GE Scanner Enhances Defect Detection for Industrial CT

March 2, 2016

Ryan Gehm

The GE phoenix v|tome|x m CT scanner is the first industrial microCT system with high-quality scatter|correct technology. (Click arrow at top right of this image to view more detailed images.)

GE Measurement & Control is offering its proprietary scatter|correct technology to industrial microCT users of GE’s phoenix v|tome|x m CT (computed tomography) system. It provides CT data quality improvements for high energy microfocus CT scans with up to 300 kV.

CT slice comparison of a plastic plate screwed in aluminum: left shows conventional cone beam CT, right shows optimized volume with automated scatter|correct functionality causing less artifacts for better analysis results.

The scatter|correct technology enhances defect detection and analysis as well as 3D metrology in mobility sectors including aerospace, automotive, and off-highway, as well as the power generation industry. It can be applied to high scattering materials such as steel and aluminum, composites, and multi-material samples.

The main improvement offered by scatter|correct, a company spokesman told SAE Magazines, is that “it really measures and removes scatter, not simulates scatter based on sample material and geometry estimations.” He added that it can be applied to large light-metal castings with a diameter up to 600 mm (23.6 in) or small higher absorbing steel components such as injection nozzles.

CT comparison of the extracted steel screw: only in the right example scanned with scatter|correct could the exact real surface be determined, providing better defect detection or metrology result quality.

GE’s scatter|correct technology, featuring both hardware and software advances, automatically removes scatter artifacts from the CT volume, allowing users to gain a low scatter artifact quality level “never before reached” with conventional cone beam microCT, the company claims. Process control productivity on the production floor is reportedly increased by improved quantitative volume evaluations, such as automatic defect recognition (ADR) or more precise 3D metrology results.

“GE’s breakthrough scatter|correct innovation really changes the limitations of industrial CT. Until now, CT manufacturers had to increase the X-ray energies to minimize the negative scatter radiation quality impact,” Dr. Oliver Brunke, Senior CT Product Manager at GE Measurement & Control, said in a statement. “But this led to more complex, heavier shielded and expensive systems. With scatter|correct, CT users can now perform in many cases scans normally requiring a 450 kV X-ray tube with a 300 kV X-ray tube by using the available tube spectrum much more effectively.”

The phoenix v|tome|x m is an X-ray microfocus CT system with optional high resolution nanoCT capability for 3D metrology and failure analysis with up to 300 kV/500 W. With <1 µm detail detectability, the system offers what GE claims is industry-leading magnification and power at 300 kV. GE’s click & measure|CT acquisition, reconstruction and evaluation automation functionality adds to the efficiency and reproducibility of the 3D evaluation tool.

The phoenix v|tome|x m system is also available as a metrology edition. The optional dual tube configuration enables high resolution nanoCT of low absorbing samples, which makes the new system suitable for a range of applications in the materials-science area as well.