Public Funding for Nikon X-Tek Systems Limited

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a highly disruptive and rapidly developing manufacturing technology with the potential to revolutionise the design, manufacturing and supply of parts, particularly within key high value manufacturing sectors. AM affords design freedom that can result in highly complex geometries. The benefits are enhanced functionality, significant mass savings and (potentially) reduced components cost. Although an inherent advantage, such geometric complexity provides a significant challenge for the inspection of AM parts. X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) generates a 3D image of the object, thus allowing detection of entrapped powder and voids, measurement of deviation of all surfaces and, potentially, extraction of surface topography. XCT can be used: During the product and process development to understand failures; the information obtained can be used to reduce the likelihood of build failure at each design iteration. Post-build to verify the quality of the product. XCT is the only viable method for non-destructive imaging (US Air Force Research Labs, 2014) and measurement of metallic products with surfaces that are inaccessible to conventional inspection technologies e.g. optical scanning and tactile probing. However, the capital costs are high and so increase the cost of AM product development, part qualification and, in production, of post-build inspection. 3in1XCT will develop the world's first system (hardware and software) to integrate advanced NDT, dimensional inspection and high-fidelity surface topography extraction for complete postbuild inspection. The platform will eliminate the need for other hardware (2D X-ray, optical scanners, surface profilometers, cut-up etc.) and so reduce the inspection cost per part. Within the project, the data obtained by the 3in1XCT platform will be exploited to provide feedback to digital tools for design and process modelling. This will be the first implementation of direct feedback (real-time within the product development loop) from XCT to design, with the expectation that this could halve the number of design-build iterations during the AM product development cycle. Fully automated workflows for both 3-in-1 inspection and for feedback to the design tools will be developed, eliminating the effort needed from experts in 3D image processing. The system will be tested using complex, real world examples provided by the end-users in the project. The project has representation from automotive, aerospace, space, defence and power generation- all high value, highly regulated sectors for which the high costs of product qualification and inspection creates a barrier to the adoption of AM technology.

Project CAN is a collaboration between the UK aerosapce industries, UK X-ray technology companies and academia to develop new testing techniques to ensure modern aircraft are designed using the latest materials and techniques to reduce their environmental impact whilst ensuring their safe operation. Two technologies will be developed for the testing of aircraft structures, components and engines; X-ray back scatter and Laminar CT. The new techniques have their origins in both medical equipment and cross border security equipment. The project partners see the techniques as crucial to the UK retaining its strong position as a worldwide leader in the aerospace market.