From July 30 to 31, the 2026 7th Suzhou Nondestructive Testing (NDT) Innovation Conference and the 5th X-ray CT Symposium were grandly held at the Suzhou International Conference Hotel. Centered on the theme "Smart Inspection for the Future: NDT Technological Innovation and High-Quality Industrial Development," the event brought together over 600 experts, scholars, and industry leaders from domestic and international universities, research institutes, and enterprises to explore the cutting-edge advancements and future trends of NDT technology.
Gathering Experts in Gusu to Open a New Chapter for the NDT Industry
The conference was co-hosted by the Electric Power Industry Vocational Skill Assessment Guidance Center and the Suzhou Nondestructive Testing Association. It was jointly organized by Wujiang Hongda Flaw Detection Equipment Co., Ltd., Suzhou Naidite Precision Mold Co., Ltd., Suzhou Jingneng Intelligent Instrument Co., Ltd., and the editorial office of *CT Theory and Applications (Chinese-English)*. Strong support was provided by institutions such as Beihang University, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanchang Hangkong University, the MIIT Key Laboratory of Nondestructive Testing and Monitoring Technology for High-Speed Transport Facilities, and the Vacuum Electronics Branch of the Chinese Institute of Electronics. Instrument.com.cn served as the online supporting platform for the event.
On the morning of July 30, the conference officially opened in the Jingui C Hall on the third floor of the Suzhou International Conference Hotel. During the opening ceremony, speeches were delivered by Huang Chao (Deputy Director of the Party-Mass Work Department/Labor Union Work Department and Deputy Secretary of the Youth League Committee, China General Nuclear Power Corporation), Zhou Zhenggan (Vice Chairman of the Nondestructive Testing Branch, Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society), Shen Mingkui (President, Suzhou Nondestructive Testing Association), Lu Wenming (Party Leadership Group Secretary and Vice Chairman, Suzhou Federation of Trade Unions), and Yu Xuehao (Deputy Secretary-General, China Electricity Council), all of whom shared their visions for the industry's future. Following the opening ceremony, an award ceremony was held to honor young scholars who have achieved outstanding research results in the field of nondestructive testing.
In his address, Shen Mingkui, President of the Suzhou Nondestructive Testing (NDT) Association, reviewed the event's evolution from the "Suzhou NDT Taihu Forum" to the "Suzhou NDT Innovation Conference." Building on the solid foundation established over six editions of the Taihu Forum, the Association partnered with Instrument.com.cn to showcase the event at the Annual Conference on China Scientific Instruments (ACCSI) in both 2024 and 2025. These successful appearances on the national ACCSI platform significantly boosted the NDT industry's nationwide influence and garnered valuable organizational experience and high-quality industry resources in preparation for the official brand upgrade in 2026. Looking back at this journey, the scope of exchange has expanded from localized technical discussions to a comprehensive industry event covering a full spectrum of technologies-including ultrasonic, radiographic, surface, electromagnetic, and industrial CT testing. The event framework has also been continuously refined, evolving from traditional expert lectures into a multifaceted platform featuring paper awards, premium exhibitions, and skills competitions.
Academic feast, focusing on cutting-edge breakthroughs in non-destructive testing
The plenary session was moderated by Lin Zhongyuan, Vice President of the Suzhou Nondestructive Testing Association, and featured a series of eleven compelling presentations. Professor Zhou Zhenggan from Beihang University presented "New Technologies and Methods in Ultrasonic Testing," sharing the latest research findings across three areas: intelligent identification in ultrasonic testing, multimodal full-matrix capture (FMC) imaging simulation, and air-coupled array ultrasonic testing. Professor Zhang Shiwu, Deputy Dean of the School of Engineering Science at the University of Science and Technology of China, delivered a presentation titled "Sensing and Detection Technologies for Embodied AI Robots," outlining his team's achievements in the fields of biomimetic robots, humanoid robots, and power grid inspection. Researcher Wang Juntao from the General Research Institute of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) presented "Research and Application of Digital-Intelligent Inspection and Defect Assessment Technologies for Intelligent Manufacturing," systematically detailing the engineering applications of two technical pathways-traditional digital image processing and artificial intelligence algorithms-within the aviation manufacturing sector.
