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Business Case
Diversifying portable digital radiography into non-destructive testing
For an SME from the healthcare sector, SURFEO assessed the diversification of portable digital radiography systems into non-destructive testing in Europe.
Industrial radiography reveals internal defects without altering parts
The IAEA presents industrial radiography as a major component of non-destructive testing, used in particular on welds, pipelines, tanks and structures [1].
An SME designing portable digital radiography systems for healthcare wanted to develop an industrial diversification strategy in Europe.
SURFEO carried out a quantitative study, sized the TAM and SAM, conducted around thirty interviews and identified the players interested in the technology.
Decision at stake
Assess whether a portable technology from healthcare could meet the requirements of industrial inspection.
Scope
Europe · non-destructive testing · portable digital radiography.
A qualification based on usage needs and the adoption chain
Qualify the uses
Identify the parts, welds and environments compatible with a portable solution.
Conduct the field survey
Carry out around thirty interviews with players interested in the technology.
Size the market
Assess the market quantitatively and structure the TAM and SAM scopes.
Build the diversification
Link the system’s capabilities to the expectations of European non-destructive testing.
Digital technology is strengthening the traceability and automation of radiographic inspection
European milestones for going to market
The ISO 17636-2 standard governs digital radiography of welded joints using digital detectors [2].
Digital detectors produce a greyscale image that is assessed on a computer [2].
2025 trends include photon counting, laminography, AI and robotic inspection [3].
Validate in a realistic environment
European programmes expect trials on representative use cases before industrial roll-out [3].
Combine sensing and processing
Multimodal integration, data fusion and real-time analysis are among the areas supported [3].
Prepare the entire value chain
Access to skills, pilot lines, manufacturing and commercial support is a precondition for going to market [2][4].
A structured market-entry strategy for Europe
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[1] IAEA, “Industrial radiography: Uses, non-destructive testing”. https://www.iaea.org/topics/industrial-radiography
[2] ISO, “ISO 17636-2:2022”, digital radiography of welds. https://www.iso.org/fr/standard/78320.html
[3] DIR 2025, “Recent Trends in Digital Radiography”. https://www.ndt.net/article/dir2025/papers/DIR2025_Trends_in_DR_keynote_U_Ewert-TU1.pdf
[4] IAEA, “Radiation Safety in Industrial Radiography”, SSG-11. https://nucleus-apps.iaea.org/nss-oui/Content/Index?CollectionId=m_8bdce934-a34d-4ec0-98be-a92c11995ca4&type=PublishedCollection
[5] Photonics21, “Photonics Partnership”, European ecosystem. https://www.photonics21.org/about-us/photonics-ppp/
[6] SURFEO internal project sheet, source for the assignment facts, figures and outcomes.