X-ray scatter systems and methods for detecting structural variations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10317349-B2
Application number	US-201514953689-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2015
Priority date	Nov 30, 2015
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for detecting one or more thermal and/or mechanical properties of a structure. The method may include forming one or more test structures from a material that forms the structure, generating and storing calibration data determined from the one or more test structures, emitting X-ray radiation into the structure, detecting X-ray scatter from the structure, and determining the one or more properties of the structure based on the detected X-ray scatter and the calibration data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of detecting one or more properties of a structure, wherein the method comprises:
generating and storing calibration data determined from one or more test structures, wherein the one or more test structures are formed from a material that forms the structure;
emitting X-ray radiation into the structure;
detecting X-ray scatter from the structure; and
determining the one or more properties of the structure based on the detected X-ray scatter and the calibration data, wherein the one or more properties are at least one of mechanical and thermal properties.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more properties include one or both of a density of the structure, or a variation level of polymeric bonds within the structure.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the determining comprises associating differences in the density of the structure with levels of variation caused by heat energy.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing the X-ray scatter to a predetermined threshold to determine areas of variation within the structure.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a variation map from the X-ray scatter data.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating and storing comprises generating and storing the calibration data as a calibration curve or lookup table.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the X-ray scatter is one or both of X-ray backscatter or X-ray forward scatter.

8. A property detection system configured to detect one or more properties of a structure, wherein the property detection system comprises:
an X-ray assembly including an X-ray source that emits X-ray radiation into the structure, and one or more scatter detectors that detect X-ray scatter that scatter from the structure, wherein the X-ray assembly scans one or more test structures that are formed from a material that forms the structure; and
a control unit coupled to the X-ray assembly, wherein the control unit generates and stores calibration data determined from the one or more test structures, and wherein the control unit determines the one or more properties based on the X-ray scatter and the calibration data, wherein the one or more properties are at least one of mechanical and thermal properties.

9. The property detection system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more test structures are formed of a material that forms the structure.

10. The property detection system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more properties include one or both of a density of the structure, or a variation level of polymeric bonds within the structure.

11. The property detection system of claim 10 , wherein the control unit associates differences in the density of the structure with levels of variation caused by heat energy.

12. The property detection system of claim 8 , wherein the control unit compares the X-ray scatter to a predetermined threshold to determine areas of variation within the structure.

13. The property detection system of claim 8 , wherein the calibration data is generated and stored as a calibration curve or lookup table.

14. The property detection system of claim 8 , wherein the control unit generates a variation map from the X-ray scatter data.

15. The property detection system of claim 14 , wherein the variation map comprises gray or color-coded values associated with a number of X-ray scatter photons detected by the one or more scatter detectors.

16. The property detection system of claim 8 , wherein the X-ray source and the one or more scatter detectors are positioned to one side of the structure, and wherein the X-ray scatter is X-ray backscatter.

17. The property detection system of claim 8 , wherein the structure is disposed between the X-ray source and the one or more scatter detectors, and wherein the X-ray scatter is X-ray front scatter.

18. A property detection system comprising:
an X-ray assembly including an X-ray source that is configured to emit X-ray radiation into a structure, and one or more scatter detectors that are configured to detect X-ray scatter that scatter from the structure, wherein the X-ray assembly is configured to scan one or more test structures before emitting the X-ray radiation into the structure, wherein the one or more test structures are formed of a material that forms the structure; and
a control unit coupled to the X-ray assembly, wherein the control unit is configured to:
generate and store calibration data determined from the one or more test structures,
determine variation within a structure by determining a density of the structure based on the detected X-ray scatter,
associate differences in one or both of the density or polymeric bonds of the structure with levels of variation within the structure, and
compare the X-ray scatter to a predetermined threshold to determine areas of variation within the structure.

19. The property detection system of claim 18 , wherein the control unit is further configured to generate a variation map from the X-ray scatter data, wherein the variation map comprises gray or color-coded values associated with a number of X-ray scatter photons detected by the one or more scatter detectors.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Engel James E
• Georgeson Gary
• Safai Morteza

Classifications

• G01N23/203 Primary

  Measuring back scattering · CPC title

• G01N2223/302

  comparative arrangements · CPC title

• G01N2223/053

  back scatter · CPC title

• G01N2223/303

  calibrating, standardising · CPC title

• G01N2223/646

  flaws, defects · CPC title