Guest article
Wrexham-based scanning specialist to join Rolls-Royce and the RAF as the UK’s only independent industrial computed tomography (CT) services provider working to the European aerospace standard for non-destructive testing (NDT) – an early flagship investment for the region’s Advanced Manufacturing Investment Zone.
OR3D CT has today announced that, with funding secured through the Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone, it will qualify its team to EN4179 – the European aerospace standard governing the certification of personnel working with NDT methods.
The investment enables OR3D CT to become the first company in Wales to hold EN4179 accreditation for industrial CT, and the only independent industrial CT services provider in the UK working to this standard – joining Rolls-Royce and the RAF as one of a small group of UK organisations qualifying CT personnel to EN4179.
The Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone is a joint UK Government and Welsh Government advanced manufacturing programme, backed by up to £160 million over ten years and delivered locally by Wrexham County Borough Council, Flintshire County Council, and Ambition North Wales. OR3D CT is one of the early beneficiaries of the Zone’s Accreditation grant, administered by Wrexham County Borough Council’s Investment Zone Team – the first funding scheme launched under the Zone.
The training programme is being delivered by the International School of Aerospace NDT (ISANDT), the training and examination body approved by the British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (BINDT). Four OR3D CT employees will work towards Level 2 CT qualification – a significant undertaking that requires 80 hours of formal training and 800 hours of logged, industry-scrutinised experience per person.
Cllr Mark Pritchard, leader of Wrexham Council, said: “I would like to offer my congratulations to OR3D CT as the first company in Wales to be working towards this accreditation by investing in their team to qualify in this standard – not only becoming one of a small number in the UK, but the first in Wales. I am proud that they are based in Wrexham.
“This is a great example of how the investment zone grant funding can make a real and long-term, differences to small to medium sized businesses and even put them give them to opportunity to be shoulder to shoulder with other leaders in their industry.”
Cllr Nigel Williams, lead member for economy, business and tourism, said: “I was pleased to be invited to visit OR3D CT and see first-hand the groundbreaking work they are doing as the UK’s only independent industrial CT services provider working to the EN4179 aerospace standard.
“The service provided is revolutionary and will be of benefit to many sectors including aerospace and automotive.
“The grant funding through the investment zone will allow them to train their staff to become the first in Wales accredited to EN4179 standard, and the only independent company in the UK to be accredited to this standard.
“I wish them every success for the future.”
James Earl, managing director of OR3D Ltd, said: “We are enormously grateful to Wrexham County Borough Council Investment Zone Team, and everyone involved in the Investment Zone for backing us. Special thanks to Amanda Holmes, Investment Zone Programme Manager for her enormous support throughout the process and the belief in our vision for OR3D CT. This support directly enables a Welsh SME to reach a standard that has, until now, been held only by major primes and the armed forces in the UK. This is exactly the kind of investment the Zone was set up to deliver – an early, tangible example of public investment translating into a fantastic capability being built right here in North Wales.”
Rob Wells, service manager at OR3D CT, added: “Our customers work at the leading edge of manufacturing, and they need to know that the people inspecting their parts are working to the same standard. EN4179 is that standard for aerospace. As more additive and composite parts move into flight-critical applications, this qualification means we can support the UK aerospace supply chain with the confidence, traceability and repeatability the industry demands – and the funding from the Investment Zone is what has made it achievable at this pace and scale.”
Background
EN4179 is widely adopted across aerospace and other advanced-manufacturing industries where the highest standards of NDT competency are demanded. While the standard has long applied to conventional methods such as eddy current and ultrasonic testing, its application to industrial CT reflects the technology’s growing role in inspecting parts produced through metal additive manufacturing and composite processes – components that can be inherently difficult to inspect using traditional methods but are well-suited to XCT.
The accreditation will allow OR3D CT to inspect parts and assemblies destined for aircraft, opening opportunities across primes, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, MRO providers, and the wider aerospace supply chain – with the economic benefit flowing back to Chirk, Wrexham and the wider North Wales advanced manufacturing cluster.
