Radiographic Testing Research Articles

THE USE OF DIGITAL TWINS MODELS WHILE A RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMATION IN A VIRTUAL REALITY ENVIRONMENT

In modern conditions, the use of digital industrial technologies for maximum automation of various production processes and the creation of unmanned technologies is the main direction of technological development of production in the key of the Industry 4.0 and NDE 4.0 paradigms with the widespread use of information and communication technologies, including virtual reality and digital twins. To implement digital non-destructive testing, service-oriented approach is proposed as an effective solution for obtaining, processing and storing data of the results of various types of testing, the basic architecture of this solution is given. The simulator’s model of the industrial radiography laboratory is considered, discrete models of objects’ digital twins are constructed while obtaining an image, for which the basic provisions and tools of set theory are used. Examples are given illustrating the correspondence of mathematical models of digital twins to their graphical counterparts, as well as the image formed on the detector as a result of modeling and performing a radiation type of non-destructive testing. It is noted that the virtualization of such a complex technical facility as an industrial radiography laboratory allows for a short period of time and at minimal cost to verify the feasibility of technical solutions and engineering hypotheses taking into account real production conditions and needs, while providing, on the one hand, variability in the implementation of technological operations, and on the other – the number increase of trained qualified specialists according to the radiation type of non-destructive testing.

Energy absorption and toughness analysis on FSW butt joint of AA 5052 and AA 5083

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is an efficient and effective welding method with good-quality welds. Aluminum Alloy (AA) has been widely used for various automotive needs, including in vehicle manufacturing. AA series 5XXX is a type of material used for vehicle manufacturing because it has good strength properties even after the joining process. A similar butt joint using the FSW method was carried out on material AA 5052 and AA 5083. The results of the welding were then given radiographic testing to determine the general condition of the welds. The impact test was carried out according to the procedures standard of ASTM on the welding results to analyze the energy absorption and toughness properties of welds by getting the impact value of the welded joint, and then looking for the quantity ratio to the impact value of the base material. After that, the results and discussion were obtained that the welded areas showed different impact strength and absorbed energy value, which is compared to the base material the range is below with a decrease in value of between 34% and 68% of the initial toughness strength of the parent material. The reduction in toughness strength can be attributed to the influence of mechanical properties during the welding process. Nevertheless, the welds demonstrated good quality and integrity, highlighting FSW's efficacy in joining aluminum alloys. This research significantly contributes to comprehending the energy absorption and toughness analysis of FSW butt joints in aluminum alloys, crucial for vehicle body technology applications.

Analysis of events reported from industrial radiation facilities

Radiation sources have multifarious societal applications in medical, industrial and research. Prevention of any untoward event is one of the important safety principles to be considered during the handling of radiation sources. However, some unusual events may occur during the handling of radiation sources, which may be attributed to various factors such as equipment malfunction, human error etc. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has a well-established mechanism for event reporting by the stakeholders. An analysis of the events reported by the facilities handling radiation sources for industrial radiography, nucleonic gauges and well-logging applications has been carried out. Analysis shows that the major contributing factors for reported events in industrial radiography are human error and equipment failure, whereas for nucleonic gauges and well logging facilities dominating factors are security-related issues and external (environmental) factors respectively. These reported events have not led to any serious accident, however, reported by the facilities as deviations from standard operating procedures are observed.

Total Focusing (TFM) for the Ultrasonic Testing (UT) of drawn arc stud welding

This article describes the results obtained applying ultrasonic testing (UT) with phased arrays (PAUT) using full matrix capture (FMC) and total focusing method (TFM) for the inspection of drawn arc stud welding. Weld studs are usually directly applied on the top of a metal slab using a dedicated welding gun. This procedure involves heating the end tip of the stud using a strong electric arc created by a positive electric current. This welding procedure shall comply to various normative requirements, but on the other side there is not a clear reference to any applicable non-destructive method (NDT) to control the quality of the weld seam. Shear connectors are normally used in concrete/steel composite structures to allow the combined action of the concrete slab and the steel profile thereby increasing both the stiffness and strength of the structure. Flaws in this connection would result in severe bending and cracking of the entire structure. This article proposes an advanced UT method to inspect the weld between shear connections and metal slab using FMC. Data acquired with FMC are processed by TFM algorithms improving image resolution, signal to noise performances and allowing 3D data imaging. The combined use of PAUT searching units and signal processing with high resolution measurement shows a great potential in industrial NDT applied to civil engineering, resulting in a more effective, reliable, and faster inspection methodology than many other methods, such as radiographic testing (RT).

Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing for Inspection of LNG Storage Tank

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is liquefied at -162°C at atmospheric pressure and stored in the inner shell. Due to the transport and storage characteristics of such low temperature conditions, 9% high nickel steel, which shows excellent strength and toughness even at low temperatures, is used for the inner wall. On the other hand, the base material of the inner wall has a tempered martensite structure, whereas the weld metal has an Inconel- based austenite structure with high damping properties in acoustics. Also, the weld metal is composed of an anisotropic structure completely different from the base material. These are considered obstacles in non-destructive testing. We applied automated phased array ultrasonic testing(PAUT) as a replacement of radiographic testing in inspection of LNG storage tank. To obtain the reference value data, a reference specimen for each thickness was prepared, and an automatic scanning device was designed and manufactured. Also, a customized phased array(PA) probe was developed and applied. All parts are integrated and operated as one system, and the data is analyzed and stored through an operating program developed in-house. The current system has proven its performance through field application to a much-improved level in the existing scanning device, probe and application method. In conclusion, it was proved that our technology can be commercialized by showing excellent detection ability.

Context and scale-aware YOLO for welding defect detection

Radiography testing for welding defect detection is an essential inspection procedure to ensure welding quality. However, detecting these defects is a challenging task because they have various size and aspect ratio characteristics and low perceptiveness due to the low luminance and contrast characteristics of the radiography image (RI). To address these difficulties, this paper proposes a twin model-based automatic welding defect detection method to reveal welding defects of various sizes and aspect ratios more accurately. In addition, we propose a new image adjustment technique that is optimized to improve the accuracy of welding defect detection by adaptively adjusting the luminance and contrast of a given RI. The proposed method consists of three steps: preprocessing for defect detection (PDD), context-aware image adjustment (CIA), and scale-aware defect detection (SDD). In the PDD step, we extract the region of interest from a RI based on text detection by removing regions unnecessary for welding defect detection. In the CIA step, we adaptively optimize a given image to improve the detection accuracy by utilizing a differentiable parametric module that performs image enhancement filtering. In the SDD step, we define a twin model that outputs the embeddings of different scales from the adjusted RI to detect the defects with various scales accurately. At the inference stage of the detection model, we ensemble the results using a weighted fusion of the detection results from the twin model to take advantage of the ensemble strategy. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method achieves outstanding detection accuracy compared to the benchmark methods.

Perovskite-Based X-ray Detectors.

X-ray detection has widespread applications in medical diagnosis, non-destructive industrial radiography and safety inspection, and especially, medical diagnosis realized by medical X-ray detectors is presenting an increasing demand. Perovskite materials are excellent candidates for high-energy radiation detection based on their promising material properties such as excellent carrier transport capability and high effective atomic number. In this review paper, we introduce X-ray detectors using all kinds of halide perovskite materials along with various crystal structures and discuss their device performance in detail. Single-crystal perovskite was first fabricated as an active material for X-ray detectors, having excellent performance under X-ray illumination due to its superior photoelectric properties of X-ray attenuation with μm thickness. The X-ray detector based on inorganic perovskite shows good environmental stability and high X-ray sensitivity. Owing to anisotropic carrier transport capability, two-dimensional layered perovskites with a preferred orientation parallel to the substrate can effectively suppress the dark current of the device despite poor light response to X-rays, resulting in lower sensitivity for the device. Double perovskite applied for X-ray detectors shows better attenuation of X-rays due to the introduction of high-atomic-numbered elements. Additionally, its stable crystal structure can effectively lower the dark current of X-ray detectors. Environmentally friendly lead-free perovskite exhibits potential application in X-ray detectors by virtue of its high attenuation of X-rays. In the last section, we specifically introduce the up-scaling process technology for fabricating large-area and thick perovskite films for X-ray detectors, which is critical for the commercialization and mass production of perovskite-based X-ray detectors.

