Industry 4.0 is the ongoing fourth industrial revolution, based on digitalisation, digital transformation, crosslinking and networks and lives on data for its feedback loops and one of its biggest and most valuable data sources is NDE. Industry 4.0 leads to an improved production, design and maintenance by analysing the data in digital twins, provided by the industrial internet of things. Measures like artificial intelligence, big data processing, or augmented reality allow to evaluate and visualise the data. Blockchains allow ensuring modification-proof storage and traceability and 5G the wireless connections needed by Industry 4.0.

This will lead to big changes in NDE. First, the Industry 4.0 emerging technologies can be used to enhance NDE technologies and NDE data processing. Second, a statistical analysis of NDE data provides insight into reliability, inspection performance, training status, consistency, and value of the inspections. Finally, NDE is the ideal data source for Industry 4.0.

This first conference on NDE 4.0 is devoted to promoting a broad exchange on all subjects regarding NDE 4.0. The conference provides a unique opportunity for users, scientists, equipment suppliers and all who are interested to discuss the following topics:

• Industry 4.0 for NDE
• NDE for Industry 4.0
• Human Considerations
  (topics in detail)

The conference will be split:

• Virtual Conference on 14/15/20/21 April 2021, four days of invited presentations on the subject of NDE 4.0 (3 hours every day, 2 slots to accomodate all time-zones) and live panel discussions.

• Face-to-Face Conference 26 - 28 April 2022 in Munich, the call for abstracts is online.
  All information for the face-to-face conference in April 2022 please find at the separate website https://conference.nde40.com.
  Presentations addressing the topics mentioned above and considering any NDE methods proposed such as thermal imaging, eddy current, ultrasonics, optics, x-ray testing and many others will be most welcome.
  Opportunities for technical visits to relevant IIoT companies are planned.

We are looking forward to meeting you first visually and second in Munich.

Dr. Johannes Vrana
Conference Chair