Stamford, CT, December 15, 2003. FEINFOCUS, manufacturers of real-time X-ray inspection systems, recently completed a custom installation for Raytheon's Reliability Analysis Laboratory (RAL), in Lexington, Mass. Raytheon selected FEINFOCUS to create a tailored real-time X-ray inspection facility to perform a variety of services for Raytheon and its customers.
Working with FEINFOCUS, RAL engineers chose a 320w X-ray tube, along with a sample manipulator. This particular tube is capable of providing up to 225 kV of X-ray energy, and is utilized primarily for high-density applications where high penetration, magnification, and resolution are required.
Designed and installed by members of the FEINFOCUS engineering team, this custom system is actually a walk-in booth, where the operator can enter and place the sample, then exit and secure the door. The tube is controlled by an independent LCD controller in an adjoining room. The manipulator has its own computer that allows it to record measurements using its axis encoders for a 0.01 inch resolution.
According to RAL engineers, the system has paid for itself in six months based on time and money saved identifying faulty units prior to shipping.
Established in 1963, the Reliability Analysis Lab offers extensive electrical, physical, and mechanical analysis and evaluation of components to support hardware quality and reliability requirements. It offers a full range of inspection and evaluation services to its customers, including Raytheon divisions, government, and private organizations in defense, telecommunications, aviation, and automotive industries, with the ultimate goal of discovery of root causes for product flaws or malfunctions.
As part of Raytheon, RAL has purchased thousands of components and designed nearly as many products. All of this experience comes together in RAL Insightsm, a vast knowledgebase of product development information. RAL Insightsm allows RAL engineers to embed customer analysis in a much larger context of known design and manufacturing issues. Working with RAL engineers gets customers the right answers the first time. For more information on RAL, please call (800)-RAL-4787 or visit their website at www.reliabilityanalysislab.com .
Laser Focus World