Microvista GmbH

 Inline CT: 100 % examination of components in line with series production

In industrial production of components and assemblies, quality assurance plays a decisive role. Product recalls due to failures in the field are associated with enormous costs and can result in long-term damage of a manufacturer’s image. In order to prevent such problems to the greatest possible extent, OEM quality standards have become increasingly demanding across a range of industries in recent years. Compliance with specifications and standards has to be verified via suitable tests.

Therefore, inline computed tomography is a valuable contribution in rapid non-destructive testing processes.

Microvista GmbH operates a prototype inline CT system. This type of system can be directly implemented in the component manufacturer’s process chain and can be used for 100 % component testing.

CT analysis of component defects

Today, production processes of leading industrial companies are very sophisticated. This also applies to foundries, which use special casting processes to manufacture components made from various materials for their customers. Foundry practice, however, shows that hardly any cast component is completely free from defects. Typical defects are porosity, cavities, inclusions and cracks. These defects can be reliably detected via CT scan, displayed in 3D and evaluated with state-of-the-art CT analysis software.

CT scan analysis of pores and cavities in a component

Where compliance with quality characteristics as stipulated by requirement specifications or component specifications is concerned, the nature of the component material always plays a crucial role. Microvista uses CT scanning for non-destructive testing of components of different sizes and made from various materials. Once the scanning data are available, porosity analysis is carried out. Then a test result is drawn up, which documents porosity analysis results in a clear manner that leaves no room for interpretation.

In addition to porosity analysis, the client can request to be provided with his scanning data complete with free-of-charge viewer software to be able to assess component porosity on his own. In a web conference, it is possible to clarify further issues of the porosity analysis with the member of the engineering department, who has carried out the component evaluation. This way, CT porosity analysis provides the client with precisely the data that enable him to make the “right” and cost-optimal decisions.