Scattered radiation and beam hardening introduce artefacts that degrade the quality of data in x-ray computed tomography (CT). It is unclear how these artefacts influence dimensional measurements evaluated from CT data. Understanding and quantifying the influence of these artefacts on dimensional measurements is required to evaluate the uncertainty of CT-based dimensional measurements. In this work the influence of scatter and beam hardening on dimensional measurements is investigated using the beam stop array scatter correction method and spectrum pre-filtration for the measurement of an object with internal and external cylindrical dimensional features. Scatter and beam hardening are found to influence dimensional measurements when evaluated using the ISO50 surface determination method. On the other hand, a gradient-based surface determination method is found to be robust to the influence of artefacts and leads to more accurate dimensional measurements than those evaluated using the ISO50 method. In addition to these observations the GUM method for evaluating standard measurement uncertainties is applied and the standard measurement uncertainty due to scatter and beam hardening is estimated.
With x-ray computed tomography (CT) it is possible to evaluate the dimensions of an object’s internal and external features non-destructively. Dimensional measurements evaluated via x-ray CT require the object’s surfaces first be estimated; this work is concerned with evaluating the uncertainty of this surface estimate and how it impacts the uncertainty of fitted geometric features. The measurement uncertainty due to surface determination is evaluated through the use of a discrete ramp edge model and a Monte Carlo simulation. Based on the results of the Monte Carlo simulation the uncertainty structure of a coordinate set is estimated, allowing individual coordinate uncertainties to be propagated through the geometry fit to the final measurement result. The developed methodology enables the uncertainty due to surface determination to be evaluated for a given measurement task; the method is demonstrated for both measured and simulated data.
X-ray computed tomography (CT) is a radiographic scanning technique for visualising cross-sectional images of an object non-destructively. From these cross-sectional images it is possible to evaluate internal dimensional features of a workpiece which may otherwise be inaccessible to tactile and optical instruments. Beam hardening is a physical process that degrades the quality of CT images and has previously been suggested to influence dimensional measurements. Using a validated simulation tool, the influence of spectrum pre-filtration and beam hardening correction are evaluated for internal and external dimensional measurements. Beam hardening is shown to influence internal and external dimensions in opposition, and to have a greater influence on outer dimensions compared to inner dimensions. The results suggest the combination of spectrum prefiltration and a local gradient-based surface determination method are able to greatly reduce the influence of beam hardening in X-ray CT for dimensional metrology.
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