Human Reliability Assessment method applied to investigate human factors in NDT - The case of the interpretation of radiograms in the French nuclear sector

This communication reports on a study carried out in the context of the collaborative FOEHN project (Human and Organizational Factors in Non-Destructive Evaluation) supported by the French National Research Agency. The motivation of this project comes from the observation that human and Organizational factors (HOF) are not sufficiently considered by the NDT community. Its goal is to analyse and model the influence of the HOF on selected cases of study in the perspective of a better evaluation of the performance of inspections. The communication is focused on a radiographic test (RT) case of study in which it appeared that several successive inspections had failed to detect an existing in-service defect. The analysis and modelling of HOF related to interpretation of films has been achieved in the framework of the CREAM (Cognitive and Reliability and Error Analysis Method). A survey has been conducted during the training and the maintaining of the proficiency of NDT (Non Destructive Testing) operators. This was followed by a non-participant observation of operators on site and several individual interviews including a sample of people covering the main organizational and hierarchical roles (eg. project management, management, operations, invigilation). The exchange with the HOF experts resulted in a hierarchical analysis of "radiogram interpretation" tasks (31 sub-tasks) and a list of contextual and organizational factors that may affect the performance of interpretation of films by the operator. From such a description the CREAM method allows to determine critical tasks and probability of “errors” linked to a limited set of “Common Performance Conditions” (CPC). The first conclusions of this study are that the model CREAM seems well-adapted to the estimation of the impact of HOF on NDT performances. The next phases should be to apply it to other tasks (here only radiograph interpretation) and techniques. The expected benefit of this study is to provide tools for the evaluation and optimisation of NDT implementation.

Comparison of various decalcifying agents to evaluate their efficacy

Background: Bone is a biological complex structure primarily comprising collagen and minerals. It is important to demineralize these mineralized tissues to remove their calcium apatite crystals for analysing the sub-cellular, cellular, and fibrillar architecture. Six demineralizing agents’ efficacy was examined by assessing their duration, ease of handling tissue, staining, and histological criteria. The present study aimed to evaluate six commonly used demineralizing agents to identify the best decalcifying agent. Methods: Twenty resected hard tissue specimens (1 cm × 1 cm x 1 cm) from the archives were used in the study. These segments were decalcified by solutions namely 10% nitric acid, 10% formic acid, 14% ethylene di amine tetra acetic acid (EDTA), a mixture of formic acid and hydrochloric acid (formic + HCL) 4% each, and a mixture of formic acid and nitric acid 4% each (formic + HNO3), 10% formal nitric acid further subjected to radiographic endpoint test. Results: The present study confirmed the fact that samples treated with EDTA showed the best overall impression in terms of tissue integrity and histology followed by 10% formal nitric acid which gave fairly good cellular details and was also rapid in the action. Conclusions: Based on the present study findings, we suggest that 10% formal nitric acid is the better decalcifying agent available, considering time and tissue integrity as two main factors.

Selection of Joint Preparation Procedure based on Cost-effectiveness and Defects analysis of Double-V SMAW Joint

Double sided shielded metal arc welded joint has wide applications in fabrication sector for production of critical joints but the root pass in those joint leads to many defects, mainly due to the sudden cooling because the adjacent base material is at room temperature in the start of welding and compromises the quality of the weldments. In the fabrication industry, root pass removal is a routine practice for producing quality joints using grinding and air carbon arc gouging. In this research, comparative study of cost-effectiveness and defects analysis of the above root pass removal procedures have applied to the double-v mild steel shielded metal arc welded joint for the selection of better procedure. For cost calculation of joints, labor cost (LC), energy cost (EC), material cost (MC) and overhead cost taken into account and defects examined by the visual inspection, liquid penetrant test, radiographic test and optical microscope. The results showed overall 4.7% lower cost and enhanced quality in terms of macro/micro-defects for ground joint. The major contribution to the lower cost of ground joint has given by the consumables and energy but in defects analysis, only width difference in both sides’ reinforcement i.e., front and back have observed for gouged joint and relatively more numbers of micro-defects.

Acute Abdomen in Pregnancy: A Comprehensive Review of Diagnosis and Management.

