On the occasion of Gastech, Cetim presents its work on the application of artificial intelligence to corrosion inspection, helping industrial operators make better use of field data and strengthen their decision-making processes.
In the gas, energy and industrial infrastructure sectors, corrosion remains a major challenge for safety, equipment availability and operating cost control. Pipelines, process equipment, steel structures, protective coatings and facilities exposed to harsh environments require regular inspections to anticipate degradation, prioritize interventions and extend asset service life.
To address these challenges, Cetim and its subsidiary Cetim-Matcor, have been developing approaches based on artificial intelligence and computer vision for several years. This work aims to explore AI’s ability to analyze images acquired in the field or in laboratory environments in order to support experts in detecting, characterizing and monitoring corrosion phenomena and coating degradation.
Transforming Inspection Images into Actionable Information
Thanks to advances in image classification, object detection and image segmentation technologies, artificial intelligence offers new opportunities to process large volumes of visual data and extract valuable insights for inspection, maintenance and asset integrity teams.
These developments make it possible to improve defect detection, identification of degraded areas, characterization of corrosion mechanisms, and monitoring of degradation over time. They can also help increase consistency in analyses and facilitate the comparison of observations collected during successive inspection campaigns.
However, experience gained through these projects shows that AI tools applied to image analysis must be adapted to each industrial context. Performance depends heavily on the type of asset being assessed, the quality of the available data, the operating environment and the client’s specific objectives. A dedicated development and training phase therefore remains necessary before any operational deployment.
From Applied Research to Industrial Use Cases
The work carried out by Cetim teams, both in France and internationally, covers several topics, including surface corrosion, corrosion coupon monitoring, image analysis of steel structures, defect characterization, protective coating degradation, and support for fracture surface analysis.
Among the projects explored is an industrial use case conducted with NaTran focusing on the assessment of paint coating degradation, which represents the first protective barrier shielding industrial assets from environmental damage. The objective was to investigate methods that are more objective and repeatable than visual inspection alone, helping experts identify defects, locate affected areas and prioritize maintenance actions.
These initiatives have made it possible to gain a deeper understanding of both the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence and the conditions required for its effective deployment in real industrial environments.
Cetim’s Expertise at the Core of the Approach
The value of these developments is primarily based on Cetim’s expertise – including that of its subsidiary, Cetim-Matcor – in corrosion, materials, inspection, failure analysis and asset integrity with the latest advances in artificial intelligence technologies. This approach makes it possible to assess each industrial challenge within its operational context and design responses tailored to the specific requirements of each operator.
Rather than offering a generic approach, Cetim supports industrial companies in identifying the most relevant use cases, assessing their potential and defining development pathways aligned with their inspection, maintenance and asset integrity management.
Meet Our Experts at Gastech
During Gastech, 14/17 September 2026 – Bangkok, Cetim teams will share their experience in applying artificial intelligence to corrosion inspection and present key lessons learned from their various projects.
Would you like to assess the potential of AI for your inspection processes or discuss your corrosion and asset management challenges? Meet us at Gastech – Booth H12, Hall EH100.
Interested in this topic? Join our AI Webinar, on November 11th, 2026
To further explore these topics, a webinar dedicated to the application of artificial intelligence to industrial inspection and image analysis will be held.
Further information will be available soon here.
