During the last decade, Computed Tomography (CT) has progressed to higher resolution and faster reconstruction of the 3D-volume. Most recently it even allows a three-dimensional look into the inside of materials with submicron resolution. By means of nanofocus^® tube technology, nanoCT^®-systems are pushing forward into application fields that were exclusive to expensive synchrotron techniques. High-resolution X-ray CT allows the 3D visualization and failure analysis of the internal microstructure of aerospace materials like light metal alloys, CFKs and other composites – even where 2D X-ray microscopy would give only the integral information of the overlaying internal features.
The new nanotom is a compact laboratory system that allows the analysis of samples up to 120 mm in diameter and weighing up to 1 kg with exceptional voxel-resolution down to <500 nm (<0.5 microns). It is the first 180 kV nanofocus computed tomography system tailored specifically to the highest-resolution applications in fields like material science, micro electronics, geology and biology. Therefore it is particularly suitable for nanoCT^®-examinations e.g. of synthetic and composite materials, metals and metal foams, ceramics etc.
The CT volume data set can be displayed in various ways; it can be sectioned and sliced in all directions, rotated and viewed from any desired angle. Highly applicable to a variety of fields, nanoCT can be a viable substitute for destructive mechanical slicing and cutting. Any internal difference in material, density or porosity within a sample can be visualized and data such as distances can be measured. Some of the many applications of nanoCT^® include the analysis of fiber textures, air inclusions or cracks in composite materials with voxel resolutions of less than one micrometer.
The presentation will outline the hard- and software requirements for high resolution CT. It will showcase several quality control applications involving different aerospace materials that were inspected with nanoCT^®.