High Speed Characterization of Arena Test Fragments Embedded in Capture Media via 3-D X-ray

Quantification of fragments captured in 48-sheet bundles of -inch thick, 4x8 fiberboard during arena testing is expensive and labor-intensive. Technicians spend thousands of hours finding and recovering fragments, measuring position in three dimensions, then cleaning and weighing each one. Inspecting a single bundle can take 30 hours, at $100/hour. Post-test data collection can exceed $500,000. Using old, undersized on hand equipment during Phase I, ZKxKZ and teammate Leidos demonstrated quantitative 3-D X-ray technology can automate location and characterization of fragments buried in blocks of Celotex. In Phase II, with modern hardware and software optimized for this application, a new system will be constructed that reduces bundle inspection time by 60X, while generating reports on fragment dimension, 3-D location, mass, and material in real time. Because the X-ray system finds all fragments, while current manual methods often miss the smallest, the SBIR system produces more accurate results, about 60 times faster, at a fraction of the cost. Phase II will complete full-scale development of all hardware and software needed for the Phase III commercial system, culminating by inspecting post-test fiberboard bundles provided by the Army. ROI on the final hardware/software system is expected in 10 or fewer arena tests.