X-Scan ME to simplify multi-energy imaging in harsh industrial environments

Detection Technology today introduced the off-the-shelf X-Scan ME series to simplify system designs, perfect imaging performance, and shorten time-to-market of multi-energy industrial scanners. X-Scan ME is a complete product family of photon-counting line cameras and critical detector accessories that are designed for harsh industrial environments. The series is an ideal solution for sorting, grading, quality inspection, material analysis, and optimization of complex manufacturing processes in high-tier recycling, food processing, mining, and other process industries.

“X-Scan ME fits extremely well into our X-Scan product line by extending our offering at the upper end. The series meets demanding industrial X-ray imaging needs that require material discrimination capability beyond conventional dual-energy configurations, yet seek robustness, easy system integration, and serviceability for greater scanning performance and end-user experience,” says Tomi Fält, Manager of Product Management at Security and Industrial Business Unit.

“A good example of such an application is the recycling of metals, and especially accelerating the recyclability of aluminum. X-Scan ME makes rapid and exact separation of aluminum grades possible, which significantly increases the value and usability of separated alloys. As another example, multi-energy technology is greatly benefitting the mining industry. It provides precise energy information to find and separate valuable minerals from ore in very early process steps. This maximizes the value of the process output, and minimizes the process waste in the subsequent steps.”

“Moreover, we have made it easy to utilize advantages of multi-energy technology for multi-purpose scanning needs. In addition to multi-energy mode, X-Scan ME has an effective energy range of 20 to 160 keV with configurable photon counting modes. These simple configurations are targeted at applications that require accurate and extremely low-noise data at fast scanning speeds. This makes the underlying multi-energy technology an appealing choice for a wider range of advanced X-ray imaging applications.”

The series is equipped with a precise sensor gap and alignment control, which results in a seamless detector array to avoid missed objects and image distortion, and to enhance material analysis for reducing false alarm rates and waste. This spectroscopic detector family comes with very high flux configuration to enable the utilization of high X-ray power for the penetration of large or dense objects, and higher scanning speeds.

Application-optimized direct conversion sensors and embedded digital signal processing algorithms boost the performance of the X-Scan ME series. The company has upgraded the front-end electronics of its previous multi-energy detector board generation, and has designed the X-Card ME3 XC detector board for the special requirements of the target market. X-Card ME3 XC features doubled photon-counting capability up to 4 Mcps/px (mega counts per second per pixel) as linear range, and over 11 Mcps/px as full range compared to the previous product generation.

The series is built on an easily scalable and modular platform to be a perfect fit for a wide range of conveyor belt widths and object sizes. X-Scan ME is available in up to 1.2-meter length options and with different connectors. X-Scan ME features robust, IP67-classified housing, and reliable mechanical and electrical interfaces. It has a built-in, liquid cooling circuit for contaminant-resistant and reliable detector thermal management that is one of the key features in multi-energy applications. The overall cooling system utilizes industrial chillers, the output of which can be directed entirely to the cooling of X-Scan ME, or shared with an X-ray source cooling system.

X-Scan ME comes with an application-fitted and robust control unit, X-IM ME3-H, and a power supply. Furthermore, an application-programming interface (API) tools and software development kit (SDK) support straightforward detector integration to X-ray scanners.

“This ready-made detector sub-system demonstrates our capability to turn outstanding technology into industrialized products. As multi-energy technology takes detection accuracy to new heights, and now that we have packed all these wonderful features of the said technology into an easily usable and reliable end-to-end solution, we do believe that X-Scan ME is just about to start a new era in high-end industrial X-ray imaging.”