Porosities, pores, blisters, thermal cracking, dimensional changes, or inclusions – non-destructive testing (NDT) with Comet Yxlon industrial X-ray and CT systems enables high-volume manual, assisted or automatic inspection of typical casting flaws.
An industry where quality is most critical
With metal castings being used in many different industries such as automotive, aerospace, and general mechanical engineering, the requirements for quality assurance are both exceptionally high and diverse. Safety-relevant parts such as aircraft turbine blades or light alloy wheels are usually subject to 100% testing. With the aid of automated defect recognition (ADR), Comet Yxlon supports foundries in manufacturing prime-quality casting products at competitive prices – while preventing defects and downtime.
Applications of industrial X-rays in foundries
- Verification of casting quality, e.g., blowholes and pores
- Geometric measurement of inner structures
- Wall thickness analysis
- Target/actual comparison
- Inspection of joints in brake discs
- Measurements of cooling channels in pistons
Evaluating flaws, ensuring material integrity
Typical foundry casting flaws can occur in all casting techniques that involve materials such as iron, aluminum, magnesium, or zinc – with a major impact on product quality. Just one example: If cavities are located just below the surface of the part, they may get opened by further processing such as milling, grinding, or cutting threads. Random inspections help verify the stability of the casting process and thus ensure the quality of the component.
Industrial X-ray or CT scanning? It’s all about material density.
The decision to choose an X-ray or a computed tomography (CT) system is independent of the type of casting process a manufacturer is using. However, the density of the metal, the size of the component, and its wall thickness play an important role in the energy needed. With energies ranging from 20 kV to 600 kV, Comet Yxlon systems for industrial X-ray and CT cover the inspection needs of a wide variety of applications and parts.
Seeing deeper: live-image X-ray inspections with HDR
Classical 2D fluoroscopic inspection has one limitation: It does not give concrete information about the depth position of the discontinuities. With the introduction of high dynamic radioscopy (HDR), Comet Yxlon has developed a method of live-image capable, digital image processing. HDR makes it possible to obtain a good estimate of the depth position while moving the component in the X-ray beam.
Adding perspective with computed tomography
In comparison with 2D X-ray inspections, computed tomography (CT) provides detailed 3D information about the internal structures of an object, showing the precise position, shape, and size of existing flaws. Since casting molds can change over time and structures become significantly more complex, CT is the solution to address specific issues such as dimensional accuracy, wall thickness measurements, target/actual comparisons, or porosity analysis including statistical evaluation.
Fully automatic inspections, made easy with “Casting Insights”
Thanks to their intuitive user interface, Comet Yxlon inspection systems are easy to operate by users of different skill levels. Our “Casting Insights” takes this ease of use a step further. Thanks to automated defect recognition (ADR), it allows for reliable, fast and user-independent inspection decisions. The Casting Insights software TrueInspect is a field-proven inspection solution, compliant with automotive requirements. Casting Insights is available with two additional support packages to reliably fulfill your quality assurance requirements and increase your yield.
Future-ready systems: upgrade to automation
Modular, modern vehicle platforms require high production volumes making automated processes vital. Especially in 100% inspection and for large quantities, automated loading and unloading is the norm to reduce time and labor costs. As future-ready systems, Comet Yxlon products are a safe investment, since they can be subsequently upgraded to automation technologies.