An unusual diagnostic and treatment challenge is presented by an acute abdomen during pregnancy. Obstetric factors and other causes unrelated to pregnancyalso contribute to acute abdominal discomfort in pregnancy. Due to the changing clinical presentations brought on by the anatomical and physiological changes of pregnancy as well as the hesitation to utilize certain radiological studies out of concern about damaging the fetus, the diagnosis of the acute abdomen during pregnancy can be challenging. Delays in identification and treatment may have negative effects on the mother as well as the fetus. This review sheds light on the importance of anatomical andphysiological considerations, early diagnoses, and understanding the various modalities and etiologies of acute abdomen in pregnancy (AAP).We then move on to discuss the various diagnostic techniques that can help the physician determine thecauses and plan well-informed treatment. We examine and contrast different radiographic tests, including X-rays, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound. We also talk about the various roles that these investigational methods can play in the evaluation and treatment throughout the duration of the pregnancy. The paper additionally addresses how to handle patients who appear with AAPand the different techniques used to treat them, including pre-operative laparoscopy. Before going over some more broad points that might be useful, we eventually dive into some of the more intriguing etiologies relating to AAP, such as isolated tubal torsion and neoplastic complications.

Outcomes of renal function and efficacy in patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer treated by tislelizumab-based immunochemotherapy.

e16608 Background: The occurrence PD-1 ICIs brings a new era of treatment for bladder cancer (BC). Although the safety and efficacy of most PD-1 ICIs have been certified progressively, whether they can be used in patients (pts) with renal impairment is always a concern for clinicians. Consequently, we intend to investigate the variation of renal function and efficacy of PD-1 ICIs based immunochemotherapy for pts with muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and renal insufficiency in short term. Methods: Our study relied on population of the TRUCE-01 trial (NCT04730219), an open-label, single-arm phase II study of tislelizumab based immunochemotherapy in pts with MIBC. Data of pts, including demographic information, imaging and pathological assessment of efficacy, and serum creatinine (SCr) level in baseline, after the first, second and third cycle (C1, C2 and C3) of treatment was collected and analyzed retrospectively. We calculated at estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) according to CKD-EPI formula 2009, and divided pts into different groups according to baseline eGFR, in reference to CKD categories in the K-DIGO 2012 guidelines. Results: 74 pts have been included in our research in total. The median age was 69.5 years (IQR 61.7-75.0) and 56 (75.7%) were male. Median SCr in baseline was 77.4umol/L (IQR 67.8-96.6), while median eGFR was 84.6 (IQR 63.6-94.0) (the unit of eGFR is mL/min/1.73 m2). At baseline, 25 pts were classified as G1 (eGFR≥90), 36 as G2(eGFR <90 and≥60), 12 as G3 (eGFR <60 and ≥30), and 1 as G4 (eGFR <30 and≥15). No significant difference was found in eGFR between pts with CKD G1-2 in comparison to baseline and after C1, C2, C3 of treatment (All p>0.05). In pts with CKD G3-4, it is notable that eGFR may improve when the C1, C2 and C3 completed, in comparison to the baseline (p=0.087, p=0.046, p=0.114 in Wilcoxson test, p=0.082 in Repeated Measures ANOVA). 48 (64.9%) pts received 3 cycles of ICIs and underwent an operation. 24 of 48 (50%) pts received radical cystectomy (RC) and others were treated by maximal TURBT. All of them have conducted efficacy evaluation by both radiographic test and pathology. It is noted that no statistical difference in outcomes between Group G1-2 and G3-4 (p=0.772). Conclusions: Despite renal impairment is common in pts with MIBC, PD-1 immunotherapy is generally safe for kidney of MIBC patients with renal insufficiency and have no influence on efficacy in the short term. The potential improvement in eGFR of patients with worse renal function and its mechanism is essential to be revealed and verified. [Table: see text]

APPLICATION OF FE3AL INTERMETALLIC PHASE FILLER METAL IN VALVE SEATING FACE HARD FACING

The exhaust valve seat face is a surface that degrades slowly as a result of mechanical and thermal stresses. There is extensive research on new materials for valves and for the improvement of valve production technology. This paper discusses the method of obtaining a filler metal made of Fe3Al intermetallic phase and the method of TIG hard-facing on a valve seating face made of H9S2 steel, evaluating the effects of essential hard-facing parameters. The resulting hard-facing build up was assessed in terms of quality using industrial radiography testing (RT).

