Migration to Digital Radiography in the Aerospace Casting Industry

摘要

Although non-film X-ray imaging technologies have been available for many years, several factors havecontributed to a slow adoption of these methods for final inspection of aerospace castings. Many ofthese factors relate to the standards that support and control the implementation of X-ray inspection inthis as well as many other industries. The industry standards, including both ASTM practices andcustomer standards presume film radiography. While many of these include a phrase such as “non-filmtechniques may be used with customer approval,” it has not been clear either to suppliers norcustomers, how that approval process should proceed. Not only has the process for controlling imageacquisition presumed film radiography, but the process for interpreting those images, using filmreference radiographs also presumes comparison to film production images.Over the last few years, several factors have come together to change the landscape for digitalradiography. Project teams working through ASTM and supported by US Department of Defensefunding, most notably through the Metals Affordability Initiative, have succeeded in establishingguidelines and standards to support the implementation of digital radiography for final part acceptancein the aerospace investment casting industry. This paper will describe some of the developments inhardware and software, standards, and reference images that are leading to this change in inspectionapproach.