X-Ray Machine Construction (project finished) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: Neukyhm
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2018, 11:10:16 pm
content: Hi everyone, I have finally finished the machine and done some tests. I have also uploaded a video showing the construction process. The video is not intended to teach you anything, it only shows the process. If you want to know how I built it, please wait until I release the project (this is my final degree project and I have to present it at my college)About the machine:-Fully 3D printed case-Modified ZVS Mazzilli driver optimized for high frequency-CEI OX/70-G4 x-ray tube-Arduino UNO, so it's remotely controlled-Custom HV transformer made with an ETD59 core-Work frequency: ~110kHz-Power: ~80Whttps://youtu.be/ASnp6982ty8Hope you like it.Note: before anyone comes shouting this is dangerous, I know. When I present this at the college I will be then a physicist. The machine is remotely controlled, I'm not even inside the house when it's activated and I have a Geiger counter (the one shown in the video).

author: samofab
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2018, 11:27:32 pm
content: Very nice.Any plans to share the details?

author: glue_ru
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2018, 01:09:45 am
content: you'll be able to see how well your foot fits in a shoe.hopefully you have better results than the last model.what on earth is it for?

author: station240
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 26, 2018, 08:46:24 am
content: Now go post this on Mads' forum toohttps://highvoltageforum.net/index.php?board=37.0

author: ali_asadzadeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2018, 12:23:44 pm
content: Did you capture the x-ray video with a normal camera pointing to the phosphorus plate?

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2018, 01:31:27 pm
content: Without wanting to put a damper onan impressive project...You're definitely putting yourself in harm's (beam's) way. Photographing the screen on-axis like that is really going to ruin your day, or much worse!If nothing else, the examiners will pan you for lack of safety awareness when your project gets assessed.Edit:I know you made the comment about safety, but I'm just going from what you showed in the video.As you know, AutogolazzoJr got a stiff warning over safety and he was a lot younger than you - It looked as if he was generating much lower power too.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/homemade-x-ray-machine-liftoff/EDIT: Non-issue, I misinterpreted the end of the video. See Reply #13

author: ali_asadzadeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2018, 06:01:40 pm
content: That's so great! THUMBS UP, What should be done to make it medical? also please send us updates to your work

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2018, 06:29:10 pm
content: Quote from: Neukyhm on November 26, 2018, 04:34:33 pmAh ok, I was just going from the closing seconds of the video - it showed your hands holding the Nikon and moving it in front of the the screen and cut immediate to the video shot of the unit with the HDD head moving. There wasn't any indication that you had disappeared over the horizon in-between. I should have known better of you!

author: The March Hare
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2018, 09:22:50 pm
content: Looking forward to a gander under the proverbial hood.For about 15 years I've wanted to build an X-ray photocopier, the plans evolved over the years as copiers went from analog direct exposure to digital, and (almost sadly) eventually became a somewhat simple prospect of an x-ray source, phosphor coated platen glass, and a bit of messing around with the exposure lamp feedback and CCD gain.I was going to drive the snot out of an old HV (flyback) rectifier as a source, but last year scored 3 tubes from dental heads!Have an old Bizhub C-451 (colour digital MFP) in a bag for the project mule when the time comes.

author: ali_asadzadeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2018, 05:41:27 am
content: That would be great if you tell us where and how much did you got the X-ray tube?

author: ali_asadzadeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2018, 12:56:19 pm
content: Thanks, is this their web?http://www.cei-xray.it/index3dab.html?l=engAlso do they have the phosphorus plate? what's the cost of this plate?what about Chinese manufacturers? do we have some?

author: GeorgeOfTheJungle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2018, 01:08:49 pm
content: That's cojonudo. Where in Spain do you come from?

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2018, 01:14:07 pm
content: Is there a fail safe if the Arduino's driver transistor or whatever relay, etc gets stuck on? I would have a simple thing like a small fuse that would definitely blow after a certain time.If I was living near you, would this interfere with my ham rig?

