Zetec Celebrates 50th Anniversary and Legacy of Innovation in NDT Inspection Technology
Zetec is celebrating its 50th anniversary, marking the company’s legacy as a global leader in nondestructive testing (NDT) solutions for power generation, oil and gas, aerospace, and other vital industries.
“Thanks to our customers, channel partners, our innovative products and a highly skilled workforce, we’ve accomplished far more than anyone could have imagined back in 1968 when Zetec began developing analog eddy current testers in a small office and dairy barn near Seattle, Washington” said Wayne Wilkinson, President of Zetec.
Milestones in Eddy Current and Ultrasonic Technologies
Since then, Zetec has established numerous milestones in eddy current and ultrasonic instrumentation, probes, robotics, and data analysis software, including—
the first networked eddy current software platform, the first digital eddy current instrument, the first phased array ultrasonic instrument for commercial use; the first digital multi-channel ultrasonic acquisition system; and, more recently, the MIZ®-21C handheld eddy current instrument that brings the power of surface array to places it has never been used before, and the TOPAZ®64 fully integrated, portable phased array ultrasonic device with advanced full matrix capture (FMC) and total focusing method (TFM) capabilities.
“Market conditions and regulations have evolved over time but our commitment to improving inspection productivity, reliability, and safety through advanced technologies has been consistent,” Wilkinson said. “As we celebrate our history, we’re looking forward to another 50 years of innovation and customer focus.”
Single Source for Inspection Solutions
In 1968, Zetec won a government contract to inspect steam generator tubing and developed an analog, single-frequency eddy current tester, a state-of-the-art instrument at the time. Over the next 20 years, Zetec’s eddy current testing equipment, training, and methodology became industry standards for nuclear power NDT, then in balance-of-plant and process industry applications.
Today, Zetec continues to focus on its core business – power generation, and has since expanded into other asset-critical verticals including Aerospace, Oil & Gas and Manufacturing. The company has grown to become a single source for eddy current and ultrasonic inspection solutions, designing and manufacturing instruments, probes, robotics, and software– a cohesive approach that optimizes performance and value. Zetec invests extensively in research and development to bring the most innovative NDT products to market holding numerous patents for instruments, probes and systems.
Zetec’s global distribution network provides customers with knowledgeable product support and decades of technical expertise across numerous market verticals. In addition to its headquarters in Snoqualmie, Washington, the company maintains offices in Quebec City, Quebec; Paris, France; Seoul, Korea; Shanghai and Beijing, China; and Tokyo, Japan.
“The next 50 years will bring new opportunities for Zetec to advance NDT science and standards, setting ever-new levels of performance, productivity, and predictability,” Wilkinson said. “Our agility and drive to innovate will make a difference to our customers in every solution we deliver today and in the future.”