At the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) conference last week Adaptix, who have been working closely with Cranfield University, won the ATI's 2024 Innovation Award for "most exciting emerging technology".
Adaptix originally developed a novel high-accuracy but low-power 3D X-ray solution aimed at the healthcare market. In collaboration with Cranfield University, the solution was adapted to the aerospace market, where non-destructive testing (NDT) is a crucial part of life, as component failures, even of the smallest components, can be catastrophic. Importantly, in the Adaptix-Cranfield solution, the X-rays are low power which means that large areas of the working space or hanger do not need to be closed during testing, so it is far less disruptive to other workers. The project was supported by a grant from the ATI.
Collaborations of this type do pose questions about ownership of IP generated during the collaboration, but proper consideration of the issues beforehand can prevent problems later on, some of which may be very difficult to fix after the event.
The project shows what can be achieved when industry and academia work together with support from grant funding organisations like the ATI.
"Adaptix has shown that its technology can inspect similar aerospace parts to the level of fidelity that is of relevance to industry. Working closely in partnership with experts at Cranfield University, facilitated through this ATI grant, has allowed us to explore the integration of the capability onto twin robotic systems. This is a hugely exciting development and has the potential for a real game change in in situ non-destructive testing."
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