Mesofocus X-ray tube technology
As an alternative to our 450 kV Isovolt Minifocus X-ray tube, Phoenix V|tome|x L450 and C450 customers have the option to choose a Comet iXRS 450 MF Mesofocus X-ray tube. This innovative closed tube provides a good compromise for high-resolution 3D CT applications of large parts or dense materials, requiring high penetration power, but also high resolution for quality assurance with CT in production environments.
Mesofocus – closing the gap between Minifocus and Microfocus
Until today, there where two kinds of X-ray tubes state of the art for industrial CT.
- Sealed Minifocus tubes offer higher power and are robust as well as stable. Hence, they are made for production environments. However, they offer only limited resolution due to their large focal spot size.
- On the other hand, open Microfocus tubes offer much higher resolution, but have less penetration power. And their unlimited lifetime requires higher maintenance efforts.
- Mesofocus enables 450 kV inspection at focal spot sizes down to 63 microns, resulting in better CT resolution and defect detection. In comparison, a 450 kV Minifocus tube would have ~ 6.5 x bigger focal spot (400 µm) which delivers significantly less resolution. As conclusion, depending on the specific application and inspection task, Mesofocus might be the ideal technology to build the bridge between Minifocus and Microfocus.
Optimal CT performance by combining Mesofocus and Scatter|correct technology
Today, Mesofocus tube technology is widely offered by Computed Tomography system providers to close gaps in some applications between Mini- and Microfocus. But, CT quality not only depends on the focal spot size - especially when scanning dense and large samples, scattered radiation artifacts can have a significant impact. While state of the art scatter reduction methods simulate scatter based on CAD data and material properties, Waygate Technologies patented Scatter|correct technology really measures the scatter portion and corrects it for every individual voxel – enabling users to receive optimal CT results with highest defect detection and 3D metrology precision.
- Mesofocus can be the is the ideal technology to close the gap between high power Minifocus and high resolution Microfocus with focal spot sizes between 450 and 63 microns at 450 kV penetration power.
- Low maintenance and high uptime: the robust and sealed design of the Mesofocus tube allows for 24/7 operation in harsh environments without frequent maintenance
- Mesofocus offers comparable focal spot sizes like Microfocus tubes, but those are limited and therefore enable less penetration of large dense samples, causing a lower inspection throughput
- Stability, repeatability and accuracy due to a stable dose rate without the need for recalibration are crucial for mass production inspection
