SHIP Research Project:

Using Tomography to Scan and 

Create a 3D Model

By: Perry Gonzalez 1

Special Thanks To: Jacob 

LaManna, and David Jacobson Mentor: Heather Chen-Mayer

SURF Student: 

Gamitha Wijekoon

intro
Introduction

• Tomography

• Taking pictures with penetrating force

• X-ray CT Used in medical field

• Neutron tomography developed at NIST

2 map

Learning the specifics of:

• How to create instrumentation for a neutron 

tomographic system

• How to take images

• How to reconstruct images
3

• NGD 

restrictions

• Create 

system at 

NGD

• My role

Neutron Imaging Facility

Prompt Gamma 

Activation Analysis

specifics
Specifics of Project • Main Goal: • Learn from BT-2 • Demonstrate process 

and apply to NGD 

PGAA

• Instrumentation needs: • XYZ stage (left) • Rotational stage (right) • Camera • Control Software

4 adapter
Creating Adapters by 3D printing

• Inventor CAD software

• XYZ sits on top of rotary

• Copied rotary layout

• Middle holes go through bottom

• Head can’t stick out

5 LabView

• XYZ sits below rotary

• Top holes fit on rotary

• XYZ screws in front hole panel

• Restricts XYZ vertical movement

Bottom Mount

Top Mount
Control Software

• Made on LabView

• Versatile visual programming language

• Motion Control: Rotary rotates 1.1 degrees per step

• Take a projection image and save onto computer

• Do this for the entire 360 deg rotation

6

1.1 step size

scanning
How Neutron Images Are Taken

7

• Neutron Beam is absorbed by the 

scintillator

• Converts into visible light

• Light hits mirror and is reflected

• Camera is able to capture light 

and forms an image

*NIST does not endorse BLU or their 

products

sinograms

Mirror reflection 

captured
8

Suppose the detector area is 

1000 pixel horizontal x 500 

pixels vertical:

Cut into 500 

rows

Each row is 1000 pixels

Each row has 360 projections

360 projections are 

stacked to make a 

sinogram

θ1 θ2 θ3...

Sinograms

θ1

θ2

θ3...

1000 pixels

500 pixels

Mathematically 

back projected 

into 500 2D slices

Stack all 500 2D 

slices to get a 3D 

image pictures
NGD Pictures

Camera 

mounted on 

top of frame

Rotary 

stage inside 

of frame

Lead bricks act 

as gamma 

radiation 

shielding

9 L/D

Shows resolution values for 

different beam apertures

Camera hooked up to frame, 

specimen placed inside along with 

adapters 

Beam collimator used 

for testing

BT-2 Pictures
Parameters affecting image resolution

Distance (L) X

Diameter(D)

CollimatorBeam 

Object

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L/D: Larger -> Better resolution

Test Obj

Imaging plane

BT2 NGD

L (m) 6.75 0.53

D (mm) 15 20

L/D 450 26.5

X (mm) < 10 ~ 400

X: smaller -> less blurring
Test object: E-Cigarette 

• Reasons for choosing this specimen:

• “About 3 million—or 20 percent—of 

high school students are vaping, 

according to the findings. In contrast, 

last year 1.73 million—or 11.7 

percent—used e-cigarettes, 

according to recently published 

federal data.”

• Demonstrate process

• Learn the differences between 

neutron and x-ray tomography

11

*NIST does not endorse BLU or their 

products

Taking 

apart https://drugfree.org/learn/drug-and-alcohol-news/e-cigarette-use-spikes-among-high-school-students/
Taking it Apart

12

Casing Liquid Battery Heating Coil

Neutron
Side View of The Model

13

Cross-section view

Attenuation
Understanding The Difference

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Attenuation:

How much of the beam a material can 

absorb

Certain materials can be seen better with each beam

High Attenuation

Low Attenuation

Segment

Combining both can help with reconstruction

X-ray

Neutron
Segmentation

15

Based on my observation...

This green segment would 

be metal, because of the 

visibility of some of the 

wiring and components.

This blue segment would 

be plastic, because it 

gives us more material.

X-ray

Neutron X-ray

Neutron

Summary
Summary

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• Learning the process of tomography, 

looking at both hardware and software

• Explain the differences between NGD 

and BT-2

• Understanding how reconstruction works 

and showing data

Progress
Progress

• Neutron tomography image 

taken at BT-2

• Limited resolution

• Attempted again at NGD

• Similar results

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