Current Trends in Digital Industrial Radiography - from Nano to Macro Scale -

Industrial digital radiography (DIR) substitutes the classical film radiography. Film is substituted by imaging plates and digital detector arrays (DDA). New parameters as SNR and CNR and basic spatial resolution (SR
_b
) need to be considered and understood. This is the precondition for extended and automated application as dimensional measurement and automated defect recognition (ADR). Modern fast Computed Tomography (CT) units are implemented in the quality assurance process for at-line and in-line inspection in industry. The scope of typical CT applications is extended from flaw detection to dimensional measurement in industry substituting coordinate measurement machines. Mobile computed tomography is applied for in-service radiographic crack detection and sizing of welded pipes in nuclear power plants and for NDT of large CFRP structures of airplanes. Small structures of integrated electronic circuits and compact electronic packages are visualized and measured with μ-CT or lens based nano CT systems. Phase contrast imaging provides enhanced structure contrast in micro radiography and micro CT.