Industrial Application of Medical X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT) Scanners

The Engineering Technology Department of the Boeing Aerospace Company is conducting ongoing research into non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques for application to various carbon based composites. While each of the more well-established techniques such as ultrasonics, radiography, and thermography provide some qualitative information, they do not provide engineering data that can be directly applied to engineering analysis. The application of the medical x-ray CT scanner to carbon-carbon composites has opened the door to the establishment of accept/reject criteria based on engineering analysis and tests in a manner not possible in the past. Scanning procedures have been developed during the past year on General Electric (GE) medical scanners. A summary of the work accomplished to date is contained in the following sections as well as recommendations for future industrial applications.