Three-dimensional (3D) C-arm computed tomography is a new and innovative imaging technique. It uses two-dimensional (2D) X-ray projections acquired with a flat-panel detector C-arm angiography system to generate CT-like images. To this end, the C-arm system performs a sweep around the patient, acquiring up to several hundred 2D views. They serve as input for 3D cone-beam reconstruction. Resulting voxel data sets can be visualized either as cross-sectional images or as 3D data sets using different volume rendering techniques. Initially targeted at 3D high-contrast neurovascular applications, 3D C-arm imaging has been continuously improved over the years and is now capable of providing CT-like soft-tissue image quality. In combination with 2D fluoroscopic or radiographic imaging, information provided by 3D C-arm imaging can be valuable for therapy planning, guidance, and outcome assessment all in the interventional suite.
To address the needs for increasing efficiency in power conversion, stratified structures like thermal barrier coatings, are used to increase operation temperature. Also advanced material processing like 3D laser printing of metals and ceramics are based on a layer-to-layer process at high temperatures, resulting in non-homogeneous components. Both systems require more and more detailed investigation methods to characterise the material properties of the resulting structures and to optimize the relevant processes. To address the required needs in advanced material characterisation recently an attempt was started to develop a unique measurement set-up for advanced material characterisation. This method is based on the well know laser flash principle, which was improved by adding supplementary heating sources and additional detection channels. Combining different heating mechanism and heating times with the two-dimensional measuring of the thermal flow across the sample enables the determination of different opto-thermal parameters and other material properties, e.g. mechanical contact, electrical conductivity or optical data, which also depend on or affect the flow of heat. In this paper we describe the implementation of the different optical methods to measure the thermal heat flow by point-like and two-dimensional temperature measurement and present first results on several samples.
Energy efficiency and operation safety in energy conversion, process technology, and aerospace engineering requires advanced material investigation, in particular at high temperatures to characterize the materials and components. Additionally, modern additive manufacturing methods, in particular the 3D metal laser printer requires a detailed control of the melting temperature. Many applications are based on a layered structures, e.g. thermal barrier coatings in gas turbines. Also components manufactured by additive manufacturing pose a layered structure. In these structures the mechanical contact between the layers and to the substrate is of high interest. Besides, the complete characterisation of the additive manufactured component is important for its later application. To cope with these new demands, the University of Applied Sciences Wuerzburg - Schweinfurt (FHWS) and the Bavarian Center for Applied …
