Two-dimensional and 3D X-ray technologies are among the most useful nondestructive testing methods. They enable the inspection of an object’s internal features without having to disassemble the sample or destroy the part in the process. 

Industrial inspection equipment doesn’t appear in mainstream news on a regular basis. But that’s what happened when Samsung found itself in the unenviable position of determining why its Note 7 smart phones had turned pyrotechnic.

Applications for industrial X-Ray CT—a 3D measurement technique that enables nondestructive inspection of an object’s internal and external features—are growing beyond the confines of the nondestructive testing (NDT) space that CT has occupied since the mid-1990s.

Whether you’re prototyping something new or producing finished products, nondestructive X-ray and CT inspection has unlimited applications and endless benefits for your company.

The X3000 system has just been released by North Star Imaging as an answer to customers needing a compact system with unique capabilities generally available on a larger X-ray or CT system.

The American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT), which facilitates the largest organized society for nondestructive testing professionals, currently lists fourteen viable NDT inspection methods that can be used today.

X-ray computed tomography (CT) is an important industrial tool that enables us to see not only external surfaces but also internal features of an object without cutting or disassembling the sample.

Until now, the power of seeing through walls has been reserved for superheroes with X-ray vision. This meant that manufacturers of plastic and composite components often had to cut or break apart a prototype or product to measure and analyze internal features and identify discrepancies.

Although there seem to have been several high-profile quality control issues in the aerospace industry in recent years—such as several large recalls from high-profile airplane manufacturers—quality control in the aerospace arena is improving.