X-Scan Imaging News

X-ray Sensitive Line-Scan Camera announced at
ASNT Digital Imaging Conference

San Jose, CA, July 21, 2008 – X-Scan Imaging Corporation, the only domestic manufacturer of buttable x-ray sensitive line-scan detectors introduced its new line of XR8800 x-ray line-scan cameras at the recent ASNT Digital Imaging XI Exhibit & Conference in Mashantucket, Connecticut. At the exhibit, X-Scan Imaging demonstrated the speed capabilities of its 0.4-mm-resolution XR8804 Camera by capturing image data at over 4500 lines per second. The XR8800 Series Line-scan Camera incorporates X-Scan Imaging’s CMOS silicon imaging detector array chips providing wide dynamic range and solid-state reliability. The chips can be butted together and mounted on a PC board to form a variety of active detector lengths ranging from 6 to 12 inches, in 2 inch increments.

A wide selection of scintillation materials is available for converting x-ray radiation into visible light for detection by the imaging array, which optimizes both sensitivity and image resolution. Applications include printed circuit board inspection, industrial inspection and NDT, airport security and cargo screening.

A complete product datasheet containing full performance specifications can be downloaded from our Products Page. For pricing and delivery information contact sales@x-scanimaging.com

15-Foot X-ray Sensitive “U” Shaped Line-Scan Camera
Speeds Radial Tire Real-Time Inspection
Unique line-scan camera configured and optimized for
economical tire inspection uses panoramic x-ray sources

San Jose, CA, October 15, 2009 – X-Scan Imaging Corporation, announces its new line of XU8800 Series “U” shaped x-ray sensitive line-scan cameras designed specifically for inspecting the integrity of a variety of tire types and sizes. The structural integrity of a tire plays a critical role in the performance, ride, and safety of that tire. Incorporating real-time X-ray imaging technology, X-Scan offers tire manufacturers and the transportation industry a high-performance compact imaging system capable of being integrated into a complete tire quality inspection system for on or off-line applications, enabling tire manufacturers to meet high safety and quality standards.

In a typical application, 100% of the tread and sidewall of a rotating tire from bead to bead can be imaged using a panoramic x-ray source and the X-Scan “U” shaped camera head. The XU8800 Series “U” shaped Line-scan Cameras go beyond inspection of the steel belts that resist punctures and hold the tread firmly against the road. With its high sensitivity and low noise, it allows the inspection of cord fabrics that strengthen the sidewall. According to Dr. Hsin-Fu Tseng, X-Scan Imaging’s founder and chairman, “the unique design and architecture of the XU8800 “U” shaped Camera represents a major price/performance breakthrough in high-sensitivity, low-noise line-scan technology and radiation imaging by reducing assembly complexity while improving performance and reliability within its compact size”.

The XU8800 Series Line-scan Camera family currently includes five standard models covering a broad range of active scanning dimensions, detector resolutions, speeds and sensitivity modes. This family includes the largest “U” shaped line-scan x-ray camera currently installed in the world with a detector length of 461 cm. The entire family covers tire applications from passenger car tires to off-the-road (OTR) tires with equivalent total detector lengths ranging from 108 cm (3.5 ft) to 461 cm (15.1 ft) and with 0.4 or 0.8 mm selectable resolution. Each camera incorporates X-Scans’ CMOS silicon imaging detector array chips with on-chip fully integrated signal processing circuits designed for visible wavelength and X-ray sensitive applications. The close proximity of the analog-to-digital converters (ADC) to the detector chips and the use of low-voltage-differential-signal (LVDS) technology help to minimize noise and maximize bandwidth. High sensitivity and high speed readout enables inspection speeds over 100 cm per second. Typical dynamic range is 4000 to 1.

Each camera includes a contiguous linear array of photodiodes, low-noise signal processing circuitry, 16-bit ADCs, digital control, and Camera Link® interface to a remote (user supplied) PC-based frame-grabber and data acquisition system.
A Gd2O2S (Gadox) integrated direct-contact scintillator layer is attached to the surface of the detector array(s), which converts X-ray photons for the standard 40–160 kV energy range into visible light that is sensed by the linear array of CMOS photodiodes. A unique metal enclosure design protects the camera electronics from the x-ray radiation. Various scintillation materials and a range of thicknesses can be provided for optimizing both detector sensitivity and image resolution.

Other applications for the X-Scan cameras include printed circuit board inspection, industrial non-destructive testing (NDT), food, pharmaceutical and industrial inspection, package content inspection, and security and cargo screening.

Robust X-ray Sensitive Line-Scan Camera Designed for
High-energy & Gamma Ray Scanning Applications
Tungsten shielding and fiber-optic design resists
detector damage and extends camera energy range
to 450 KeV with option for 15 MeV applications

San Jose, CA, February 21, 2010– X-Scan Imaging Corporation, introduces the XH8800 Series Line Scan Camera specifically designed for imaging high-energy x-ray and gamma ray scanning applications. High-energy accelerators and detectors such as the XH8800 are required to image large, dense objects such as metal castings and steel objects whose thickness can range from 4 to 12 inches. The XH8800 Camera also offers a high-performance solution for many other radiography and NDT imaging applications that can be suitably penetrated at energy levels below 450 KeV. Standard XH Camera models are available in 7 active sensor lengths ranging from 154 to 1542 mm including a broad mix of resolutions ranging from 96 to 30720 pixels on centers as small as 50-µm. Other detector lengths can be special ordered with virtually no maximum length limit.

According to Dr. Hsin-Fu Tseng, X-Scan Imaging’s founder and chairman, “the clever (off-axis) optical path and architecture of the XH8800 Camera represents a major price/performance breakthrough in high-energy, line-scan technology and radiation imaging by reducing assembly complexity while improving performance, speed and reliability within its compact size – nothing else on the market offers better low noise, wide dynamic range, high sensitivity performance and overall value”.

