Abstract: Scanning systems for performing computed tomography scanning may include a stator, a rotor supporting at least one radiation source and at least one radiation detector rotatable with the rotor, and a rotator operatively connected to the rotor to rotate the rotor relative to the stator. A conveyor system may include a respective conveyor extending through the rotor of the scanning system. A control system operatively connected to the scanning system and the conveyor system may be configured to cause the rotor, the respective conveyor, or both to operate at a first operating speed when a wear threshold of the at least one scanning system and the respective conveyor system has not been reached and to cause the rotor, the respective conveyor, or both to operate at a second, lower operating speed when the wear threshold of the at least one scanning system and the respective conveyor system has been reached.

Abstract: Scanning systems for performing computed tomography scanning may include a stator, a rotor supporting at least one radiation source and at least one radiation detector rotatable with the rotor, and a rotator operatively connected to the rotor to rotate the rotor relative to the stator. A conveyor system may include a respective conveyor extending through the rotor of the scanning system. A control system operatively connected to the scanning system and the conveyor system may be configured to automatically and dynamically increase a rate at which the rotor moves, decrease a rate at which the respective conveyor moves, and/or adjust other system parameters when the control system enters a finer pitch mode and to automatically and dynamically decrease a rate at which the rotor moves, increase a rate at which the respective conveyor moves, and/or adjust other system parameters when the control system enters a coarser pitch mode.

Abstract: Scanning systems for performing computed tomography scanning may include a stator, a rotor supporting at least one radiation source and at least one radiation detector rotatable with the rotor, and a rotator operatively connected to the rotor to rotate the rotor relative to the stator. A conveyor system may include a respective conveyor extending through the rotor of the scanning system. A control system operatively connected to the scanning system and the conveyor system may be configured to cause the rotor, the respective conveyor, or both to operate at a first operating speed when a wear threshold of the at least one scanning system and the respective conveyor system has not been reached and to cause the rotor, the respective conveyor, or both to operate at a second, lower operating speed when the wear threshold of the at least one scanning system and the respective conveyor system has been reached.

Abstract: Scanning systems for performing computed tomography scanning may include a stator, a rotor supporting at least one radiation source and at least one radiation detector rotatable with the rotor, and a rotator operatively connected to the rotor to rotate the rotor relative to the stator. A conveyor system may include a respective conveyor extending through the rotor of the scanning system. A control system operatively connected to the scanning system and the conveyor system may be configured to automatically and dynamically increase a rate at which the rotor moves, decrease a rate at which the respective conveyor moves, and/or adjust other system parameters when the control system enters a finer pitch mode and to automatically and dynamically decrease a rate at which the rotor moves, increase a rate at which the respective conveyor moves, and/or adjust other system parameters when the control system enters a coarser pitch mode.

Abstract: Among other things, a tire inspection system and method are provided. A radiation source and a detector array are configured to rotate about an axis of rotation. During a first examination of a tire, the tire has a first orientation relative to the axis of rotation, and during a second examination, the tire has a second orientation relative to the axis of rotation. For example, between the first examination and the second examination, the tire is at least one of shifted with respect to the axis of rotation or rotated about a tire rotation axis (e.g., perpendicular to the axis of rotation) to change the orientation of the tire relative to the axis of rotation. In this manner, imagery of the tire may be developed, which can be inspected to identify irregularities, etc., in the tire, for example.

Abstract: Among other things, a tire inspection system (100) and method are provided. A radiation source (116) and a detector array (118) are configured to rotate about an axis of rotation. During a first examination of a tire (104), the tire (104) has a first orientation relative to the axis of rotation, and during a second examination, the tire (104) has a second orientation relative to the axis of rotation. For example, between the first examination and the second examination, the tire (104) is at least one of shifted with respect to the axis of rotation or rotated about a tire rotation axis (e.g., perpendicular to the axis of rotation) to change the orientation of the tire relative to the axis of rotation. Such rotation and translation of the tire (104) are carried out by using a conveyer belt (114) and a robotic arm (602). In this manner, imagery of the tire (104) may be developed, which can be inspected to identify irregularities, etc. in the tire (104), for example.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for calibrating detectors in a computed tomography (CT) system to compensate for differential errors in the detectors are disclosed. Multiple sets of scan data are acquired for a phantom at multiple thicknesses of the phantom. The phantom can be made from multiple slabs of material positioned on the scanner table in a horizontal orientation or in a vertical orientation. Horizontal slabs are removed or added to the stack of slabs to vary the thickness of the phantom. With vertically oriented slabs, each slab is of a different height such that scans of different slabs produce X-ray data for rays having different path lengths and, therefore, attenuations. For each detector, errors in the scan data at the multiple phantom thicknesses are identified and fit to a parametric equation with respect to the log attenuation associated with each thickness. In one embodiment, the parametric equation is a quadratic polynomial.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for halfscan reconstruction in a CT scanning system using an asymmetric detector system are described. In halfscan asymmetric (HSA) reconstruction, a halfscan reconstruction approach is used for data acquired by the symmetric portion of the array, and a fullscan reconstruction approach is used to reconstruct data acquired by the asymmetric portion of the array. When scanning oversized subjects which extend beyond the symmetric field of view of the array, a halfscan reconstruction approach is used which applies a zero weighting to data acquired by the asymmetric portion of the array and ramps data acquired by the asymmetric portion to zero.