Novel X-ray detection technology for safer products
The 'Modular high speed X-ray detection and sorting systems for production process control and packaging quality control' (Modulinspex) project advanced a modular concept for the design, implementation and application of novel X-ray–based inspection systems for industrial manufacturing. The concept aligns well with demands for cost-effective, flexible and quality-based manufacturing. Modulinspex integrated the development of innovative detector technology for enhanced inspection of such items as light food products and packaging. Project partners elaborated, constructed, tested and demonstrated four demonstrator systems as well as newly developed hardware. The latter includes innovative detectors, control hardware and new design philosophy. After selection of X-ray hardware and elaboration of design modules, software modules for control were developed for various X-ray sources. One of these was for sealed X-ray sources of minifocus and microfocus types, which turned out to be one of the project's commercially exploited results. Work on detection technology was used to develop new detectors, in particular a mode linear detector that was tested and implemented on the medium conveyor inspection system (MCIS). After integration of the technology with other software and hardware, the detector was recognised with an innovation award on the strength of its extreme performance. Modulinspex's fourth demonstrator included a modular manipulator suited to electronic board inspection and offering affordable, flexible and tailored system hardware. Demonstrations were performed specifically in the food packaging and food inspection sector where market-oriented project outcomes can enable rapid uptake of the novel technology. For example, software integrating various detection algorithms developed by team members can be used for tasks including bone detection in fish products and metal rings or impurities in meat products. Other areas of application are relevant to the pharmaceutical sector and for various industrial inspection tasks. Overall, Modulinspex results pave the way for opening up a new and large market for X-ray inspection technologies.
