Chemie und Prozesstechnik
Industrial Radiology is used for volumetric inspection of industrial objects. By penetration of these objects (typically weldments, pipes or castings) with X-ray or Gamma radiation the 3D-volume is projected onto a 2D image detector. The X-ray film is the oldest radiographic image detector and still in wide use in industry. The industrial X-ray film systems used today differ from these used in medicine. Medical film systems are described well in the literature, but industrial film systems not. So we start with a description of the properties and standards for industrial film systems. The requirements on image quality are defined by several standards and can be verified with different image quality indicators (IQIs). They describe the ability of the human being to detect small and low contrast indications in a noisy image background. The essential parameters for digital industrial radiology are described.
Since about 30 years electronic image detectors are gradually replacing the industrial film. These detectors are based on storage phosphor imaging plates in combination with Laser scanners (“Computed Radiography”, CR) or a variety of different digital detector arrays (DDA). Typical applications of CR and DDAs are discussed as well as new possibilities by digital image processing, which is enabled by the computer based image handling, processing and analysis.
Recent developments of photon counting and energy discriminating detectors for radiographic imaging
(2018)
The direct detection of X-ray photons into electrical signals is enabled by usage of highly absorbing photo conducting materials (e.g. CdTe) as detection layer of an underlying CMOS semiconductor X-ray image detector. If the read-out speed is high enough (ca. 50 - 100 ns dead time) single X-ray photons can be counted and their energy measured. Read-out noise and dark image correction can be diminished. By setting energy thresholds, selected energy ranges of the X-ray spectrum can be detected or suppressed. This allows material discrimination or reduction of scattered radiation, which results in an enhanced contrast sensitivity.
Defect recognition in CFRP components using various NDT methods within a smart manufacturing process
(2018)
The manufacturing process of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) components is gaining a more and more significant role when looking at the increasing amount of CFRPs used in industries today. The monitoring of the manufacturing process and hence the reliability of the manufactured products, is one of the major challenges we need to face in the near future. Common defects which arise during manufacturing process are e.g. porosity and voids which may lead to delaminations during operation and under load. To find irregularities and classify them as possible defects in an early stage of the manufacturing process is of high importance for the safety and reliability of the finished products, as well as of significant impact from an economical point of view. In this study we compare various NDT methods which were applied to similar CFRP laminate samples in order to detect and characterize regions of defective volume. Besides ultrasound, thermography and eddy current, different X-ray methods like radiography, laminography and computed tomography are used to investigate the samples. These methods are compared with the intention to evaluate their capability to reliably detect and characterize defective volume. Beyond the detection and evaluation of defects, we also investigate possibilities to combine various NDT methods within a smart manufacturing process in which the decision which method shall be applied is inherent within the process. Is it possible to design an in-line or at-line testing process which can recognize defects reliably and reduce testing time and costs? This study aims to show up opportunities of designing a smart NDT process synchronized to the production based on the concepts of smart production (Industry 4.0). A set of defective CFRP laminate samples and different NDT methods were used to demonstrate how effective defects are recognized and how communication between interconnected NDT sensors and the manufacturing process could be organized.
X-ray scatter imaging is a well-established NDT technique to inspect complex objects using only a single-sided access. We present a specially designed multi-slit scatter camera consisting of several twisted slits which are parallelly arranged in a metal block. The camera projects one image per slit to the digital detector array, where the images are overlaying each other. The aperture is corrected based on a de-convolution algorithm to focus the overlaying projections into a single representation of the object. To achieve high scatter intensities from an object, it is necessary to optimize the parameters of the scatter system by simulation.
Die Voraussetzungen für die Vorhersage der Sichtbarkeit von Bildgüteprüfkörpern (BPK) wurden seit Beginn der kommerziellen Anwendung der technischen Radiographie diskutiert und in diversen nationalen und internationalen Standards festgeschrieben. Diese Fragen werden nach Einführung der digitalen Radiographie und der CT wieder neu diskutiert. Draht BPKs wurden in Deutschland seit 1935 (DIN 1915: 1935) und später in den meisten europäischen Ländern benutzt. In den USA und Frankreich wurden vorzugsweise BPKs mit Löchern verwendet (ASTM E 1025 seit 1984 oder E 1742 seit 1992 bzw. die Vorgängernorm MIL STD-543 seit 1962). Jetzt werden auch die Umrechnungsnormen zur Erkennbarkeit von Draht zu Loch-BPKs in Frage gestellt. ISO 19232-3, der französische RCCM-Kode einerseits und ASTM E 747 und ASME BPVC Section V Tab. T-276 andererseits unterscheiden sich erheblich bei den Anforderungen im Bereich hoher Wandstärken (Hochenergieradiographie). Untersuchungen dazu werden vorgestellt. Mit Einführung der digitalen Detektoren ändern sich auch die Rauschspektren. Durch die Herstellung werden insbesondere bei Speicherfolien "Rauschmuster" eingeprägt, die bei hohen Belichtungsdosen sichtbar werden. Diese veränderten Rauschspektren ergeben auch veränderte Erkennungsparameter für menschliche Bildauswerter. Hierzu wurden an ausgewählten Detektoren MTFs (presampled) und normierte Rauschspektren gemessen. Erweiterte Erkennbarkeits-Formeln zur Vorhersage der Sichtbarkeit von BPKs für Bildauswerter und erste Ergebnisse werden vorgestellt.
Digital radiographic images were analysed to predict the visibility of image quality indicators (IQI), based on normalized noise power spectra (NNPP) and modulation transfer function (MTF) measurements. The fixed pattern noise of some digital detectors result in different noise spectra, which influence the visibility of different IQIs, depending on the hole diameter. Studies, based on measurement of basic spatial resolution and contrast to noise ratio were performed together with presampled MTF measurements and the NNPS in dependence on the spatial frequency. Plate hole IQIs, step hole IQIs, and equivalent penetrameter sensitivity (EPS) IQIs based on ASTM E 746 were measured to verify the influence of the different parameters. Modelling of digital images was used to verify the applied numeric tools. A study has been performed for imaging plates and digital detector arrays to analyse differences. Formulas for the prediction of the visibility functions for hole type IQIs are derived. In consequence the standards for characterization and classification of computed radiography (ASTM E 2446) and radiography with DDAs (ASTM E 2597) need to be revised.
Up to now THz-TDS-systems aren’t considered to be nondestructive testing facilities for large scale industrial applications, despite it was proven that they provide a comprehensive set of quality parameters. A practical approach to bring THz-TDS in addition to already existing testing systems into the industrial mainstream is systematic development of future test procedures and test facilities for dielectrics. For this purpose polyeth-ylene test specimen with introduced artefacts were designed, to evaluate the detection sensitivity of Time of Flight measurements based on dielectrics. SAFT reconstructed tomograms are presented which visualize the sizes and location of artificially introduced flaws.