Abstract: A method for making an ionization detector for X-ray tomography imaging includes the step of removing conductive residue located in the area between the electrodes to less than a predetermined amount, in order to remove the causes of spurious charges supplied by the detectors. The invention also includes the detectors made by the method.

Abstract: A cable assembly for an electrical signal transmission system comprises a plurality of elongated conductors, a conductive shield surrounding each conductor, and a dielectric layer between each shield and its respective conductor. The shielded conductors are embedded in a dielectric material and the dielectric material is wrapped in a double conductive shield. Adhesive layers are located between the double shield and the dielectric material and between the two shields making up the double shield. This cable assembly results in a signal transmission apparatus which has increased immunity to the effects of external electromagnetic fields, electrostatic charge, and mechanical vibration. It is particularly useful in transmitting low level signals produced by ionization detectors used in x-ray inspection apparatus.

Abstract: A cable assembly for an electrical signal transmission system comprises a plurality of elongated conductors, a conductive shield surrounding each conductor, and a dielectric layer between each shield and its respective conductor. The shielded conductors are embedded in a dielectric material and the dielectric material is wrapped in a double conductive shield. Adhesive layers are located between the double shield and the dielectric material and between the two shields making up the double shield. This cable assembly results in a signal transmission apparatus which has increased immunity to the effects of external electromagnetic fields, electrostatic charge, and mechanical vibration. It is particularly useful in transmitting low level signals produced by ionization detectors used in X-ray inspection apparatus.

Abstract: An X-ray inspection system includes an X-ray source for generating a directed X-ray beam and a linear array detector for measuring the intensity of the received radiation and generating electrical signals representative thereof. A method for aligning the detector with the directed X-ray beam includes removing any part between the X-ray source and the detector, opening an X-ray beam limiter, positioning the linear array detector for maximum signal from each detector element, reducing the X-ray beam limiter opening, detecting whether any signal from a detector element is reduced, moving the limiter for producing a maximum signal on each signal, securing the X-ray beam limiter, and positioning the detector array for maximum signal.

Abstract: An X-ray inspection system for manually or automatically performing digital fluoroscopy inspections and/or computed tomography inspections by X-ray examination of manufactured parts incorporates a computer system which automatically analyzes the inspected parts for flaws. The system includes apparatus for automatically positioning the parts in an X-ray machine for obtaining fluoroscopy and tomography views of the part and for acquiring data from the inspections at production rates. The system automatically identifies the location of rejectable flaws in the parts during the fluoroscopy scanning and subsequently identifies those locations for obtaining tomography scans, if the identified flaw location is questionable. The system can automatically reject parts containing flaws identified during the fluoroscopy inspections. This system operates in a real-time environment by providing analysis of one part while a subsequent part is being subjected to X-ray examination.

Abstract: A manipulator for positioning a part includes a manipulator mandrel, manipulator arms, a pneumatic actuator ball plunger, drive motors, and shaft encoders. The motors drive the manipulator mandrel vertically perpendicular to a plane of directed X-ray beams and one whose rotation axis is vertical and perpendicular to the plane of the directed X-ray beam. The motors include positioning encoders which generate encoding pulses representative of movement of the manipulator mandrel along either axis. The pneumatic ball plunger provides for the acquiring of a gripper which holds a part to be inspected in the X-ray beam. The manipulator mandrel includes two L-shaped arms inwardly extending towards the ball plunger for acquiring a gripper having outwardly extending flanges.

Abstract: An ionization detector comprises a substrate having detector traces adjacent conductive grounded traces to minimize crosstalk and charge leakage between the detector traces and to reduce the effects of contamination and humidity.

Abstract: A gripper for holding a manufactured part in a X-ray inspection system. The gripper includes a stationary jaw, a slidable jaw, a gripper base, a wear plate, a centering bushing an end plate, and a cam actuated spring mechanism for opening and closing the jaws. Both jaws are removable and adjustable in a keyway. Set screws are used to hold the jaws in place for a predetermined separation and allows a part to be positioned off center. The removable aspect allows for various jaw configurations. The centering bushing includes a cam shaped opening for accepting an end of an pneumatic activated ball plunger of a numerically controlled part manipulator. The centering bushing aligns the gripper to the longitudinal axis of the part manipulator.

Abstract: A method for aligning a X-ray beam collimator to a linear array X-ray detector. The method computes a horizontal centerline on the detector and a horizontal centerline the collimator. The horizontal centerlines are then aligned. Vertical centerlines are computed for the detector and collimator. A thickness for a shim is computed from the difference in the vertical centerlines. The collimator is installed on vertical standoffs with the shims inserted between the collimator and standoffs. The shims align the collimator and detector in the vertical direction.

Abstract: In an invention detector having an array of detectors, grounding pads are positioned in the spaces between some detectors (data detectors) and other detectors (reference detectors). The grounding pads are kept at zero electric potential, i.e., grounded. The grounding serves to (1) drain away electrons and thereby prevent an unwanted accumulation of charge in the spaces, and (2) cause the electric field lines to be more perpendicular to the detectors in regions near the grounding pads.

Abstract: Method for improving signal response of a linear array ionization detector. The detector employs a detector assembly having plural closely-spaced detector elements mounted on a substrate with the assembly positioned in a high pressure, gas-filled chamber. Signal response is improved by cleaning the assembly and coating it with a moisture resistant material before insertion into the chamber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to detectors used in X-ray tomographic imaging. The invention describes a xenon ionization detector having individual detector elements spaced 1.5 mil apart, thus providing high resolution. In one embodiment, a procedure is described for reducing a spurious electric current which was found to arise when such narrow spacings were used.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the manufacture of ionization detectors used in X-ray tomographic imaging. One form of the invention discusses a method of manufacturing an array of ionization detectors which reduces spurious electric currents in the detectors when the detector spacing is in the 1.5 mil range. Also discussed is a method of manufacture of a chamber for containing an ionizable gas such as xenon, and of sealing the detector array at its point of entry into the chamber in order to prevent the escape of xenon.

Abstract: The present invention relates to detectors used in X-ray tomographic imaging. The invention describes a multi-element detector array which detects ionization events in a xenon dielectric, and also describes a pressure vessel for containment of the xenon and detector.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a light source for directing a measuring beam toward a workpiece and a photo detector positioned to receive a portion of the measuring beam reflected from the workpiece. A beam splitter is positioned between the light source and the workpiece to reflect a portion of the light source measuring beam to a monitor photo detector. The monitor photo detector receives the beam splitter reflected beam and provides an output signal representative of the position of the beam splitter reflected beam, and hence, the position of the light source with respect to an idealized position. In one embodiment, the photo detector develops a monitor output signal representative of the deviation between an Idealized Centerline and an Actual Centerline of the light source. The monitor output signal may be employed for display purposes.