Seminar:
Application of Computed Tomography in Industry
– the 1st ACTI seminar

X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) and Additive Manufacturing (AM) are strongly related due to their versatility in their field of application.

This presentation will show different evaluation methodologies for the analysis of the X-ray CT precision in the evaluation of polymeric additively manufactured parts. Advances in surface roughness characterization of different polymeric AM technologies, attenuation effect on metal-polymer assemblies, accuracy on the evaluation of polymeric lattice structures and transversally, X-ray CT uncertainty estimation for polymeric AM objects will be illustrated.

The presentation will give an overview of the technique of X-Ray Microscopy, Bruker’s latest product range and application examples within the Battery sector. We will look at Precursors such as Li-NMC Cathode Powder – measuring particle size/distribution, particle defects and density. We will explore how XRM can be used for Quality Control – Qualitative Inspection of Cell Design, Anode/Cathode thickness, anode overhang, packing density etc, all to ensure the quality and safety of this increasingly important technology.

X-ray computed tomography (XCT) is becoming increasingly important in industrial applications and is recognized as a promising technology for dimensional metrology. While early studies primarily focused on form evaluation, recent advancements in XCT have expanded its capabilities to include the assessment of small-scale features, particularly in evaluating surface texture.

This presentation provides a brief overview of recent work in calibrating XCT for surface texture evaluation.

CT scanning is an important tool for simulation-driven optimization of fiber/polymer composites, providing high-resolution, non-destructive imaging to identify defects affecting performance.

A key application is root cause analysis of cracks and structural failures. By integrating CT analysis with robustness testing and material characterization, engineers can correlate defects like fiber misalignment, voids, or resin inconsistencies with mechanical performance, improving failure predictions and material designs.

CT scanning also validates simulations, ensuring manufacturing processes meet durability requirements. Its ability to detect microscopic defects makes it indispensable in many applications.

Tomographic volumetric 3D printing (TVP) is an emerging additive manufacturing (AM) method inspired by reversed computed tomography (CT). TVP enables the creation of a 3D energy distribution within photoresin by projecting 2D light images from multiple angles for a rapid and simultaneous solidification of the entire object in all directions. The process can produce parts at an unprecedented printing speed, generate extremely smooth surfaces, remove support structures and layer induced defect. It has even demonstrated, for the first time in the history of 3D printing, the ability to produce parts with variable stiffness and functional grading. However, the state-of-the-art TVP suffers from striation effects, inconsistency in surface generation, repeatability and precision issues which hinder the industrial adoption of technology.

Another fundamental limitation to this emerging technology is the non-negativity constraint, i.e., light engines cannot deliver the information carried by the negative values in a tomogram. This affects the printing quality and accuracy of the part produced by TVP.

This presentation will focus on recent research to overcome some of these limitations to achieve higher accuracy and less variation in the parts produced by TVP.

X-ray free electron lasers have been in operation for more than 15 years now and have shown to have a wide range of areas of applications in physics, chemistry, materials and structural biology.

European XFEL is one of the most recent large-scale research infrastructure in Europe and has just celebrated 7 years of successful user operation.  The facility includes a 3.5 km long tunnel with a 2 km long superconducting accelerator from DESY in Hamburg/Bahrenfeld to Schenefeld in Schleswig-Holstein where the experimental hall with 7 experimental instruments is placed. The instruments offer a wide range of experimental capabilities. Since the start of operation, exciting user experiments have been conducted within physics, chemistry, bio crystallography and material science.

Robert will present the main principles of the science that can be performed with  examples will be given from recent experiments.

FORCE Technology has a rich history of leveraging X-ray technology for quality control and failure analysis.

This presentation will showcase some of the latest advancements in online and inline quality control using X-rays and CT. Additionally, it will provide examples of how both high energy (7500 keV sources) as well as large-scale facilities, such as synchrotrons and neutron sources, is used for industrial quality control and problem-solving.

X-ray microscopy has emerged as a transformative tool for non-destructive characterization, enabling real-time tracking of material microstructure evolution during manufacturing or in-service conditions. By leveraging multimodal 4D X-ray tomography—which combines absorption contrast, phase contrast, and diffraction contrast techniques—this approach provides a comprehensive view of material behavior in 4D (x, y, z, and time), offering valuable insights for quality control and product development.

In this presentation, I will demonstrate how multimodal 4D X-ray microscopy (4DXRM) can be applied to monitor microstructural changes and local strain evolution during annealing and loading. Examples will include both laboratory and synchrotron-based setups, showcasing practical applications and tangible benefits for industrial processes and decision-making. Additionally, the resolutions achievable with current technology, its unique advantages for industrial materials analysis, and opportunities for future advancements that can further enhance its impact on manufacturing and engineering process will be discussed.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) has transformed the production landscape. However, its complex geometries and layer-wise fabrication present challenges in quality control. Industrial Computed Tomography (CT) provides a unique solution by enabling high-resolution, non-destructive evaluation of AM parts.

This presentation will discuss how CT imaging can be applied to detect hidden defects, verify material distribution and ensure dimensional accuracy. The integration of CT into AM workflows enhances process validation, supporting the development of more reliable and structurally sound components.