GE’s Rhythm Archive Offers Centralized Long Term Storage Of Inspection Data In An Easily Accessible Format.Billerica, MA, USA – September 25, 2007 – With the launch of Rhythm Archive, GE Inspection Technologies can offer a totally DICONDE-based inspection data storage system to complement its existing Rhythm data management software platform. With a capacity of more than 300 million images, Rhythm Archive, which is robust, secure and flexible, features quick and easy input and retrieval of information and its simple tagging system eliminates the need for the complex image file naming conventions often associated with high volume information storage. Rhythm Archive signals a significant step-change over its existing Rhythm platform. Previously, a Rhythm system consisted of three modules, each using off-the-shelf hardware: a Rhythm Acquire module, which interacts with the relevant inspection source to collect the digital inspection information; Rhythm Report Generator which provides quick and consistent reporting capabilties; and a Rhythm Review module, which accepts data from Rhythm Acquire, other Rhythm Review workstations and removable media such as CD and DVD. Current Rhythm Acquire modules are those for Rhythm Radiography and Rhythm Visual and these offer standardized reporting capability in easy-to-understand-formats. Rhythm Review has the capability to enhance and manipulate the digital data and also features application tools for the analysis, measurement and further enhancement of images. Rhythm Review also allows information to be stored on-line using its hardware disc capacity or near line CD and DVD. The introduction of Rhythm Archive represents an innovative long term storage solution for large volumes of inspection information in a single storage source. It accepts images from any number of LAN-connected, remote Rhythm Review workstations and stores these using various compression techniques to save storage space without sacrificing image quality. Input and retrieval of information is quick and easy, by virtue of a simple DICONDE tagging system. Furthermore, Rhythm Archive not only stores the raw inspection data but also any enhanced images developed at a Rhythm Review workstation. Rhythm Archive’s industry standard DICONDE (Digital Imaging and Communication in NDE) format ensures that users will avoid legacy data issues and will not have to maintain old systems or convert old data in the future. DICONDE is a non-proprietary format, developed from DICOM used throughout the medical sector, but incorporating many features which are purely NDE-focused. Apart from its large volume archiving and long term storage capabilities, Rhythm Archive also offers other significant user benefits. It allows more efficient data searching, as all information from all workstations in the network is available at one central repository. It can control image information workflow so that data can be routed to other Rhythm Review workstations for further analysis. It can afford productivity improvements by as much as 50% as pre-inspection plans can now be formulated more efficiently by taking actual inspection history into account. A similar order of productivity improvement can also be achieved in post-inspection, as only relevant inspection data needs to be sent for further analysis. Flexibility is another key feature of Rhythm Archive, as it can interface with a wide range of cutting-edge, long term data storage solutions, including UDO (Ultra-Density Optical) discs which guarantee over 50 years of data availability. The software is also extremely robust, with built-in disaster-recovery plans, and user IP addresses ensure data security. Rhythm Archive will find application throughout the industrial spectrum, wherever there is a need for the long term storage of large volumes of inspection data and where there is a requirement for accessibility to this data to increase the efficiency of inspection regimes, to share inspection data and to improve the management of in-service assets.
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