LARGE FIELD OF VIEW REAL-TIME X-RAY IMAGING SYSTEM

REAL-TIME DIGITAL X-RAY IMAGING SYSTEMS ARE CURRENTLY BEING USED TO INSPECT ROCKET MOTORS SUCH AS THE C4, HAWK, STANDARD MISSILE, AND SIDEWINDER AS WELL AS NUMEROUS AERO-TURBINE PARTS. IN MOST CASES THE SIZE OF THE FIELD OF VIEW (FOV) IS LIMITED BY THE DIGITAL PROCESSOR REQUIREMENT TO BREAK THE IMAGE INTO 512 X 512 PIXELS. RECENTLY PROCESSORS HAVE BECOME AVAILABLE THAT PROVIDE DIGITAL IMAGES WITH 1024 X 1024 PIXELS, WHICH WOULD ALLOW A FIELD OF VIEW INCREASE OF UP TO A FACTOR OF FOUR, THUS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING THE INSPECTION TIME. HOWEVER, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PARAMETERS ASSOCIATEDWITH THE INSPECTION OF ROCKET MOTORS, SUCH AS THE PULSED X-RAY SOURCE, REDUCTION OF LENS TRANFER EFFICIENCY WITH INCREASED FOV, OPERATION OF THE VIDEO CAMERA AT THE SLOWER SCAN RATES WHILE EXPOSED TO THE PULSED X-RAY SOURCE, ETC., THAT MIGHT PROHIBIT A SYSTEM BASED UPON THE AVAILABLE 1024 X 1024 DIGITAL PROCESSORS AND CAMERAS FROM ACHIEVING REQUIRED RADIOGRAPHIC SENSITIVITY. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO OPTIMIZE AND DEMONSTRATE A 1024 X 1024 DIGITAL X-RAY INSPECTION SYSTEM WITH A 15 IN.X15 IN. FOV SPECIFICALLY FOR INSPECTION OF A 14 IN. DIAMETER ROCKET MOTOR SUCH AS THE HAWK OR STANDARD MISSILE.