All XH8800 Camera models incorporate X-Scans’ CMOS silicon imaging detector array chips with on-chip fully integrated signal processing circuits designed for visible wavelength and X-ray sensitive applications. The close proximity of the analog-to-digital converters (ADC) to the detector chips and the use of low-voltage-differential-signal (LVDS) technology help to minimize noise and maximize bandwidth. High sensitivity and high speed readout enables inspection speeds over 100 cm per second. Typical dynamic range is 4000 to 1. Each camera includes a contiguous linear array of photodiodes, low-noise signal processing circuitry, 16-bit ADCs, digital control, and Camera Link® interface to a remote (user supplied) PC-based frame-grabber and data acquisition system.

A Gd2O2S (Gadox) integrated direct-contact scintillator layer is attached to the surface of the detector array(s), which converts X-ray photons for the standard 100–450 KeV energy range into visible light that is sensed by the linear array of CMOS photodiodes. A unique metal enclosure design protects the camera electronics from the x-ray radiation. Various scintillation materials and a range of thicknesses can be provided for optimizing both detector sensitivity and image resolution.

The single quantity prices for the XH8800 X-ray cameras range from $7,000 to $100,000, including camera head, Camera Link® interface, power adapter, cabling, and X-Scan’s proprietary software development kit including software drivers, intuitive application programming interface (API), and example code software that enables rapid development of non-destructive testing (NDT) inspection and other x-ray scanning systems. Current availability is stock to 12 weeks. Other scintillators and custom camera geometries are available as an option for special performance and energy range requirements. Contact the factory for pricing and availability.

Other applications for the X-Scan cameras include Computed Tomography (CT), industrial inspection, package content inspection, and security and cargo screening.

X-Scan "U" shape camera system featured in
Vision Systems Design April 2010 front cover story
By employing line-scan x-ray sensitive cameras, manufacturers
can more readily isolate faults in off-road tires

San Jose, CA, April 1, 2010 – X-Scan Imaging Corporation in cooperation with engineers at Tianjin Saixiang Technology and Double Coin (tire manufacture) have provided VSD editor Andy Wilson with system application details and background data to describe the installation of this X-ray imager for 100% inspection of off-road tires. The complete article can be viewed at: http://www.optoiq.com/index/machine-vision-imaging-processing/display/vsd-article-display/6020253008/articles/vision-systems-design/volume-15/Issue_4/Features/X-Ray_Vision.html

Dual Energy X-ray Sensitive Line-Scan Camera Creates
Enhanced Images for Precise Characterization of Materials
Creating two radiographic images at distinct X-ray energy
levels can differentiate materials in a variety of applications

San Jose, CA, April 19, 2010 – X-Scan Imaging Corporation, introduces the Dual Energy XD8800 Series Line Scan Camera specifically designed for imaging materials and objects requiring improved detection and composition classification. Dual energy x-ray imaging technology consists of combining two radiographs acquired at two distinct energy levels thus allowing density as well as other material characteristics to be determined.

The XD8800 Series Camera is available with the following standard energy range options: Low energy range (25 – 100 KeV) and High energy range (45 – 160KeV).Standard XD Camera models are available with 8 active detector lengths ranging from 307mm to 1229mm. Resolution (number of active pixels) range from 192 x 2 to 768 x 2 with pixels on 1.6mm centers, 384 x 2 to 1536 x 2 with pixels on 0.8mm centers, and 768 x 2 to 3072 x 2 with pixels on 0.4mm centers. Other active detector lengths and resolutions can be supplied upon request with the minimum length being 154mm.

According to Dr. Hsin-Fu Tseng, X-Scan Imaging’s founder and chairman, “Our new XD series of dual energy x-ray cameras allow x-ray inspection systems to break out of the black-and-white confines of single-energy x-ray detectors and, by examining atomic compositions, to achieve levels of material discrimination not previously available to x-ray specialists.”

All XD8800 Camera models incorporate X-Scans’ CMOS silicon imaging detector array chips with on-chip fully integrated signal processing circuits designed for visible wavelength and X-ray sensitive applications. Sixteen-bit ADCs, digital control, and Camera Link® interface to a remote (user supplied) PC-based frame-grabber and data acquisition system is also standard. The close proximity of the analog-to-digital converters (ADC) to the detector chips and the use of low-voltage-differential-signal (LVDS) technology help to minimize noise and maximize bandwidth. High sensitivity and high speed readout enables inspection speeds up to 18,000 lines per second. Typical dynamic range is 3000 to 1. A Gd2O2S:Tb (Gadox) integrated direct-contact scintillator layer is attached to the surface of the detector array(s), which converts X-ray photons for the standard 25 – 160 KeV energy range into visible light that is sensed by the linear array of CMOS photodiodes. A unique metal enclosure design protects the camera electronics from the x-ray radiation. Various scintillation materials and a range of thicknesses can be provided for optimizing both detector sensitivity and image resolution.

The single quantity prices for the XD8800 X-ray cameras range from $15,400 to $57,200, including camera head, Camera Link® interface, power adapter, cabling, and X-Scan’s proprietary software development kit including software drivers, intuitive application programming interface (API), and example code software that enables rapid development of non-destructive testing (NDT) inspection and other x-ray imaging systems. Current availability is stock to 12 weeks. Other scintillators and custom camera geometries are available as an option for special performance and energy range requirements. Contact the factory for special pricing and availability.

Applications for the X-Scan dual energy imaging cameras include food and industrial inspection requiring high contrast imaging, composite material sorting, rare metal and mineral detection, security and cargo screening, drug detection, waste sorting and recycling.