Image Quality Indicator(s) and Software for Computed Radiography (CR)

ABSTRACT:This Phase II project will include the research, development, implementation and deployment of a method, new image quality indicators (IQIs) and software algorithms to automatically assist in the verification of computed radiography (CR) image quality for nondestructive testing (NDT) of military airframes.Compared to existing IQIs and methods, the new approaches will more comprehensively, automatically and objectively measure the image quality by measuring more aspects and providing quantitative measures with one exposure.Limitations of existing methods include a subjective, work-intensive and thereby inconsistent, determination of image quality, and an inability to comprehensively measure image quality of every radiographic exposure due to the inordinate person-power that is necessary.The Phase II project will involve fabrication and testing of the new IQIs, and development, testing and deployment of the first software product.A comprehensive and self-contained version of the software product will be developed and deployed at testbed sites, including the Boeing facility.A commercial product line that includes the IQIs and software will be developed in Phase III.BENEFIT:For military aircraft the new methods, IQI's and software will eliminate subjectivity and inconsistencies in radiograph image quality verifications. They will enable the capability to measure image quality of radiographs as a routine procedure during the inspection protocol, and potentially so with every radiograph exposure. A marketexists for providing the IQI's and software to military and commercial aircraft manufacturers, their suppliers, their customers and many other industries that use CR for NDT.