Reference standards for XCT measurements of additively manufactured parts

An increasing number of industrial sectors are considering the potential of additive manufacturing as an asset to improve their production. Indeed, additive manufacturing enables the fabrication of very complex geometries and inner cavities that cannot be manufactured with conventional techniques. However, in critical sectors such as aerospace, defence and medical, the parts need to be certified, which requires parts to be non-destructively characterised in terms of flaws, geometry and dimensional accuracy.

X-ray computed tomography is the only current 3D volumetric technique, which is suited for the non-destructive analysis of internal flaws, geometry and measurements of internal dimensions and roughness. However, regardless of its huge potential, Xray computed tomography is not as mature a technology for dimensional metrology as compared to conventional tactile coordinate measuring machines.

In most cases there is no traceability to SI units in the dimensional domain. Recently, numerous reference standards (i.e. physical artefacts) addressing X-ray computed tomography dimensional accuracy have been published, but they do not necessarily address the calibration of XCT system in connection with AM parts.

In this work, a new and improved standard in three different materials has been designed with a dual purpose: Fully calibrating X-ray computed tomography for dimensional measurements while being representative of additively manufactured parts in terms of flaws and material, meeting the needs of the industry.

These standards will be used to metrologically validate X-ray computed tomography for the inspection of additively manufactured parts.