Open AccessFleXCT: a flexible X-ray CT scanner with 10 degrees of freedom
Author(s) -
Björn De Samber,
Jens Renders,
Tim Elberfeld,
Yves Maris,
Jonathan Sanctorum,
Nathanaël Six,
Z. Liang,
Jan De Beenhouwer,
Jan Sijbers
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.409982
Subject(s) - scanner , optics , detector , projection (relational algebra) , zoom , computer science , tomography , software , iterative reconstruction , tomographic reconstruction , industrial computed tomography , computer vision , physics , algorithm , programming language , lens (geology)
Laboratory based X-ray micro-CT is a non-destructive testing method that enables three dimensional visualization and analysis of the internal and external morphology of samples. Although a wide variety of commercial scanners exist, most of them are limited in the number of degrees of freedom to position the source and detector with respect to the object to be scanned. Hence, they are less suited for industrial X-ray imaging settings that require advanced scanning modes, such as laminography, conveyor belt scanning, or time-resolved imaging (4DCT). We introduce a new X-ray scanner FleXCT that consists of a total of ten motorized axes, which allow a wide range of non-standard XCT scans such as tiled and off-centre scans, laminography, helical tomography, conveyor belt, dynamic zooming, and X-ray phase contrast imaging. Additionally, a new software tool 'FlexRayTools' was created that enables reconstruction of non-standard XCT projection data of the FleXCT instrument using the ASTRA Toolbox, a highly efficient and open source set of tools for tomographic projection and reconstruction.