ge inspection technologies range of ct systems and

GE Inspection Technologies Range of CT Systems and Applications

Don RothRadiography Applications Leader, North

AmericaGEIT

Acknowledgements: Stephen D. Rice, Steve Zahorodny, Shana Telesz, Thomas Mayer, Anjali Singhal, Ying Zhou, Vance

Robinson

Outline

• Range of Systems Overview & GEIT News

• Applications

• Automating CT for Production Environments and Incorporating Scatter Correction

X-ray Computed Tomography

Range of Volumetric CT Systems Overview

Additional 2D/3D Systems

GEIT Customer Solution Center Mission: The CSC will be the hub for NA customer engagement and drive collaboration for NDT solutions

Host targeted training courses and

forums

Training

Collaboration space to evaluate

customer challenges

Consultative Selling

Drive production solutions for Aero &

Auto customers

SolutionsDevelopment

Growing customer base in additive, composites, and

castings

Thought Leadership

Demonstrate latest GEIT hardware and software offerings

ProductShowcase

Advancements

• High Flux X-ray Target– 2x increase in photon flux at same power as W target

– Or for microCT, allows increase in resolution (decrease in power / spot size) at same photon flux as W target

• Scatter | Correct– Achieve scatter reduction on par w linear CT

• Industrial Helical CT

• Dynamic 41|100 Digital Area Detector– 16” x 16” area with 100um pixel pitch or 200 um pixel pitch

options

– ~ 2x Higher frame rate than current DXR250RT++ panel

Recent NanoCT Results

Recent NanoCT ResultsManaging Tailings is one of the most difficult environmental challenges facing the oil sands industry

Large volumes of tailings are a byproduct of bitumen extraction from the oil sands

Recent NanoCT Results

scatter|correct: fundamentals

• Cone beam CT is fast, but scattered radiation can adversely affect the image quality

• Fan beam CT is not affected by scattered radiation, but process is slow

GE’s scatter|correct utilizes the advantages of both methods

Cone Beam CT Fan Beam CT

CT slice without scatter|correct CT slice with scatter|correct

scatter|correct: Al test block example

• Improved gray value homogeneity• Improved metrology performance

ASNT Conference 2016

• 12

scatter|correct technology: the imaging results

1. 9 min Cone beam CT image with imaging artifacts caused

by scatter2. 120 min Fan beam CT image without imaging artifacts3. scatter|correct: speed of cone beam CT (9 min) combined

with the quality of fan beam CT

1. 2. 3.


scatter|correct: CT Results on Turbine Blade

scatter|correct: Aluminum Die Casting

CT slice without scatter|correct

scatter|correct


scatter|correct: Aluminum Die Casting Example

• scatter|correct allows less blur & streaks

• A much higher gray value homogeneity

• Improved defect detection & metrology

CT histogram without scatter|correct CT histogram with scatter|correct

scatter|correct: Aluminum Die Casting Example


scatter|correct: multi-material sample (Al, Steel, Plastic)

• scatter|correct allows less blur & streaks • Higher gray value homogeneity• Improved defect detection & metrology • Better qualitative and quantitative analysis


• 18

Steel

AlPlastic

Air

Plastic

Steel

Al

scatter|correct: capability summary

• scatter|correct combines the productivity of 3D CT with the data quality of 2D CT

• 3D cone beam CT is up to 100 x faster than 2D fan beam CT

• scatter|correct provides high image quality at moderate energies compared to conventional 3D CT

• A unique option for v|tome|x c & v|tome|x m

scatter|correct 3D CT

conventional 3D CT

Fan beam 2D CT

Acquisition speed

CT

Qu

alit

y


scatter|correct: process flow for identical parts

Step 1 Acquire projection data

Step 2a Acquire correction data(only once per part type)

Step 2c Apply scatter correction

Step 3 Reconstruction of corrected dataset

Step 1

Step 3

Acquire projection data

Reconstruction of corrected dataset

• First CT scan • All further scans of the same sample type


Step 2b Create scatter correction(only once per part type)

Step 2 Apply Reference Scatter Correction

Automating CT for Production and Incorporating Scatter Correction – From the Software Side

• V|tome|x CT Products

• DATOS Acquisition and Reconstruction Software

• Macros can be built in Batch Editor

and Executed in Production Mode

• Actions for Xray and Motion Control, Detector Calibration, CT Scan, Delays, Technique File Load, Reconstruction

• Operator only has to load sample, scan barcode of part and badge, and click ‘start execution’ for scan, reconstruction, and data display to be automatically performed

scatter|correct: Recipe for Non-identical parts and first scans for

identical parts

Detector Calibration Offset

Xray OFF

Move Scatter Grid Down Out of Detector Field

Detector Calibration Gain

Move Stage w Part Out of Detector Field

Move Part to Acquire Position

Load Previously-Determined Technique File

Wait 10s for System to Stabilize

Perform CT Scan 1

Xray Off

Repeat 1 for CT Scan 2 butWith Scatter Grid Up for Reference Scatter Grid Scan

1

2

Create Scatter Correction

4

3

Move Stage w Part Out of Detector Field

Wait 1 minute for Detector to Discharge

Obtain Image of Grid Only for Reference Grid Image

Apply Scatter Correction & Reconstruct

4

Xray On

Automating CT for Production• Acquisition Side – Batch Editor

Example for ScatterCorrection on As-MoldedPart or for first time runningScatter correction on setOf identical parts

All Steps Listed

Automating CT for Production

Individual Step Example Showing Parameters that need to be set

Take Bright Field (Gain) Images for Calibration

• Acquisition Side

kV Level for Cal and # of steps

mA Level for Cal

Automating CT for Production• Reconstruction Side – Batch Editor

First Perform Scatter Correction Math

Then Apply it to Projection Images and Perform Reconstruction with Scatter-corrected Projection Images

Scatter-Correction

Automating CT for Production

Individual Step Example Showing Parameters that need to be set

Apply Scatter Correction and Reconstruction

• Reconstruction Side

Beam Hardening Artifact Correction Value

Reconstruction Area

Automating CT for Production• Reconstruction Side

Macros Allow For Launch of External Programs• ImageJ Program to make

AVIs of CT slice stacks• Launch VG or AVIZO for CT

Data Display• Automated Archiving of CT

Data to NAS using LabVIEW

IMAGEJ Code

VG Studio Max

Automating CT for Production• Acquisition Side –

Subsequent Scans of Identical Parts

• Reduced number of acquisition tasks from 30 to 13

Automating CT for Production• Running in Production Mode

ge inspection technologies range of ct systems and

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