The new firm combines the experience in automation of the machine tool manufacturer with the knowledge of non-destructive testing techniques of the research centre.

Within its diversification strategy, its commitment to technological innovation and the search for new market opportunities, the Basque industrial group Danobatgroup and the IDEKO research centre have created a new company specialising in the area of non-destructive inspection solutions, Endity Solutions.

80% of the share capital of the new firm is owned by the machine tool manufacture and 20% by the research entity, the innovation engine of the business group.

Non-destructive testing (NDT) is a key discipline for guaranteeing the competitiveness of industrial manufacture, as it allows the condition and quality of manufactured parts to be verified without causing surface or structural damage to components for strategic and high-value sectors, such as energy generation, railways and aeronautics.

Danobatgroup and IDEKO, a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance, have created this new firm - which has the full industrial support of the group - thanks to the deep knowledge of non-destructive inspection techniques of the research centre added to the experience in production system automation of the machine tool manufacturer.

“The sum of the knowledge in the development of R&D solutions generated by IDEKO together with Danobatgroup’s automation capabilities has led to the founding of Endity Solutions, a new business initiative whose objective is to generate qualified employment in our environment and diversify our current value proposition”, said the Innovation director of the group, Nerea Aranguren.

The new company is headed by Ivan Castro, who has a wealth of experience in the field of non-destructive testing within IDEKO’s Manufacturing Processes research group, and by Mikel Alvarez, who has extensive commercial experience in the industrial group and will have the support of a team of experts in NDT technologies at his disposal.

Located in Bergara, the new firm has its own facilities, equipped with offices and a prototype workshop where its new developments are tested. Furthermore, the company will market its NDT solutions and services under the brand Endity Solutions.

Specifically, Endity Solutions will address the development of new inspection methodologies, principally based on digital technologies such as ultrasonics and induced currents, which make it possible to detect volumetric and surface defects in parts with high technological value and significant economic investment.

“In an economically complicated scenario, such as the one we are going through at the moment, we want to look to the future and generate value, create high qualification jobs and intensify our knowledge in technological development aimed at manufacturing. The creation of the NDT company will allow us to have advanced technology available for inspection tasks, strengthen our diversification strategy and make it possible for us to continue generating quality employment”, said Aranguren.

NDT, an ally for safety and quality control

NDT inspections allow materials, parts and finished components to be characterised without causing damage in the structure or composition. These are procedures that allow imperfections, faults and defects to be detected in order to guarantee the integrity of the analysed part.

The applications of NDT techniques are varied, but they are particularly useful in the analysis of high added value parts, as they allow their condition to be known with great accuracy at any point in the manufacturing process, at different temperatures without causing any deterioration. Furthermore, the techniques can be applied at any point of the manufacturing process and throughout the useful life of the component.

“Non-destructive testing has started to form part of the safety protocols and requirements of strategic sectors with a high innovation component, such as energy generation, the petrochemical industry, automotive, aeronautics and ship and railway transport. This discipline is essential for sectors in which safety and reliability are vital, such as railway or aeronautics”, concluded Aranguren.