Radiographic testing of 3D-printed thermoplastics using Am-241 as a gamma-ray source

The industrial production of 3D printing is known as additive manufacturing (AM), in which a computer controls the process of producing 3D objects. Although x-ray computed radiography (XCT) is extensively used in the quality control and testing of additive manufacturing products, the gamma-ray radiography capabilities for these applications still need to be investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of gamma-ray radiography using americium-241 (Am-241) as the gamma source. Here, we inspected fused deposition three-dimensional (3D) modeling products produced from polylactic acid (PLA) as thermoplastic samples. Radiographic testing of 3D-printed thermoplastic samples was performed using Monte Carlo simulations and validated by experimental studies. We used Am-241 (gamma-ray source) to conduct simulations and experiments investigations; two simulations were used: one by using 59.6 keV energy of gamma-ray and the other using all gamma-ray energies, including 16.96 keV, 26.3446 keV% 2.31 up to 662.40 keV. Also, we performed the x-ray radiography test to be used as a standard. The results showed that the defect detectability in the 3D-printed PLA samples using Am-241 as a gamma-ray source is comparable to that of x-ray results. This study concluded that the Am-241 could be used as the gamma-ray source to perform the radiography test for the products produced by 3D-printed thermoplastics.

Soft Palate Dysplasia: Properties and Surgical Techniques.

The authors aimed to report a hitherto undescribed class of patients with the obvious phenotype of a novel soft palate dysplasia (SPD) combining unilateral soft palate hypoplasia with a fully developed uvula. The authors also aimed to investigate and evaluate the corresponding surgical approaches. Twelve patients were clinically diagnosed with SPD. Clinical examination, including radiographic tests, was performed to characterize the congenital deformity. The effectiveness of velopharyngeal closure and speech were tested preoperatively and postoperatively. SPD was featured with velopharyngeal insufficiency, food regurgitation, and speech disorders. It was commonly manifested as structural deformities of the soft palate, tongue palatine arch, pharyngeal palatine arch, and pterygomandibular fold, but with complete uvula shape. According to radiographic analysis, in five patients, the lateral pterygoid processes were poorly developed, and other malformations were present. Velopharyngoplasty based on the unilateral posterior pharyngeal flap can well restore the velopharyngeal closure and speech intelligibility without respiration obstruction. SPD is characterized as congenital velopharyngeal insufficiency manifested as a primary soft palate defect. It is highly associated with other physical deformities but independent of conventionally known syndromes. The cause may be an abnormal development of the pterygoid process. Unilateral velopharyngoplasty based on the posterior pharyngeal flap is a great technique to repair SPD. Therapeutic, IV.

Comparison study of conventional underwater electrodes and electrodes with additional modification of mg

The influence of water depth, microstructure, chemical composition, welding defects, and mechanical properties affect underwater welding. In addition, the determination of electrodes for underwater welding requires unique properties, including being able to cause arcing and slag to grow on the surface of metal deposits which can protect against the effects of oxides and low hydrogen solubility. The electrodes must meet the AWS D3.6M underwater welding specification standard. In this study, the steel plate material used in AH-36 and implemented for underwater wet welding by comparing two electrodes, namely E6013 with additional Mg modifications and Broco E70XX electrodes specifically for underwater wet welding, the other Mg on E6013 rutile electrodes with modification 1 ( 3% Mg) and Modification 2 (5% Mg). The welding method with a heat input of 1.5 kJ/mm with 130 A and 2.5 kJ/mm with 140 A is carried out at 5m. The radiographic test results showed that the welded specimens at a depth of 5m showed imperfect penetration defects. It may be due to the effect of significant pressure and higher cooling rate that the weld melt cannot penetrate completely into the parent material. The tensile test results also showed an insignificant increase in the strength of the underwater welding, and the elongation was quite significant. Occurs at the E6013 electrode with modification 1 (3% Mg) and Modification 2 (5% Mg). The increase is not too significant. Penetration is not perfect. Due to significant pressure and a higher cooling rate, the molten weld cannot penetrate completely into the parent material. However, for testing the Broco E70XX electrode where there is no change in microstructure, such as electrodes modified with magnesium where only grain growth occurs, and there is Spheroidite which makes the microstructure related to mechanical properties, namely ductile.

