X-ray System Adapts to Existing Tools to Provide Foundries with Power, Flexibility.

Foundries are only as good as the quality of their castings. As casting buyers continue to increase the quality certifications required of their components, more foundries will need to begin testing and certifying their castings in-house. In anticipation of this, Yxlon International, Akron, Ohio, has introduced its Tomohawk Computerized Tomography X-ray inspection system. Consisting of inspection software preloaded on a customized PC system, a precision turntable and controller, and a high-resolution monitor, the X-ray system can perform the following functions:

* the wall thickness measurements;

* dimensional checks on complex variations;

* measurements of density variations;

* detailed looks at internal component structures;

* assistance in design and manufacture;

* mapping of the defective areas of a component.

The X-ray system uses a technique by which single 2D cross-sectional slices or a full 3D representation of the casting can be viewed. In contrast to conventional X-ray techniques, this system provides images of internal structures or defects without confusing image overlaps. The system provides the power to locate internal defects in castings to new levels of precision.

The software for the system uses a standard Windows interface and it can be used with a wide variety of existing X-ray sources and detectors. Objects up to 3.3 x 3.9 ft can be analyzed. In the 3D-view software system, displays of component cross-sections at orthogonal or oblique angles is possible. All the data generated by the software can be stored for future use.