X-ray time delay integration camera
22/09/2020
Hamamatsu Photonics has developed an X-ray time delay integration (TDI) camera, model C15400-30-50A, which offers enhanced sensitivity to low-energy X-rays through the application of a new technique. This X-ray TDI camera provides sharp high-contrast X-ray images of thin objects such as thin aluminium sheets and light-element materials, including carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP), and is expected to improve accuracy in in-line non-destructive inspection of foodstuffs, industrial products, etc.TDI is a specialised signal readout mode capable of imaging moving objects with high speed and high sensitivity. The X-ray TDI camera captures X-ray images with high contrast according to the difference in the level of X-ray transmission. Areas with high X-ray transmission are bright and areas with low X-ray transmission are dark.
In the food industry, due to increasing concerns about food safety, non-destructive X-ray inspection is becoming increasingly important, for example in detecting contaminants to prevent the intrusion of stones or metals and in finding poor package sealing to prevent the deterioration of product quality. In recent years, processed foods and foodstuff products have come in packages that utilise thin sheets and light-element materials. X-rays easily transmit through these types of packing materials, resulting in low-contrast X-ray images.
By utilising a new technique and redesigning from scratch, Hamamatsu has succeeded in developing an X-ray TDI camera that has enhanced sensitivity to low-energy X-rays. The result is a high-contrast X-ray image captured at an energy of approximately 20 keV, lower than the 40 keV energy level used for ordinary X-ray inspection.
High-contrast images can now be captured from low-energy X-rays that do not easily pass through thin objects and light-element materials, leading to improved inspection accuracy in detecting tiny contaminants such as hair in thin aluminium foodstuff packing, irregular thickness of aluminium sheets or uneven adhesive coatings on transportation equipment parts using CFRP. Moreover, employing a high-performance photodetector developed in house has boosted the signal readout speed to 153.8 m/min, which is 1.8 times the ordinary speed, to allow streamlined in-line 100% inspection of products.
This X-ray TDI camera also captures high-energy X-ray images and so can simultaneously inspect for contaminants in objects containing multiple different materials.
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