Overview of Industrial DR (Digital Radiography) Imaging Technology
Industrial DR is a non-destructive detection technology based on digital detectors, which converts X-rays into digital signals to achieve high-resolution imaging of the internal structure of objects. Its core advantages lie in real-time imaging, high-precision quantitative analysis, and environmental characteristics, which are widely used in industrial non-destructive testing (NDE), pipeline safety assessment, and materials science fields.
I. Technical principles and system composition
Imaging mechanism
After X-rays penetrate the object being measured, they are directly converted into digital signals by flat panel detectors (such as amorphous silicon/selenium detectors), forming a two-dimensional projection image. According to the conversion method, it can be divided into:
Indirect conversion of DR: X-ray → scintillator (cesium iodide, etc.) → visible light → photodiode array → electrical signal.
Directly converting DR: X-rays → amorphous selenium and other photoconductive materials → electrical signals, with higher resolution and wider dynamic range.
Core components
X-ray source: energy range covering 10-450kV, meeting the penetration requirements of different materials.
Digital detector: With a spatial resolution of up to 3.6 lp/mm, it supports dynamic imaging to capture stress changes.
Processing system: Integrated image stitching, distance measurement, and AI defect recognition algorithms.
II. Industrial applications and performance advantages
Key application areas
Pipeline safety inspection: Real time detection of corrosion and cracks (sensitivity up to 0.1mm), reducing the construction period to one-third of traditional methods.
Material Failure Analysis: Combining in-situ indentation testing to quantify interface toughness, supporting aerospace material development.
Manufacturing quality control: online detection of casting porosity and welding defects, integrated conveyor belt for automated screening.
Disruptive advantage
Indicator DR Technology Traditional Film Method
Imaging speed in seconds, imaging in minutes, and flushing
Radiation dose reduction of 40%~80% high dose requirement
Dynamic range>12 bits, richer and more limited levels
Environmentally friendly zero chemical waste liquid requires treatment of developing and fixing waste liquid
III. Technological Evolution and Challenges
Innovation direction:
Dynamic DR: Capture the stress concentration phenomenon of thermal expansion and contraction, and solve the blind spot of static detection.
Phase contrast technology: Improve the detection rate of micro pores (such as welding seam detection in nuclear power plant pipelines).
Lightweight equipment: The mobile DR inspection vehicle integrates GPS positioning and is linked to the pipeline GIS system.
Current challenges:
Customized rotating fixtures are required for the inspection of small-diameter pipelines (<DN50).
Imaging of heavy metal materials requires MeV level high-energy X-rays to enhance penetration.
IV. Future Trends
Intelligent integration: The AI defect recognition system accelerates the analysis of massive images, reducing the missed detection rate by 60%.
Cloud platform: Build digital twin files for pipelines to achieve full lifecycle health management.
Multimodal fusion: combining infrared/ultrasonic technology to enhance the robustness of complex structure detection.
Industrial DR is driving the transformation of NDE towards digitization, low-dose, and high intelligence, providing core quality assurance tools for high-end manufacturing industries such as energy and aerospace.
