THE NDE UNIT
NDE stands for NonDestructive Evaluation, which means "inspection" in lay terms. In practice, this meant the NDE Unit built computer-controlled automated inspection devices for nuclear reactors, primarily using ultrasonic testing. This is very specialized, upscale technology, and, if you’re "into it" tends to become your life’s calling. NDE is a very multi-disciplinary area, employing mechanical designers, physicists, metallurgists, electrical engineers, electronic engineers, computer programmers, inspection equipment operators, and always has room some other discipline.
For a variety of reasons, the NDE Unit had been effectively boss-less for a decade, which allowed the Unit members to structure themselves as a democratic network, rather than the traditional Ontario Hydro dictatorship. This management style is similar to some Silicon Valley start-ups, and is vastly more productive and creative for multi-disciplinary problems than traditional management (horizontal vs. vertical communications). The NDE Unit totally dominated its home market, and was also competitive with outside companies.
The NDE Unit was originally highly focused on inspecting reactor core pressure tubes, and switched to steam generators and other nuclear components in the 1990’s. In more recent years, the Unit also looked for outside contracts.
The Unit was small, never consisting of more than twenty people to cover developing techniques and devices, designing and building the automated systems, writing the software, testing and field development. Until recent years, when Management put OHT rates up and funds down, the main problem was "people, people and people".
My role was a combination of "front man", project leader, project initiator, strategic planner, bureaucrat, occasional operator.