NDT Robotic Inspection Market

Market Overview

The global NDT robotic inspection market is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 12% during the forecasted period 2020–2027.  The advantages of robotic inspection over conventional inspection are driving the NDT robotic inspection market. The robotic inspection offers higher quality assurance than the conventional NDT inspection. It helps in making the process streamline and avoid repetitive work with better efficiency.

The robotic inspection also ensures working environment safety due to its ability to work in hazardous and unfavorable conditions for human working. These capabilities of NDT robotic inspection are contributing to the increasing demand for the product. Principal users of NDT robotic inspection aerospace, automotive, power generation, and petrochemical industry. The technical advancement of the robotic and the increasing popularity of automation in manufacturing are the key factors to drive the market in the manufacturing industry. 

Market Dynamics

Government Regulations in Product Quality and Public Safety Are Driving Market Growth

Regulatory authorities of many countries are implementing the regulation regarding precise product specification to ensure both consumers' and the workforce's safety, which is one of the key factors to drive the market growth. The probable threats of infrastructure failure, such as pipeline explosion, refinery blast, and leakage in the hazardous governments, worldwide are strengthening the laws and regulation regarding the inspection. This is increasing the demand for NDT robotic inspection.

The Reduced Dependency of Skilled and Professional Persons to Carry NDT Inspection

Qualified workforce and required experience of NDT inspection are driving the popularity of robotic-integrated methods over the conventional methods of NDT inspection. Due to the government regulation of safety and the complexity of the NDT inspection technique, the requirement of a skilled tester and inspector is increasing, shifting the focus of the companies towards automated and robotic NDT inspection. NDT robotic inspection assures a quality inspection and control without the requirement of a qualified workforce. This factor is further expected to boost the market.

Large Infrastructural Development in APAC, Europe, and Latin America to Present New Market Opportunities in the Upcoming Years

The developing countries in APAC, Europe, and Latin American region such as Brazil, India, China, Malaysia, etc. are witnessing rapid growth in the infrastructural development such as the construction of railways, dams, refineries, power generation and distribution plants, commercial and residential building, and roads and bridges. Governments in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, particularly the Philippines and Vietnam, are considered to be in a favorable position to invest in infrastructure to boost economic growth in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. This is driving the demand for NDT robotic inspection services and equipment and offers an ample number of opportunities to the service providers and key players of the market.

Segmental Analysis

Ultrasonic Inspection Segment to Witness Significant Growth during the Forecast Period

The ultrasonic inspection segment is anticipated to dominate the NDT robotic inspection market in the forecast period due to its rising popularity in the manufacturing industry. Ultrasonic inspection automated devices are portable and easy to use, which in turn is increasing its demand in the manufacturing industry. This technique can detect the defective areas and parts along with their severity.

Some of the technological advancements, such as guide wave ultrasonic testing and ultrasonic impression testing, are being used for critical application in the oil and gas industry, aerospace industry, and power generation industry, etc. Due to these factors, the growth of the ultrasonic inspection segment is rising in the market.

The radiographic inspection is estimated to be the second-largest segment contributing to the NDT robotic inspection market. Radiographic inspection uses industrial CT scanners for the sophisticated detection of defects with the help of advanced technology.  It delivers more precise quality inspection over other techniques to reduce the faults in the final product. However, the deployment cost of the radiographic inspection is on a higher-end is hampering the market growth.

The Commercial Segment to Bolster in the Upcoming Years

Based on the application, the market is segmented into residential, commercial, telecommunication, and others. The commercial segment is estimated to dominate the market in 2019 and is expected to bolster in the upcoming years. Clean energy generation, reliability, and economic operation cost are the factors contributing to the segment growth.

As a sub-segment of commercial, the telecommunication industry is anticipated to contribute significantly towards the growth of the market due to the exponential adoption in rural areas. The use of a conventional power generation system results in a higher fuel consumption rate and CO2 emission. Hence, solar-diesel hybrid power systems are used in telecommunication as an alternative for power generation. The low maintenance cost, continuous power supply, and economic setup in the difficult geographical regions are a few key factors raising the demand in the telecommunication sector.

Impact of covid-19

COVID-19 has affected the global economy by directly affecting production and demand, creating supply chain and market disruption, and its financial impact on firms and financial markets. Due to lockdown, the NDT robotic inspection market was highly impacted as automation production and petroleum products' demand declined. During the period, the travel ban caused the aerospace industry 40 to 60% of the total loss in passengers globally. This has caused an imbalance in the production level, supply chain, inventory shortage, and limited workforce, adversely affecting the global NDT robotic inspection market.

Market players are struggling to reduce the revenue losses due to the workforce resizing. It is expected that the market will slowly pick up after the situation comes to normal. Due to the slow recovery of manufacturing, adoption of NDT will not compensate the losses.

Regional Analysis

The global NDT robotics inspection market is divided into five regions- North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and the Middle East and Africa. Europe was the largest contributor to the market by holding the majority of total revenue share and is expected to grow at a faster rate than North America and MEA. It is anticipated that over 35% of the market growth will be generated from Europe during the forecast period.

The growth of industrialization in the region is the key factor driving the Oil and Gas, Manufacturing, Aerospace and Defense, Construction, Automotive, Power Generation industry. This, in turn, is rising the demand for NDT robotic inspection in the region. Factors like economic growth, development in process automation, and availability of sufficient infrastructure are motivating the key players of the market to invest in the Europe region, fueling the NDT robotic market growth. Countries such as the U.K., France, and Spain are the major contributors to the global NDT robotic inspection market.

Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the upcoming years. The rapid growth of manufacturing, power generation, and infrastructural construction are a few key elements contributing to the growth of the NDT robotic market in the APAC region. Increasing adoption in the manufacturing industry in the countries such as China and India offer excellent opportunities for market growth in the upcoming years.

These countries have many infrastructural development projects under construction, which are expected to complete during the forecast period. Completion of these projects is expected to increase the demand for NDT robotic testing in India and China in the near future.

Recent Developments

• In September 2019, MISTRAS Group acquired U.S.-based company New Century Software, which provides pipeline integrity management software and services to energy transportation companies.
• Olympus Corporation launched the DSX1000 digital microscope in June 2019. DSX1000 digital microscope helps in improving the workflow and enables inspection of a wide variety of samples with a single tool.
• To deploy the next-generation automated inspection platform, Avitas Systems collaborated with Limelight Networks, Inc. to use their private network and distributed cloud infrastructure.

NDT Robotic Inspection Market Segmentation

By Technique

• Ultrasonic Inspection
• Radiographic Inspection
• Eddy Current Inspection
• Magnetic Particle Inspection
• Liquid penetration Inspection
• Visual Inspection
• Others

By Applications

• Oil and Gas
• Manufacturing
• Aerospace and Defense
• Construction
• Automotive and Transportation
• Power Generation
• Metal and Mining
• Others

By Region

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• The Middle East and Africa