geometry & metrology
with industrial ct scanning

Industrial CT scanning is a powerful technology that allows to inspect in multiple possibilities complex components and materials. Computed Tomography is an easy and efficient way to provide results based on a non-destructive approach and most important generate data to characterize internal features through the capability to reconstruct a complete 3D model.

Multiple applications can be performed with the use of CT scans, from traditional industrial analyses such as process defects detection samples (voids, cracks, porosities, inclusions) to metrology tasks as dimensional measurements of the external as well as the internal features of complex geometry, in quality control, research & development, production...

Metrology and measurement applications require a virtual segmentation of the resulting CT scan volume to separate the different components (materials, air, foam….) and create the surfaces. The 3D model permits a large range of measurements in most samples, including the most difficult ones that are not achievable by traditional measurement equipments as optical or tactile measurement tools.

Coordinate Measurement

Determination of component's geometries with an ultra-high accuracy in a single and fast scan

Industrial CT scanning has a growing number of industrial applications requiring dimensional metrology. The complexity and the variety of the products, combined with the request for cost and time-efficient solutions for production and product development, create new challenges in quality control.

Computed Tomography is a powerful non-destructive technique enabling the measurement and the characterization of internal and external structures of an object in the 3D volume to calculate various parameters on surfaces and features. Independently of the complexity of the shape and based on high-density 3D point clouds volumes generated by X-ray CT scans, any traditional measurements can be performed, including GD&T dimensional measurement and position tolerances such as parallelism, perpendicularity, concentricity…

Non-destructive and contact-free testing permits the inspection of multiple industrial components. Assuring micrometer accuracy in most cases, industrial CT scanning becomes an essential technology to qualify and inspect complex parts or assemblies.

Wall Thickness Analyses

Determination of material thickness

Wall thickness is one of many metrological challenges which must be addressed by industrial designers. Most of the industrial components, including pipes, bottles, medical pills, airfoils, and turbines blades are specified by wall thicknesses to ensure the expected mechanical strength and weight.

Measuring the material thickness on a 3D volume generated by an industrial CT scan is straightforward. Results are displayed using a color code, showing areas where the thickness exceeds the given tolerances and providing minimum, maximum, mean or standard deviation.

The wall thickness analysis completes the characterization of samples, providing an easy-to-read 3D colour map and cross-section wall thickness measurements.

Nominal to Actual Comparison

Comparison between CAD nominal and CT scanned data

A typical task carried out by X-Ray Computed Tomography scans is the nominal-actual comparison, visualizing geometric deviations between the data of a scanned workpiece and a CAD nominal model. A valuable comparison can be performed between the actual geometry, the CT volume, and a golden reference, the reference workpiece.

Deviations are displayed using a colour code providing a visual representation of the differences between parts. The nominal/actual comparison is an efficient and easy-to-use tool to qualify components and improve production processes, applicable in the multiple industries and applications, as injection moulding and 3D printing.

Tool & Component Optimization

Avoid shrinkage and warpage in injection molding

Molding process always involves undesired effects such as shrinkage & warpage. Thanks to X-Ray CT it is possible to analyze completely the molded parts and draw conclusions concerning molds optimization. It permits to save precious time during the prototyping phase and before starting the series production.

Check and enhance electronic devices

Complex components can easily be inspected, internally and externally using X-Ray Computed Tomography. Dimensional measurements, detection of lack of material or faulty properties such as defects or failure of solder joints and connections are a primary goal of the CT scan analysis.

Development & Reverse Engineering

From the workpiece to its CAD model

Starting from a real object, a CT scan allows generating a point cloud of every samples's surface. A CAD file can then be created from these point cloud and easily get a three-dimensional virtual model based on a real part. The extracted surfaces can be exported in different formats (STL, WRL, TXT ...) and comptible with most CAD softwares.

Reverse engineering is particularly useful to reduce design life-cycle time of product development, allowing rapid prototyping of your component of competition analysis.

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geometry & metrology with industrial ct scanning