Patent Number: 048093149
Section: claims

1. In a computer based system for non-destructive measuring and testing of manufactured parts, the system including an X-ray source for providing a beam of X-ray radiation, a beam limiter positioned in the beam of radiation and having an adjustable gap in at least one plane and being positionable in the at least one plane for establishing a directed beam of radiation, a linear array X-ray detector having a plurality of radiation detecting elements for converting detected radiation into electrical signals, the detector being generally oriented in the directed beam of radiation, and a collimator coupled to the detector for restricting radiation received by the detector to a predetermined range of approach angles, a method for aligning the detector to the directed beam of X-ray radiation comprising the steps of: opening the beam limiter gap until each element of the linear array receives X-ray radiation unattenuated by the beam limiter;  positioning the linear array detector such that each radiation detecting element produces signals of maximum amplitude;  reducing the beam limiter gap until the signals from the detector begin to reduce in amplitude;  repositioning the beam limiter in the at least one plane such that the signals from the detector achieve another maximum amplitude; and  positioning the linear array detector in the at least one plane until the radiation detecting elements produce signals of still another maximum amplitude.  identifying first ones of the detecting elements aligned for receiving radiation passing through the flange;  rotating the part holder through 180 degrees;  identifying second ones of the detecting elements aligned for receiving radiation passing through the flange in the rotated position; and  displacing the detector in a plane perpendicular to the at least one plane until the first ones and second ones of the detecting elements are equally spaced from a center of the detector. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein a part holder is positioned between the X-ray source and the detector, the part holder having an extension flange parallel to the at least one plane and extending into the directed beam of X-ray radiation, the method including the further steps of: