Non-destructive testing methods have gained popularity as they become more widely available. Although there are several techniques that could be used for this purpose, this paper focuses on acoustic emission sensors for detecting surface fractures and the use of the Bees Algorithm, a swarm-based technique, for optimizing the number of sensors required to reliably detect surface fractures. The paper describes the approach that has been used in this study where the dimension of the surface is

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... ified by the user. The results show that, in theory and through simulation, that the Bees Algorithm is capable of determining the minimum number of sensors needed to locate the surface fracture with an acceptable level of accuracy. The method described could be used for the purpose of optimization in other engineering as well as nonengineering applications.