Comparison of Ultrasonic Phased Array and Film Radiography in Detection of Artificially Embedded Defects in Welded Plates.

Ultrasonic and radiographic testing are generally two basic methods for volumetric (internal) defect detection in non-destructive testing. Since both methods are commonly used for the same thing, the question arises as to whether both are equally capable of detecting some commonly occurring defects in manufacturing. Commonly occurring defects are generally considered to be fusion defects, drilled holes (which act as pores), etc. To prove or disprove the hypothesis that both methods can generally be used to detect these defects, an experiment was conducted using three welded plates with artificially inserted defects. The welded plates had multiple defects that were intentionally placed close to each other to further complicate the interpretation of the UT results. UT investigation was based on phased-array technology with a multi-element probe. RT investigation was performed with an X-ray machine. Both investigations were based on the respective European standards: for UT, EN ISO 17640, and for RT, EN ISO 17636-1. The results and conclusions from the experiment are presented in this paper.

Scanning X-Ray Detector For Nondestructive Testing

For the nondestructive testing of long objects at the Paton Electric Welding Institute (Ukraine), an X-ray detector was created that uses a digital medical mini sensor. To increase the testing area, adjacent digital X-ray images are stored and stitched together by software into a combined image. The thickness of the objects that can be tested with this type of sensor, which has a maximal voltage of 70 kV, is 6 mm for aluminum. This imaging process can be used in a wide variety of applications. In a second approach, we developed a mobile detector with a remote control for radiographic testing (RT) of objects in limited and hard-to-reach spaces. One application utilizes a robotic car with independently controlled magnetic wheels that allows the detector to move in any direction over the entire surface of the object under test.

Defect Analysis in Compressor Vanes Using Split Bregman Noise-Reduced Digital Industrial Radiography

Defect Analysis in Compressor Vanes Using Split Bregman Noise-Reduced Digital Industrial Radiography

Long-Term Radiographic and Pulmonary Function Outcomes After Dual Growing-Rod Treatment for Severe Early-Onset Scoliosis.

We evaluated long-term outcomes (radiographic parameters and pulmonary function) at a minimum follow-up of 5 years after use of dual growing rods (DGRs) to treat severe early-onset scoliosis (sEOS). Among a total of 112 patients who were diagnosed with early-onset scoliosis (EOS) and were treated with DGRs between 2006 and 2015, 52 patients had sEOS, with a major Cobb angle of >80°. Of these patients, 39 with a minimum follow-up of 5 years had complete radiographic and pulmonary function test results and were included. The Cobb angle of the major curve, T1-S1 height, T1-T12 height, and maximum kyphosis angle in the sagittal plane were measured on radiographs. Pulmonary function test results were collected in all patients before the initial operation (preoperatively), 12 months after the initial operation (postoperatively), and at the last follow-up. The changes in pulmonary function and complications during treatment were analyzed. The mean age of patients before the initial operation was 7.7 ± 1.2 years, and the mean follow-up period was 75.0 ± 14.1 months. The mean number of lengthenings was 4.5 ± 1.3, and the mean interval between lengthenings was 11.2 ± 2.1 months. The Cobb angle improved from 104.5° ± 18.2° preoperatively to 38.1° ± 10.1° after the initial surgical procedure (postoperatively) and 21.9° ± 8.6° at the final follow-up. The T1-S1 height increased from 25.1 ± 4.0 cm preoperatively to 32.4 ± 3.5 cm postoperatively and to 39.5 ± 4.0 cm at the final follow-up. However, no significant difference was detected between the increased pulmonary function parameters at 1 year and those before the operation (p > 0.05), except for residual volume, whereas pulmonary function parameters had significantly increased at the final follow-up (p < 0.05). During the treatment period, 17 complications occurred in 12 patients. DGRs are effective in treating sEOS in the long term. They allow longitudinal growth of the spine, and the correction of the spinal deformity can provide conditions that make improving pulmonary function possible in patients with sEOS. Therapeutic Level IV . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.