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Examines a group of radiographers developing management roles within the backdrop of a changing NHS. A comparative study of 25 Scottish and English radiographer managers were interviewed using semi‐structured interviews. Interviews were based on a number of issues associated with moving from a clinical professional to a clinical manager and were analysed using domain theory. The interviews formed a number of emerging themes, which included management, professionalism, management style, conflicts between the role of both manager and professional, and role change. Radiographer managers are forming new “hybrid” manager roles, which have been developing within a changing NHS. A definite tension was seen in this role change. This transition was not easy for this group of radiographer managers. However, they have shown resilience in undertaking both operational and strategic management decisions, while using their clinical background to inform their decision making.

Describes the application of an ultrasonic sensing system for the non‐destructive inspection of welds as an alternative to X‐rays. Replacing radiography with ultrasound not only allows faster, more economical inspections but also eliminates the health and safety risks associated with radiography. In practical terms that means there is no need to evacuate the site for inspection purposes – construction work can continue, round the clock if necessary, thus dramatically reducing construction times.

THE examination of aircraft structures by radiographic means is a comparatively recent branch of industrial radiography. Spasmodic examinations of aircraft parts have been practised for a number of years, even as far back as the First World War, but it was not until six or seven years ago, that any form of planned radiography was undertaken.

The continued improvement of additive manufacturing (AM) processing has led to increased part complexity and scale. Processes such as electron beam directed energy deposition (DED) are able to produce metal AM parts several meters in scale. These structures pose a challenge for current inspection techniques because of their large size and thickness. Typically, X-ray computed tomography is used to inspect AM components, but low source energies and small inspection volumes restrict the size of components that can be inspected. This paper aims to develop digital radiography (DR) as a method for inspecting multi-meter-sized AM components and a tool that optimizes the DR inspection process.

This tool, SMART DR, provides optimal orientations and the probability of detection for flaw sizes of interest. This information enables design changes to be made prior to manufacturing that improve the inspectabitity of the component and areas of interest.

Validation of SMART DR was performed using a 40-mm-thick stainless-steel blade produced by laser-based DED. An optimal orientation was automatically determined to allow radiographic inspection of a thickness of 40 mm with a 70% probability of detecting 0.5 mm diameter flaws. Radiography of the blade using the optimal orientation defined by SMART DR resulted in 0.5-mm diameter pores being detected and indicated good agreement between SMART DR’s predictions and the physical results.

This paper addresses the need for non-destructive inspection techniques specifically developed for AM components.

FOLLOWING the talk given by Mr William C. Hitt of the Douglas Aircraft Company last June, which was reported in Aircraft Engineering for July, the S.L.A.E. organized a meeting at which the subject could be further discussed. Mr R. A. Fry was in the chair, and the first paper, by Mr William C. Hitt, was delivered by his son, Mr Lloyd Hitt.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a realistic computational model of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) structures dedicated for in-silico investigations of the use of X-ray-based imaging techniques as non-destructive testing (NDT) of CFRP parts.

CFRPs contain layers of carbon-fibres bundles within resin. Bundles’ orientation in the different layers is arranged with respect to each other at a well-defined primary direction. In the model, the bundle was simulated as a circular cylinder. The resulted model is a stack of layers of unidirectional bundles having orientation of 0°/90°/45°/−45°. Two CFRP structures were modelled: a flat CFRP part and a real shaped CFRP clip. A porous layer and non-carbon fibres were inserted within each model, respectively. X-ray projection images were generated with a dedicated simulation programme. Three setups were investigated: radiography, tomosynthesis and cone-beam CT (CBCT).

Results showed that porosity and non-carbon fibres were visible with all X-ray-based techniques. Tomosynthesis and CBCT, however, provide higher quality image of defects.

The CFRP computational model is a valuable tool in design, testing and optimization phase of X-ray-based imaging techniques for use in NDT of composite materials. Simulated images are generated within a short time; thus results from virtual optimization and testing are obtained very fast and at low cost.

An innovative computational model of CFRP structures, dedicated for X-ray imaging simulations, has been developed. The model is characterized by simplicity in its creation and realistic visual appearance of the produced X-ray images.

This paper aims to develop a method to measure the length of cracks inside solder joints, which enables the validation of computed tomography (CT) crack length measurements.

Cracks were formed inside solder joints intentionally by aging solder joints of 0603 size resistors with thermal shock (TS) test (−40 to +140°C, 2,000 cycles), and CT images were captured about them with different rotational increment (1/4, 1/2 and 1°) of sample projection. The length of cracks was also measured with our method, which is based on capturing high-resolution radiography X-ray images about the cracks in two perpendicular projection planes. The radiography results were compared to the CT measurements. The percentage error for the different CT rotational increment settings was calculated, and the optimal CT settings have been determined.

The results have proven that reducing the rotational increment increases the sharpness of the captured images and the accuracy of crack length measurements. Nevertheless, the accuracy compared to high-resolution radiography measurements is only slightly better at 1/4° rotational increment than in the case of 1/2° rotational increment. It should be also noted that the 1/4° increment requires twice as much time for capturing the images as the 1/2° increment. So, the 1/2° rotational increment of sample projection is the optimal setting in our investigated case for measuring crack lengths.

The developed method is applicable to find the optimal settings for CT crack length measurements, which provides faster analysation of large quantity samples used, e.g. at life-time tests.

There is a lack of information in the literature regarding the optimisation of CT measurement set-up, e.g. a slightly larger value of the sample rotational increment can provide acceptable resolution with much faster processing time. Thus, the authors developed a method and performed research about optimising CT measurement parameters.

The aim is to focus on the application of X‐rays in the failure analysis of electronic devices and systems, with an emphasis on X‐ray radiography and X‐ray spectroscopy.

The theory behind X‐ray radiography and X‐ray spectroscopy is reviewed, and relevant case studies are used to illustrate the application of these techniques in the failure analysis of electronic devices and systems.

Examples from recent case studies are given.

The paper provides an introduction to X‐ray methods for engineers working on the failure analysis of electronic devices and systems who may be unfamiliar with these techniques.

The demand for aluminium alloys has been increasing in almost all the fields. In this study, the friction stir welding (FSW) of similar aluminium alloy AA 8011-h14 has been presented using three levels of tool rotational speed (n), tool tilt angle (ϴ) and tool feed (f). The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of welding parameters on various properties and time-temperature plots.

FSW was carried out using the L-9 orthogonal array of welding parameters generated using the Taguchi approach. Visual inspection and radiography testing were conducted to detect the surface and volume defects, respectively. Taguchi analysis was carried out to get optimised welding parameters for tensile testing. The microstructural analysis was carried out for the specimen possessing maximum tensile strength and the obtained grain structures were compared with the microstructure results of the base material. The peak process temperatures were noted and time-temperature plots were analysed for the varying parameters. The maximum value of hardness was recorded and analysed.

Visual inspection and radiography testing confirmed defect-free joints. The maximum tensile strength achieved was 84.44 MPa with 64.95 per cent efficiency. The optimised parameters obtained using Taguchi analysis for tensile testing were 1,500 rpm, 1° and 50 mm/min. Microstructure analysis for the specimen possessing maximum tensile strength revealed fine and equiaxed grains in the nugget zone. Time-temperature plots suggested the maximum temperature of 389 °C on the advancing side. A maximum hardness value of 36.4 HV was obtained in the nugget zone.

As per the knowledge of the authors, this study is the first attempt for the detailed experimental analysis on the FSW of this particular aluminium alloy AA 8011-h14.