One of the newest trends in imaging services for machinery and other equipment is 3D cone beam CT scanning, which is usually utilized in the medical, dental, and radiology fields. Another use for it though is in the industrial setting to analyze machines and parts.
Industrial 3D scanner services typically work by placing the part or device in question on a rotary table. It can be moved closer or further from the machine in order to get a more/less detailed magnification. In order for 3D cone beam CT imaging to operate correctly, the entire part must fit in the horizontal sight of the detector being used. The detector is a device that captures X-rays and turns them to light and then from light to a gray scale format.
The length of time it takes for image acquisition depends on the detector’s space between pixels, or pixel pitch. This can vary from device to device depending on the needs at hand. Typically the smaller the pixel pitch, the longer the amount of time it takes to produce the image, in addition to using more energy and costing more overall. It’s cheaper to manufacture a larger pixel pitch, but you also lose resolution and detail.
Once this is in place, the table rotates a full 360 degrees as 2D x-rays are taken. The number of pictures taken can range from a couple hundred to thousands in just one rotation. The 2D results are then processed and turned into a 3D model.
With production efforts increasing around the world (there was a 0.9 point increase in industrial production in the U.S. between August 2014 and August 2015 and an 8% increase in production in China in December 2014) it will become more imperative to ensure parts, devices, and machinery are maintained and fixed in accurate and efficient manners.
The average time for a full 3D cone beam CT scanning to take place is about 45 minutes, compared to line beam technology, which can take up to 20 hours.
In addition to the relatively short amount of time it takes to complete, cone beam CT scanning is a great way to regularly inspect industrial equipment, determine internal design requirements, and reduce the cost for developing the first CAD model. The industrial CT scanning process allows customers to reduce their new product inspection costs and failure analysis costs between 25 and 75% when compared to existing technology.
This process can also be used on delicate parts that you wouldn’t be able to use force on and precisely measure complex part features from the inside out with disturbing or destroying the integrity of the piece itself.