PROFILE - Michel Cence, Manager of the Expertise and Advanced Non-Destructive Testing Unit

Who are you?

My name is Michel Cence. I'm in charge of the Expertise and Advanced Non-Destructive Testing Unit at Onet Technologies.

First of all, I began my professional career 39 years ago at the FRAMATOME St Marcel plant. Today, I'm a specialist in Ultrasonic Non-Destructive Testing, a COFREND Ultrasonic expert (Confédération Française pour les Essais Non Destructifs) and^1st COFREND certified in TOFD (Time Of Flight Diffraction).

What is your career path at Onet Technologies?

I joined Onet Technologies in August 2018 after a long career as a company manager or within companies such as EDF, METALSCAN or the WELDING INSTITUTE.

Today, I'm the technical guarantor for the activities managed by the Operational Engineering department.

As a reference in ultrasound techniques,

• I respond to requests for high value-added non-destructive testing,
• I monitor research and R&D projects, in particular for our long-standing customer EDF,
• I play an active role in developing the skills of Onet Technologies' advanced NDT personnel.

If you had to explain NDT (non-destructive testing) to a beginner?

Let's imagine a component that's not allowed to break - a nuclear reactor or a TGV rail, for example. Obviously, we'd have to make sure it contained no defects that could weaken it and make it dangerous in terms of safety or security.

Unfortunately, these defects are often invisible to the naked eye. That's why it's absolutely essential to find techniques that overcome the limitations of vision without destroying the component!

If the invisible enemy is on the surface of an object, simply increase its visibility artificially to unmask it:

• By magnifying with a magnifying glass, microscope, ultrasensitive camera or endoscope ( VT Visual Examination)
• By forcing it to react to a powerful magnetic or electric field ( MT Magnetoscopy or ET Eddy Current )
• By making him swallow and spit out a clearly visible red liquid ( PT Dye Penetrant Examination).

These different techniques are known as surface NDT.

When the enemy is hiding inside an opaque object, use a "light" capable of penetrating it:

• X-rays or Gamma rays (examination by RT radiography)
• Ultrasonic waves ( UT Ultrasonic Examination)

These are Volumetric NDT.

What advice would you give to young people wishing to work in the NDT sector?

Be rigorous, clear and precise.

Be curious, don't limit yourself to excelling in what you've been trained to do, broaden your areas of expertise as much as possible (manufacturing, welding, metallurgy, failure modes, etc.).

Enjoy your elders, listen to them talk and ask them any questions you may have.

My father used to say, "You don't tan in the shade", so show us what you're capable of, and we'll give you more and more interesting work and responsibility. That's how you'll progress.

And above all, have fun...