Professor Zhang Jun from Wuhan University delivered a presentation titled "Passive Wireless Ultrasonic Thin-Film Sensor Devices and Their Applications in Intelligent Monitoring," introducing wireless monitoring applications-enabled by piezoelectric thin-film sensors fabricated via semiconductor processes-in extreme environments such as high-temperature and high-speed operating conditions. Professor Zhao Jianwen from Harbin Institute of Technology (Weihai) shared insights on "Highly Flexible Micro-Soft Robots for Internal Inspection of Complex Equipment," demonstrating the practical applications of three types of micro-robots-cable-driven spring-based, chain-type magnetic adhesion, and airbag-actuated-in inspecting the interiors of complex cavities found in steam turbines and valves. Liu Pei, a manager at Wabtec Inspection Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., presented "Introduction to Eddy Current Array Technology and Performance Demonstration of the Nortec 700."
Professor Liu Lishuai from East China University of Science and Technology delivered a presentation titled "Research Progress on Ultrasonic Testing Technology for Multi-scale Damage in High-end Equipment," systematically outlining breakthroughs in using nonlinear ultrasonic testing methods for the early detection of micro-damage. Professor Sun Zhen from Southeast University shared insights on "Research Progress in Smart Structural Monitoring, Operation, and Maintenance," showcasing various engineering cases involving bridge structural health monitoring and digital twins, centered on the technical chain of sensing, data transmission, and analytical decision-making. Xue Dong, Deputy Chief Engineer at ZS-Tech (Jiangsu) Group Co., Ltd., presented "Innovation and Application of Differentiated Nondestructive Testing Technologies for Specialized Heat Exchangers in High-end Intelligent Manufacturing," discussing innovative applications of technologies such as eddy current testing, phased array ultrasonic testing, and digital radiography (DR) in heat exchanger production. Gong Guomin, Energy Industry Director at Hangzhou Deep Robotics Co., Ltd., spoke on "Applications of Embodied Quadruped and Humanoid Robots in the Power Industry." Ma Guanbing, Deputy General Manager of CGN Inspection Technology Co., Ltd., presented "R&D, Application Progress, and Outlook for New Nondestructive Testing Technologies for Critical Nuclear Power Components."
More than ten guest speakers shared insights on cutting-edge topics-such as intelligent non-destructive testing (NDT), new ultrasonic testing technologies, embodied AI robots, eddy current array technology, and smart structural health monitoring-offering a wealth of innovative ideas to the industry.
An award ceremony for outstanding papers was also held during the conference. Following a rigorous review by the organizing committee's expert panel, the winning papers were selected: Liu Xiaorui (CGN Inspection Technology Co., Ltd.) won the First Prize for the paper "Optimization Design of the Magnetic Circuit for a Dual-Mode Electromagnetic Ultrasonic Transducer"; two papers, including "Research on Digital Radiography (DR) Inspection Application and Defect Assessment for Vehicle-Mounted LNG Cylinders" by Li Song (Zhangjiagang Furui New Energy Technology Co., Ltd.), received the Second Prize; and three papers, including "The Depth of Information Utilization and Its Evolution in Industrial Ultrasonic NDT" by Qian Hongliang et al. (Henan Zhongyuan Optoelectronic Measurement and Control Technology Co., Ltd.), were awarded the Third Prize. These achievements vividly demonstrate the vibrant academic vitality and innovative capabilities within my country's NDT sector.
T Special Feature: Insights into the Intelligent Future of X-ray CT
On July 31, the 5th X-ray CT Symposium kicked off, presided over by Wu Jun, Vice President of the Suzhou Nondestructive Testing Association. Shen Mingkui, President of the Suzhou Nondestructive Testing Association, delivered the opening remarks. Subsequently, Wu Guanhua-a professor at Nanchang Hangkong University and Chair of the Radiographic Testing Committee under the Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society's Nondestructive Testing Branch-addressed the attendees and presented a keynote report titled "Radiographic Testing and Failure Analysis." He emphasized that nondestructive testing should evolve from simple "inspection" to "diagnosis," integrating failure analysis to provide a basis for assessing product safety and reliability.
