X-ray Based ­Visual Inspection

The CUBE XRS is an advanced X-ray inspection module specially developed for the inspection of syringe needles before the filling process. The module can be seamlessly integrated into production lines with minimal space requirements. The syringe needle and needle cover of various formats can be reliably inspected at full production speed.

We have developed a method for the inspection of syringe needles and syringe covers using X-rays. A low-energy X-ray source combined with sophisticated image recognition and processing technology enables the detection of functional defects such as poor needle alignment of a syringe or defects in the syringe cover. By inspecting syringes before the filling process, you ensure that only flawless syringes are filled and further processed.

While passing through the low-energy X-ray field, any samples and their potential defects, are magnified onto a fast CMOS detector array. The resulting size of the sample or defect image can be calculated due to the distance relations between X-ray source / sample and sample / detector.  

The detector converts the incoming X-rays into light and transfers the picture onto the CMOS diode array. The results are immediately available and are evaluated instantaneously, allowing the processing of high production speeds.

X-ray is an imaging technology which creates 2D images that can then be inspected for defects. In X-ray imaging, not only the detector needs to fulfill certain requirements but also the X-ray source itself is required to obtain some crucial properties. These properties are defined by the field of application. In short the technology defines two types of X-ray tubes. The first one is the closed tube design producing radiation with a focus between 800µm and 1500µm and the second is the micro-focus tube design with a focus between 1µm to 5 µm. In general it is the focus diameter that defines the spatial resolution of such an imaging system or the smallest object which can be made visible in such a picture.