Key X-ray CT applications for casting products
Many different CT analyses can be performed in order to optimize the casting process. Welding analyses, defects and inner structure inspection, CAD vs CT comparison, porosity, inclusion & cracks analyses… all these applications have different goals and answer various problems for the foundry industry.
A single Computed Tomography dataset can contain the entire sample geometric information and can be used to perform different kinds of analyses: voids analysis, actual parts to CAD comparison, part to part comparison, wall thickness analysis or reverse engineering.
A large number of casting components consists of a lot of welds and these connections must be perfect. Many times, a lack of fusion (LOF) along the weld leads to an interruption of material cohesion. X-ray Computed Tomography, in particular the laminographic mode, is the best technique to easily and quickly inspect welds and avoid such failures.
Furthermore, a comparison between a CT data set and a CAD nominal file is carried out easily, to quickly and accurately compare the part to a CAD model, by showing the internal fibers deviations.
In addition, with industrial CT, the identification of cracks, porosities or inclusions of foundry components is a simple operation. The volume fraction of pores and their distribution in the sample can be calculated and highlighted with different colors using post-processing software.