Unconventional Non-Destructive Testing

In early fifties of the last centum when the country was embarking on a system of planned economy and the first five year plan was launched, there was an association of two great minds-Chintaman Deshmukh, the then Finance Minister determined to foster creation of wealth, and Professor P. C. Mahalanobis devoted to augment productivity and tone up quality by application of statistical principles. Seminars and extension Schools were held in different parts of the country. The Indian Standards Institution (now BIS) brought out the specification IS 397 Parts I & II on Statistical Quality Control. Then the writer happened to be in a place called Katni near Jabalpur-where there was and still is an Ordnance Factory, producing among other things, machine die castings in non ferrous metals for ammunition components. It was imperative that the diecast components were sound and defect free. Tests on selected samples were not enough. Quality assurance demand was near zero defect. Radiography was one way out; but turned out to be prohibitively expensive; further the available radiographic unit was far off. Time was of the essence to maintain production and achieve productivity.