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Principles of X-ray inspection
What are X-rays?
X-rays are electromagnetic waves with wavelengths of 1 pm to 10 nm. They are shorter than visible light or ultraviolet light and have a large amount of energy, allowing them to penetrate a wide variety of materials. X-rays with short wavelengths and high penetrating properties are called hard X-rays, while those with long wavelengths and low energy are called soft X-rays.
Design aspects of X-ray inspection systems
In non-destructive testing using X-rays, X-rays are emitted from an X-ray source, which is a vacuum tube that generates X-rays, which pass through the object being inspected and enter an X-ray detector. As the X-rays pass through the object, they are blocked and attenuated, resulting in an image of black and white shades according to the transmittance of the X-rays. When taking an X-ray image by passing through an object, the clarity of the image obtained varies depending on the amount of X-rays generated and their wavelength.
By increasing the tube current (A) of the X-ray source, the amount of X-rays generated increases, making the X-ray image brighter, and by increasing the tube voltage (V), the wavelength of the X-rays can be shortened, making it easier to penetrate the material. Since the tube voltage (V) required for penetration varies depending on the material, it is necessary to set the appropriate voltage and current conditions according to the sample. In addition, by making the X-ray focal spot size on the order of micrometers, it is possible to obtain high-definition X-ray images with little blurring even at high geometric magnification.
The higher the tube voltage, the higher the X-ray energy and the greater the X-ray penetration into the target object. By setting the tube voltage value appropriate for the target object, a high-contrast X-ray image can be obtained.
The higher the tube current value, the greater the X-ray dose, resulting in brighter X-ray images. For the same object, generally speaking, the higher the tube current and output, the shorter the imaging time and the faster the transport speed.
The focal size is directly related to the image resolution. The larger the X-ray focal size, the greater the edge blur caused by the penumbra when shooting at high geometric magnification. Conversely, the smaller the X-ray focal size, the higher the resolution of the X-ray image with less edge blur.
The wide radiation angle reduces the irradiation distance and enables the use of large objects. It also enables the observation of three-dimensional shapes by imaging from an oblique direction. Please select the optimal X-ray radiation angle according to your application and object.
Related webinars
Go to our webinar series on X-ray products
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