13^th International Conference and Exhibition “Modern Methods and Means of NDT and Technical Diagnostics” was held from October 3 to 7, 2005 in Yalta. Conference organizers were Company “NAUKA. TEKHNIKA. TEKHNOLOGIA” (Kiev) and Company “Mashinostrojenie” (Dniepropetrovsk) with the support of NDT Societies of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, as well as Dniepropetrovsk National University. General sponsor was SPC “Diagnosticheskie Pribori” (Kiev).

188 specialists participated in the Conference, in particular from Ukraine (149), Russia (32), Belarus (3), Moldova (1), Lithuania (2), Uzbekistan (1), among which 45 participants represented industrial enterprises, including the largest plants in Ukraine and Russia, 24 – higher educational establishments, research institutes and design bureaus, 84 were representatives of science-production companies, 35 were representatives of Labour Safety Inspection of Ukraine, similar bodies of Russia, Lithuania, expert and diagnostic centers, as well as public organizations.

Altogether 11 plenary, 49 session and 36 poster presentations were submitted to the Conference. Their authors presented the results of their research and development covering a broad range of NDT methods, techniques of diagnostics and prediction of the residual life of structures; assessment of physico-mechanical characteristics of materials and some other areas related to NDT and TD. Paper theses are published in the Conference proceedings (paper and electronic versions).

A detailed report on the status and prospects for development of NDT and TD in Ukraine was made by Prof. V. Troitskij, President of USNDT. The most immediate and important goals of the Society in 2006 are holding of the 5^th National Conference and participation in the 9^th European Conference in Berlin. Among the promising directions, Prof. Troitskij noted the long-range UT of pipelines broadly advertised in the West. The first sample of such an equipment has been purchased and is applied by "TUF NORD-DIEX" Company (Dniepropetrovsk).

Conference success was promoted by excellent conditions at Miskhor sanatorium in Yalta.

Conference organizers and participants are very much looking forward to meeting again at the 14^th Conference to be held next year.

Winners and prize-winners of USNDT professional competition in each of the nominations will receive USNDT diplomas of the respective degree and special awards.

3rd International Forum "Production and Protection – 2004" was held from November 30 to December 2, 2004 in Kiev in the territory of the International Exhibition Center, and became universally recognized as a major exhibition event in the field of metal treatment in Ukraine. Industrial Forum combines six specialized exhibitions, as well as an extensive program of conferences and seminars.

The Forum was conducted on behalf of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, and with an active support of the Ministry of Industrial Policy of Ukraine, State Committee of Ukraine on Labour Safety, State Committee of Ukraine on Technical Regulation and User Policy.

Industrial Forum participants were about 300 companies from 20 countries of the world (Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Germany, Switzerland, Lithuania, France, Italy, Austria, Moldova, Denmark, Bulgaria, Rumania, Czechia, Poland, Spain, Belgium, Japan, Slovenia, USA). Total exhibition area was 8000 sq.m, which is practically 1.5 times higher than that in 2003. Compared to last year event, an increased level of interest of such European countries as, first of all, Switzerland and Germany and also Italy, Austria, Denmark, Rumania, etc, should be noted.

52% of the new exponents were local producers or foreign company representative offices in Ukraine; 48% were foreign companies and plants.

Systems for non-destructive testing and diagnostics of production equipment were exhibited by the following companies: "ONIKO" (A.Kolesnikov, Director), "Ultracon" (I.Pavlii, Director), "DP-Test" (I.V.Pavlii, Director), "Diagnostics Devices" (A.Kozin, Deputy Director), "A-EmD” (V.Vitvitsky, Director).

Ukrainian Society of NDT as one of the co-organizers of the Subject-oriented Exhibition "Samples, Standards, Instruments" had its booth in the Exhibition, displaying the "Technical Diagnostics and Non-destructive Testing", "NDT-Inform" journals and other materials on the Society activity and events organized by it.

The usually intensive agenda was followed at the NDT seminars, which were held on November 30 in IEC conference-hall and were devoted to problems of non-destructive testing and technical diagnostics of industrial plants to prevent their failure and to issues of standardization, certification and metrological support of NDT and TD means.

Industrial Forum events were covered by 47 accredited journalists. The Forum was visited by about 2.500 experts, specialists and top-managers of the industry. The subject-oriented audience of participants enabled the absolute majority of exponents making several attractive contracts for equipment delivery, evaluating the results of their activities as positive on the whole, and submitting an application for participation in the Industrial Forum "Production and Protection – 2005", which will be held from November 29 to December 2, 2005.

We invite companies, manufacturing and supplying the NDT and TD systems to the Ukrainian market to take part in this Forum. You should act quickly, if you wish to get the best places at a discount price.

The E.O.Paton Electric Welding Institute in co-operation with low-frequency acoustics experts is actively pursuing work on development of equipment and technology of long-wave quality control of pipes and other metal structures. Unlike the traditional UT, using high-frequency radiation (0.5 – 15 Hz) and detecting internal defects, the linear dimensions of which are measured in millimeters (from 0.5 mm and higher), this technology uses low-frequency vibrations (20-120 KHz) and detects rather large defects, mainly, corrosion attack.

This work allows detecting corrosion attack starting from 10% of metal thickness without uncovering or removing the insulation, at up to 150 m distance from the point, where the ultrasonic transducers are mounted.

In 2004 NDT&E Department of the E.O.Paton Electric Welding Institute successfully completed basic research on development of a mock-up of the appropriate system.

Development of such technologies is also pursued abroad. In particular, Plant Integrity Ltd, Great Britain, which is part of TWI, has already developed and is successfully operating “TELETEST” system for testing plants with a limited access. An agreement on co-operation between USNDT and TWI in this field has been reached during a meeting in Montreal with Mr. Peter Mudge, Plant Integrity Ltd Director. At present, an international project on plant monitoring using long-range UT has already been developed and submitted for consideration to the EU bodies. Ukrainian Society of NDT is one of the eight European NDT Societies, which are the founders of this European Project.

Altogether 22 organizations from 16 countries take part in fulfillment of this Project.