Automating High-Precision X-Ray and Neutron Imaging Applications With Robotics

Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of Texas at Austin recently implemented a robotically controlled nondestructive testing (NDT) system for X-ray and neutron imaging. This system is intended to address the need for accurate measurements for a variety of parts and, be able to track measurement geometry at every imaging location, and is designed for high-throughput applications. This system was deployed in a beam port at a nuclear research reactor and in an operational inspection X-ray bay. The nuclear research reactor system consisted of a precision industrial seven-axis robot, 1.1-MW TRIGA research reactor, and a scintillator-mirror-camera-based imaging system. The X-ray bay system incorporated the same robot, a 225-keV microfocus X-ray source, and a custom flat panel digital detector. The robotic positioning arm is programmable and allows imaging in multiple configurations, including planar, cylindrical, as well as other user defined geometries that provide enhanced engineering evaluation capability. The imaging acquisition device is coupled with the robot for automated image acquisition. The robot can achieve target positional repeatability within 17 $\mu \text{m}$ in the 3-D space. Flexible automation with nondestructive imaging saves costs, reduces dosage, adds imaging techniques, and achieves better quality results in less time. Specifics regarding the robotic system and imaging acquisition and evaluation processes are presented. This paper reviews the comprehensive testing and system evaluation to affirm the feasibility of robotic NDT, presents the system configuration, and reviews results for both X-ray and neutron radiography imaging applications.Note to Practitioners—While looking for ways to improve throughput and increase efficiency in nondestructive imaging applications, the NonDestructive Testing and Evaluation Group at the Los Alamos National Laboratory decided to take a look at automation opportunities. Digital radiography and computed tomography are time-consuming processes, making them ideal candidates for robotic solutions. Radiography applications often require several images to be acquired from different angles and a lot of time they have to be very precise so that the feature of interest is identifiable and the resulting image meets the client’s requirements. With the robot acting as the motion control system, the imaged part can be placed directly in the beam path and oriented in six degrees of freedom. The robot can achieve significantly higher levels of precision than a human and has the ability to adjust the part while the source is active. The system also reduces levels of radiation our staff is exposed to, as the robot is setup to handle radioactive and hazardous parts. Not only does the robot move parts more precisely and with higher resolution than humans, but it also adds additional flexibility in the type and nature of images that the lab can produce. Future work will involve using this system for advanced automated scans such as achieving evenly spaced views around a sphere autonomously, since this system has not yet been used for more advanced scans beyond helical scanning. A tightly linked feedback loop between the robot and imaging code in which the imaging code would autonomously communicate to the robot what additional views are needed to reduce imaging error can also be explored.