Structural Diagnostics, Inc. was formed in 1994 by a group of NDT engineers who had already spent thirty years building automated ultrasonic systems — formerly at Staveley Aerospace Systems, Qualcorp, and Automation Industries. That depth of experience is why SDI equipment has been supplied to McDonnell Douglas, Boeing, GE, Pratt & Whitney, NASA, and the United States Air Force, along with Chinese aerospace corporations, the Korean and Australian governments, and major European aluminum producers.
SDI's staff carry recognized national accreditation in NDT, and the company has built and supported an installed base of over 300 of its 5000 Series immersion tanks — many customers have purchased several systems over the years, not just one.
Why building it in-house actually matters
SDI's competitors buy expensive off-the-shelf system components — motion control, drives, instrumentation — and perform only the top-level assembly. That keeps their own costs predictable, but it locks the customer into whatever compromises those off-the-shelf parts carry.
The same high-cost components — motion control and drive systems — are designed and manufactured by SDI in Camarillo. That keeps costs down, allows deeper customization to a customer's specific part, and means turnaround doesn't wait on someone else's supply chain.
Off-the-shelf motion control components are built for general robotics and automation — not ultrasonic inspection. When competitors bolt them onto a UT machine, they introduce a real electrical noise problem. Building the drive electronics in-house is how SDI avoids it.
At the 2023 ASNT conference, SDI described a customer needing 14-foot pipe inspected — the answer was a second test head that cut cycle time in half, reaching five pieces per hour, with eddy current probes built into each test head so both inspections run simultaneously.
In-depth mechanical design capability and application-specific electronics mean a system isn't limited to a catalog configuration — it's built around the part.
A dedicated software team develops upgrades in-house, including 3D high-speed curve following — changes ship in days, not quarters.
Systems are fully assembled and tested at SDI's Camarillo facility before shipment, with installation, ATP repetition, and up to 5 days of on-site training included.
24-hour customer support response, a domestic and overseas field service organization, and free technical consultation for every customer.
Talk to the people who'll build your system
No third-party integrators. Straight to SDI's own engineers.
Contact SDI