Researcher Xing Yuxiang from Tsinghua University delivered a presentation titled "Intelligent X-ray CT/CL Imaging Technology," exploring the challenges and breakthroughs associated with integrating deep learning and physical models in CT imaging. Chang Ming, Deputy Chief Engineer at Nuctech Company Limited, shared insights on "Applications and Challenges of In-line Intelligent Battery Cell Inspection Based on X-ray CT," detailing the practical implementation of AI technology for high-speed CT inspection on battery production lines. Jonathan Schock, a visiting professor at the Technical University of Munich and Chief Scientist for Photon-Counting Detectors at Varex, presented "Artifact Reduction in Industrial X-ray CT Using Varex True Spectrum Imaging," showcasing breakthroughs in artifact reduction for multi-material workpieces achieved through spectral CT technology.
In the afternoon, the team led by Chen Liming from Shanghai Jiao Tong University presented their work, "Laser-Driven Ultrafast, Ultrasmall X-ray Sources and Their Applications." Li Rengeng, an Associate Professor at the Yangtze River Delta Advanced Materials Institute, discussed "Development of X-ray Micro-CT for Extreme Service Environments and 3D In-Situ Material Characterization." Wang Kun, Operations Director of CT Product Management and Business Development at Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence (Qingdao) Co., Ltd., presented "Innovation-Driven, Digitally Empowered: Metrology-Grade Industrial CT Solutions," emphasizing that high-precision motion platforms and metrology software are the core foundations for achieving accurate measurements in industrial CT. Wan Zhizhi, Deputy Director of the High-Power Device Department at the 12th Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), reported on "Progress in the Development of Metal-Ceramic Micro-focus X-ray Tubes." Hou Zhiqiang, Deputy Chief Engineer at CGN Dasheng Accelerator Technology Co., Ltd., shared insights on "Applications and Prospects of Industrial Accelerators in Non-Destructive Testing." Finally, Li Li, a Senior Experimentalist at the Analysis and Testing Center of Nanjing University of Science and Technology, presented on "Applications of X-ray 3D Microscopy (XRM) Combined with In-Situ Stages in Scientific Research and Testing."
Ten scholars and industry representatives delivered compelling presentations on cutting-edge technologies-including intelligent X-ray CT imaging, in-line industrial CT inspection, photon-counting detectors, micro-focus X-ray tubes, and industrial accelerators-fully demonstrating the broad application prospects of X-ray CT in both industrial and scientific research sectors.
A premier exhibition showcasing formidable capabilities in non-destructive testing
A high-quality NDT (Non-Destructive Testing) exhibition was held concurrently with the conference. Over fifty brand-name manufacturers-including Hongda NDT, Naidite, Jingneng Intelligent, CGN Dasheng, CGN Inspection, Eddyfi Technologies, Carestream NDT, Nuctech, Focus, EVIDENT, Varex Imaging, Postek Electronics, Dandong Aolong, SIUI, Atami, Kedian Inspection, Jining Luke, Miaozhi Technology, and Instrument.com.cn-showcased their products. The exhibits featured intelligent equipment and solutions across various fields, such as ultrasonic testing, radiographic testing, and electromagnetic testing. Notably, Westinghouse Air Brake (Wabtec) officially launched the NORTEC™ 700 eddy current array flaw detector at the event, attracting widespread attention.
The Integration of Intelligent Inspection: Opening a New Chapter for the NDT Industry
Through diverse formats such as thematic presentations and technical exhibitions, the conference established a high-level platform for industry exchange. From novel ultrasonic testing technologies to embodied AI robots, and from X-ray CT imaging to industrial accelerator applications, the event comprehensively showcased the dynamic evolution of non-destructive testing technology as it rapidly advances toward automation, intelligence, and multi-modal integration.
A review of the presentations from the two-day event highlights several prominent trends: First, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and non-destructive testing (NDT) is transitioning from the laboratory to the production line. Whether through AI-driven ultrasonic recognition of wind turbine blades, high-speed AI imaging for battery CT scans, or automated defect detection via digital radiography, AI is tangibly enhancing inspection efficiency and consistency. Second, embodied intelligence and humanoid robot technologies are opening up new application scenarios for NDT. From biomimetic robotic fish operating in transformer oil to miniature flexible robots navigating between steam turbine blades, robotics is enabling access to previously unreachable or uninspectable areas. Third, the drive toward domestic autonomy in high-end inspection equipment is accelerating; breakthroughs in the domestic production of core components-such as cermet micro-focus X-ray tubes and industrial accelerators-are providing the industry with more independent and controllable options. As technologies like AI and robotics continue to deeply integrate with NDT, the industry faces unprecedented opportunities for growth, promising a bright future.
