ASTM E3440-24 - Standard Practice for Digital Imaging and Communication in Nondestructive Evaluation (DICONDE) for Thermography (TG) Test Methods

1.1 This practice facilitates the interoperability of thermographic imaging and data acquisition equipment by specifying the image data transfer and archival storage in commonly accepted terms. This document is intended to be used in conjunction with Practice E2339. Practice E2339 defines an industrial adaptation of the NEMA Standards Publication titled Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM, see http://medical.nema.org), an international standard for image data acquisition, review, storage, and archival storage. The goal of Practice E2339, commonly referred to as DICONDE, is to provide a standard that facilitates the display and analysis of NDE results on any system conforming to the DICONDE standard. Toward that end, Practice E2339 provides a data dictionary and a set of information modules that are applicable to all NDE modalities. This practice supplements Practice E2339 by providing information object definitions, information modules, and a data dictionary that are specific to thermographic test methods.

1.2 This practice has been developed to overcome the issues that arise when analyzing or archiving data from thermography/infrared test equipment using proprietary data transfer and storage methods. As digital technologies evolve, data must remain decipherable using open, industry-wide methods for data transfer and archival storage. This practice defines a method where all the thermography technique parameters and inspection data are communicated and stored in a standard manner regardless of changes in digital technology.

1.3 This practice does not specify:

1.4 Units—Although this practice contains no values that require units, it does describe methods to store and communicate data that do require units to be properly interpreted. For most attributes, the values stated in SI units are considered standard. However, an exception was made for select attributes that are not always expressed using SI units across the industry.

1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.