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2018, 04:53:01 pm
content: Quote from: Neukyhm on November 27, 2018, 01:50:55 pmI doubt they have phosphorus plates, which would rapidly oxidise. You meanphosphor, a substance which emits visible light, when bombarded with high energy radiation.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2018, 05:32:47 pm
content: Quote from: Neukyhm on November 27, 2018, 05:19:17 pmPhosphor or phosphorescent screen.Scintillation is a different phenomenon to phosphorescence and I've no idea of whether it's used in x-ray screens.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scintillation_(physics)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphorescence

author: ali_asadzadeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2018, 06:55:41 pm
content: QuoteThanks for the update, do you have also the ebay link?

author: TurboTom
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 28, 2018, 06:16:56 am
content: Look forX-Ray film cassettesin the 'bay. These (usually) contain two intensifier screens that you can remove or just use with the aluminium cover as your screen. They are available with different sensitivity, wavelength and "granualarity".

author: Treehouseman
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 28, 2018, 10:23:45 pm
content: So you're actually putting the camera pointing at the xray source directly (with just the object and screen between)? I would have thought that it wouldn't stop all of the xrays because cassettes use 2 screens, realistically because there's still usable xrays after the first one to activate the second. I've been using a mirror to capture the image from the screen in my setup. I'm using a dental xray head so it's higher power than yours, the unit draws around 400w or so, but I would imagine you'd still have stuff showing up on the sensor, I still get it even with the camera off to the side despite the shielding on the unit.

author: Treehouseman
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 29, 2018, 04:20:30 pm
content: Mine runs at 70kv (though it's supposed to be switchable to 60kv) at 7ma. It's a Siemens Heilodent MD, pretty standard dental xray head from what I can tell. I'll see about testing it opposite the sheet here in a bit, I finally got a replacement geiger tube and I'm about to get everything setup to do some leakage measurements, so far I've just been controlling it from another room (like they are used in a dental office). I use a D7000 with the IR remote, so I have to go back to it to check the images and whatnot, if the leakage is low enough it'd be nice to be closer to the unit so I can work through things faster. It's not necessarily the xrays harming the camera that I'm worried about, but it's the noise messing up the image. While post processing can remove most of the blemishes, it's more work the more hotspots there are.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 29, 2018, 04:54:28 pm
content: Quote from: Neukyhm on November 29, 2018, 12:15:49 pmYou could use a mirror to avoid the noise and possible damage

author: Treehouseman
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 29, 2018, 05:07:01 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on November 29, 2018, 04:54:28 pmThat's what I've been doing but the problem is how difficult it is to set it up and keep it all in focus and aligned. I have a rednecked stup just along the bathroom counter, it's only assembled when it's in use, having to setup the mirror makes it all more difficult but it's what I've had to put up with. The idealistic goal would of course be a DR panel like you tore down a while back, but they're extremely expensive. Alternatively a dental sensor is an option, really nice dpi but tiny sensor.https://makezine.com/2015/08/11/homemade-x-ray-inspector-reveals-pcb-secrets/That is a really nice setup for what it is but that is quite an undertaking to build, as well as dental sensors in full working condition still cost a few hundred.What I've really been looking for is some leaded glass, a nice leaded transparent window that can be used inline with the camera. The ones I can find are stupid expensive or just lack a price because it's "if you have to ask you can't afford it". I've currently been watching the thrift stores looking for "lead crystal", I believe it should realistically be the same thing, but I'd have to do some diy glass work to turn a cup into a pane. and they'll probably be less leaded but it's something. I already know I have some vacuum tubes that are lead shielded (like HV regulators for flybacks), as well as crt's often have it in some form but they have coatings that can be difficult to work with but it has been suggested to try to sand down a crt and see how it looks.Right now I have most of my stuff up athttps://id10t-tech.com/2018/11/20/x-ray/.

author: Treehouseman
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 29, 2018, 06:02:04 pm
content: There's definitely more noise on the image but I'm actually really surprised at how little the increase was, looks like there's a lot more quality with the mirror out of the equation, the distortion seems near nothing and I can get the laser on the flash to focus the lens and stop trying to hold things against the sheet to manually focus on! Now to just think of more stuff to xray.

author: Treehouseman
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 29, 2018, 09:13:51 pm
content: Got the pictures processed, definitely an increase in noise, but I'd say it's worth it. Knowing it's focused properly takes away a lot of the headache and I don't have to align it anymore. I also realized the other day that the other half of the cassette didn't seem to have the plastic reinforcement ridges I was getting shadows from, so that's also a nice improvement. Now I just have to work out the lens setup to get better quality captures. Though it seems I may be hitting the limit of this ISO 400 screen. It's hard to tell if I'm seeing the grain from the screen or grain from the camera.https://id10t-tech.com/2018/11/29/xray-11-29-2018/