Foundry

Casting and formed products are getting lighter, and have to be controlled.

In many different industries hollow components have been increasingly used to reduce weight and energy consumption. Foundry components require quality controls and inspections during the overall production process and inner and non-accessible geometry is a crucial aspect for the manufacturing of these parts. Computed tomography (CT) is a powerful non-destructive technology to inspect every samples in an easy way and the only one giving the ability to see inside the matter.

Computed Tomography helps to optimize and validate casting process

Foundry components are diverse and widely used in various industrial fields such as the automotive or naval industries. They have complex material behavior displaying a range of failure modes.

Industrial CT scanning technology is the only inspection technique able to characterize in an easy way the overall material structure of a foundry component. CT scan provide precise measurements of the overall sample, from the whole structure down to individual porosity level. Every structural and dimensional aspect of casting parts can be assessed through one CT dataset. CT measurements can also be used as a tool to optimize casting process, revealing the spatial distribution of segregation in a non-destructive way and provide useful information to optimize casting processes.

Industrial CT scanning allows quick and accurate inspection of parts’ internal and external structures. With a proven high-resolution, RX Solutions CT devices enable the validation of tiny details on casting components. It is possible to define and export an accurate 3D model of the sample to make measurements of the inner and outer geometries, on simple or multi-material parts.

In the field of industrial research, nano inspection is widely used, to observe and characterize foundry components. Understanding the microstructure role helps to prevent cracks that can propagate through the intermetallic phases.

A large range of analysis performed with the help of Computed Tomography

CT datasets contain the entire sample geometric information and can be used to perform different kinds of analyses: voids analysis, actual parts to CAD comparison, part to part comparison, wall-thickness analysis or reverse engineering.

Casting components contains a lot of welds and these connections must be perfect. Many times, a lack of fusion (LOF) along the weld leads to an interruption of material cohesion. Welds must withstand high mechanical and thermal constraints, and a LOF can bring failures during the component utilization. Computed tomography and Computed laminography are the best techniques to easily and quickly inspect many welds.

Turbine blades also call for CT measurements, since they are characterized by complex inner geometries that can be difficult to be probed with tactile sensors.

CT measurements can be also useful to provide feedback information for numerical simulation of casting and machinery processes.

A comparison between a CT dataset and a CAD nominal file can be made easily, to quickly and accurately compare the part to a CAD model, by showing the internal structure deviations.

Industrial CT scanning technology allows the identification of cracks, porosities or inclusions inside the scanned part. The volume fraction of pores and their spatial distribution in the sample can be calculated and highlighted with different colors using post-processing software.

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Providing robust and high quality X-Ray Computed Tomography systems, RX Solutions can help foundry professionals to enhance quality controls and create new advanced prototypes. Whatever your casting application is, Computed Tomography and RX Solutions systems can play a role to help you.