Non-destructive Testing Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Test Method (Traditional NDT Method, Digital/Advanced NDT Method), By Offering, By Vertical, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030

Report Overview

The global non-destructive testing market size was valued at USD 18.9 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.9% from 2023 to 2030. The rise in manufacturing activities among the developing and developed nations is estimated to drive the growth of the non-destructive testing (NDT) market over the forecast period. Technological innovations have led to the development of advanced NDT processes with improved fault detection and safety. Furthermore, increasing awareness amongst the manufacturers regarding the use of NDT is expected to improve the penetration of NDT techniques in the forthcoming years.

Projects deploying non-destructive testing techniques are completed in a lesser amount of time owing to fault detection at complex locations and irregular surfaces. Reducing the possibility of failures is anticipated to fuel the demand for non-destructive testing in the forthcoming years. Besides, the efficiency of fault detection and the ease of operating ultrasonic equipment, as compared to other NDT equipment, are the major reasons leading to the increasing deployment of the ultrasonic test method. Furthermore, advancements in ultrasonic technology over the next eight years are expected to increase the adoption of this test procedure owing to its simplicity.

The market is expected to grow considerably over the forecast period. This growth is attributed to rising urbanization in developing nations such as India and China which involves undertaking extensive construction and manufacturing projects. The speed of such projects makes it mandatory for the executors to implement testing processes to ensure the quality of work. This trend is likely to positively impact the growth of non-destructive testing in these nations, improving the market’s penetration globally.

Increasing oil and gas projects in the Middle East and North America are expected to deploy NDT techniques to complete the projects in prescribed timelines and with finesse, thus fueling the demand for NDT equipment in these regions. Besides, the advancements in non-destructive testing technology have led to the development of radiographic testing equipment such as industrial CT scanners, which precisely detect faults in machinery and components. However, the cost of the non-destructive testing equipment and the expertise required to perform the tests increases the complexity and difficulty of deploying the radiographic testing method.

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has turned out to be unfavorable and unforeseen for almost all industries globally, including automotive, construction, airlines, manufacturing, among others. As a preventive measure, many governments worldwide implemented lockdowns to contain the novel coronavirus's spread and its subsequent adverse effects. The disrupted global supply chain and decreased industrial productivity strained the global economy. The companies' production and manufacturing capabilities were also disrupted due to the sudden outbreak of the virus.

Furthermore, the impact of the pandemic on the NDT market stems from the cumulative reaction of relatable industries, which apply non-destructive testing for their operations, to the pandemic. For instance, the defense industry has been affected mildly, when compared to other sectors, due to budget government spending, which protects the supply and demand ecosystem. Although some defense companies have been hit hard by the financial shock, the impact is weaker than that on aerospace companies.

Offering Insights

The services segment dominated the market and accounted for the largest revenue share of 75.6% in 2022 and is expected to remain dominant over the forecast period. The high upfront cost of non-destructive equipment coupled with technical complexities involved in their deployment/installation is the major reason influencing end-users to outsource their non-destructive testing operations. In addition, a lack of a skilled workforce to perform non-destructive testing is another factor limiting new installations of non-destructive testing equipment worldwide. Stringent government regulations regarding work safety are further influencing end-users to outsource their non-destructive testing operations to third-party service providers.

The equipment segment is poised to witness steady growth during the forecast period. Advancements in technology leading to the availability of state-of-the-art variants are expected to contribute to the growth of this segment. The availability of advanced variants has expanded the application of the equipment leading to an additional demand. Resurgence in the industrial sector, especially in emerging economies such as India and China, is also anticipated to trigger new installations during the forecast period.

Test Method Insights

The traditional test method segment dominated the market and accounted for the largest revenue share of 80.2% in 2022. This growth is ascribed to the increasing adoption of traditional NDT methods such as visual testing, magnetic particle testing, liquid penetrant testing, eddy current testing, ultrasonic testing, and radiographic testing. Among these, ultrasonic detectors are estimated to dominate the market as they are portable, easy to use, and provide precise results as compared to other traditional non-destructive testing techniques. As a result, the adoption of ultrasonic testing is improving at a considerable rate and is expected to improve in the coming years.

The phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) segment dominated the market and accounted for the largest share of 21.0% in 2022. This growth is ascribed to the growing adoption of PAUT as compared to other digital NDT methods. The detailed visualization feature associated with the PAUT method helps in identifying the size, depth, shape, and orientation of the defect. PAUT is considered an advanced version of ultrasonic testing involving the use of multiple transducers and sets of ultrasonic testing (UT) probes made up of numerous smaller elements.

Vertical Insights

The manufacturing vertical segment dominated the non-destructive testing (NDT) market and accounted for the largest revenue share of 22.0% in 2022. The growth is attributed to the ever-increasing volume of manufacturing across the globe. The manufacturing vertical is expected to deploy numerous NDT processes thereby leading to an increase in demand for non-destructive testing services globally. Moreover, non-destructive testing has been traditionally used extensively in oil and gas applications. Test methods such as ultrasonic and eddy current have been used to detect cracks in pipes, both underground and elevated. However, with increasing awareness, non-destructive testing techniques are being deployed in several other applications such as aerospace, defense, and automotive.

The power generation segment comprises numerous industries such as power grids and hydroelectric power plants. The segment is expected to witness healthy growth over the forecast period with a CAGR of more than 8.6%. Continuous increase in the power demand in developing nations is the major reason for the considerable adoption rate of non-destructive testing techniques in power generation, as the use of non-destructive testing techniques guarantees faster production rates.

Regional Insights

North America emerged as the dominant segment in 2022 with a revenue share exceeding 36.0%. This is attributed to the adoption of NDT techniques across numerous applications, the availability of a skilled workforce, and the number of non-destructive testing training institutes in the region. Furthermore, power generation using shale oil in the U.S. and Canada is expected to positively impact the growth rate in the region. Besides, the growing emphasis on the use of NDT to avoid unexpected failures of systems is expected to drive the regional market.

In the Asia Pacific region, the market is expected to witness a CAGR of more than 9.3% over the forecast period. This growth is ascribed to an increase in manufacturing, construction, and power generation activities in the region. Although the region faces a scarcity of skilled labor currently, it is expected to reduce, as the awareness and adoption of non-destructive testing techniques increases in the coming years. Furthermore, the Middle East, due to the significant presence of the oil and gas industry, is expected to be a potential market for NDT techniques.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

Incumbents of the market remain keen on increasing their market share. As such, they undertake various initiatives and adopt different strategies, such as signing partnerships, making investments, engaging in mergers and acquisitions, launching new products and services, and quoting competitive prices.  For instance, in October 2022, Eddyfi Technologies launched Ectane 3, powerful NDT equipment for tubing and surface inspection. This instrument supports the remote-field array (RFA) technology. Some of the prominent players operating in the non-destructive testing market are:

• Ashtead Technology

• Eddyfi

• Fischer Technologies Inc

• General Electric

• Nikon Corporation

• Mistras Group

• Olympus Corporation

• Sonatest

• Yxlon International

• Zetec, Inc

• MME Group

• TWI Ltd.

Non-destructive Testing Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at the global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global Non-destructive Testing (NDT) market report based on offering, test methods, vertical, and region:

• Offering Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Services

  • Equipment

• Test Method Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Traditional NDT Method

    • Visual Testing

    • Magnetic Particle Testing

    • Liquid Penetrant Testing

    • Eddy Current Testing

    • Ultrasonic Testing

    • Radiographic Testing

  • Digital/Advanced NDT Method

    • Digital Radiography (DR)

    • Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT)

    • Pulsed Eddy Current (PEC)

    • Time-Of-Flight Diffraction (TOFD)

    • Alternating Current Field Measurement (ACFM)

    • Automated Ultrasonic Testing (AUT)

• Vertical Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Oil & Gas

  • Manufacturing

  • Aerospace and Defense

  • Construction

  • Automotive

  • Power Generation

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    • U.K.

    • Germany

    • France

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Mexico

  • Middle East & Africa (MEA)

    • Saudi Arabia

    • South Africa