back manufacture of high-value components into the UK, and we want to create high-value and high-quality jobs here in Scotland.”
