Abstract: A contaminant detection machine (1) including a conveyor (3) which causes an object under inspection (79) to pass through a plane (48) of emitted x-ray radiation. The plane is generated by an x-ray tube (55) that emits a lateral beam, thereby permitting the distance (88) between the x-ray tube and the object under inspection to be reduced. A photo diode arch mounting assembly (104) is placed above the object under inspection and is mated to a collimator assembly (125) that also serves as the mounting bracket for the x-ray generation assembly (38), thereby preserving optical alignment between the photo diode detector array (28) and the emitted x-ray plane (48). The detector array (28) scans the object under inspection (79) so as to produce a continuous series of discrete lines, each line being analyzed by an image processing unit (116) to determine the presence or absence of a contaminant.

Abstract: A contaminant detection machine (1) including a conveyor (3) which causes an object under inspection (79) to pass through a plane (48) of emitted x-ray radiation. The plane is generated by an x-ray tube (55) that emits a lateral beam, thereby permitting the distance (88) between the x-ray tube and the object under inspection to be reduced. A photo diode arch mounting assembly (104) is placed above the object under inspection and is mated to a collimator assembly (125) that also serves as the mounting bracket for the x-ray generation assembly (38), thereby preserving optical alignment between the photo diode detector array (28) and the emitted x-ray plane (48). The detector array (28) scans the object under inspection (79) so as to produce a continuous series of discrete lines, each line being analyzed by an image processing unit (116) to determine the presence or absence of a contaminant.

Abstract: A multi-marker microwave sweep linearization system comprising a voltage controlled microwave oscillator utilizing an adaptive sweep control circuit is presented. The oscillator control voltage is to be adjusted as necessary to maintain a constant spacing between markers. To produce the markers, the output of the oscillator is mixed with the output at a comb generator having harmonics. The lower side bands generated as the oscillator sweeps past the comb frequencies generates a series of `chirps`, centered about each of the comb harmonics. It will be noted, that the frequency of the chirp passes through zero when the oscillator frequency is exactly equal to one of the comb harmonics. The marker is to be associated with a higher frequency in the chirp envelope to avoid phase uncertainties. This can be accomplished with a frequency-detector circuit which may comprise a retriggerable monostable multi-vibrator having a time constant equal to the period of the frequency to be detected.