Cost-effective micro-CT system for non-destructive testing of titanium 3D printed medical components.
Micro-CT imaging can be used as an effective method for non-destructive testing (NDT) of metal 3D printed parts-including titanium biomedical components fabricated using laser powder-bed-fusion (LPBF). Unfortunately, the cost of commercially available micro-CT scanners renders routine NDT for biomed...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2022-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275732 |
| _version_ | 1811182175720046592 |
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| author | Santiago Fabian Cobos Christopher James Norley Steven Ingo Pollmann David Wayne Holdsworth |
| author_facet | Santiago Fabian Cobos Christopher James Norley Steven Ingo Pollmann David Wayne Holdsworth |
| author_sort | Santiago Fabian Cobos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Micro-CT imaging can be used as an effective method for non-destructive testing (NDT) of metal 3D printed parts-including titanium biomedical components fabricated using laser powder-bed-fusion (LPBF). Unfortunately, the cost of commercially available micro-CT scanners renders routine NDT for biomedical applications prohibitively expensive. This study describes the design, manufacturing, and implementation of a cost-effective scanner tailored for NDT of medium-size titanium 3D printed biomedical components. The main elements of the scanner; which include a low-energy (80 kVp) portable x-ray unit, and a low-cost lens-coupled detector; can be acquired with a budget less than $ 11000 USD. The low-cost detector system uses a rare-earth phosphor screen, lens-coupled to a dSLR camera (Nikon D800) in a front-lit tilted configuration. This strategy takes advantage of the improved light-sensitivity of modern full-frame CMOS camera sensors and minimizes source-to-detector distance to maximize x-ray flux. The imaging performance of the system is characterized using a comprehensive CT quality-assurance phantom, and two titanium 3D-printed test specimens. Results show that the cost-effective scanner can survey the porosity and cracks in titanium parts with thicknesses of up to 13 mm of solid metal. Quantitatively, the scanner produced geometrically stable reconstructions, with a voxel size of 118 μm, and noise levels under 55 HU. The cost-effective scanner was able to estimate the porosity of a 17 mm diameter titanium 3D-printed cylindrical lattice structure, with a 0.3% relative error. The proposed scanner will facilitate the implementation of titanium LPBF-printed components for biomedical applications by incorporating routine cost-effective NDT as part of the process control and validation steps of medical-device quality-management systems. By reducing the cost of the x-ray detector and shielding, the scan cost will be commensurate with the overall cost of the validated component. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:27:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2a600177f274432d96967c0705bd142f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:27:38Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-2a600177f274432d96967c0705bd142f2022-12-22T04:31:58ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-011710e027573210.1371/journal.pone.0275732Cost-effective micro-CT system for non-destructive testing of titanium 3D printed medical components.Santiago Fabian CobosChristopher James NorleySteven Ingo PollmannDavid Wayne HoldsworthMicro-CT imaging can be used as an effective method for non-destructive testing (NDT) of metal 3D printed parts-including titanium biomedical components fabricated using laser powder-bed-fusion (LPBF). Unfortunately, the cost of commercially available micro-CT scanners renders routine NDT for biomedical applications prohibitively expensive. This study describes the design, manufacturing, and implementation of a cost-effective scanner tailored for NDT of medium-size titanium 3D printed biomedical components. The main elements of the scanner; which include a low-energy (80 kVp) portable x-ray unit, and a low-cost lens-coupled detector; can be acquired with a budget less than $ 11000 USD. The low-cost detector system uses a rare-earth phosphor screen, lens-coupled to a dSLR camera (Nikon D800) in a front-lit tilted configuration. This strategy takes advantage of the improved light-sensitivity of modern full-frame CMOS camera sensors and minimizes source-to-detector distance to maximize x-ray flux. The imaging performance of the system is characterized using a comprehensive CT quality-assurance phantom, and two titanium 3D-printed test specimens. Results show that the cost-effective scanner can survey the porosity and cracks in titanium parts with thicknesses of up to 13 mm of solid metal. Quantitatively, the scanner produced geometrically stable reconstructions, with a voxel size of 118 μm, and noise levels under 55 HU. The cost-effective scanner was able to estimate the porosity of a 17 mm diameter titanium 3D-printed cylindrical lattice structure, with a 0.3% relative error. The proposed scanner will facilitate the implementation of titanium LPBF-printed components for biomedical applications by incorporating routine cost-effective NDT as part of the process control and validation steps of medical-device quality-management systems. By reducing the cost of the x-ray detector and shielding, the scan cost will be commensurate with the overall cost of the validated component.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275732 |
| spellingShingle | Santiago Fabian Cobos Christopher James Norley Steven Ingo Pollmann David Wayne Holdsworth Cost-effective micro-CT system for non-destructive testing of titanium 3D printed medical components. PLoS ONE |
| title | Cost-effective micro-CT system for non-destructive testing of titanium 3D printed medical components. |
| title_full | Cost-effective micro-CT system for non-destructive testing of titanium 3D printed medical components. |
| title_fullStr | Cost-effective micro-CT system for non-destructive testing of titanium 3D printed medical components. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cost-effective micro-CT system for non-destructive testing of titanium 3D printed medical components. |
| title_short | Cost-effective micro-CT system for non-destructive testing of titanium 3D printed medical components. |
| title_sort | cost effective micro ct system for non destructive testing of titanium 3d printed medical components |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275732 |
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