Etek Aero, Prestwick Aerospace Centre

Metal Casting

An industry where quality is most critical

With metal castings being used in many different industries such as automotive, aerospace, and general mechanical engineering, the requirements for quality assurance are both exceptionally high and diverse. Safety-relevant parts such as aircraft turbine blades or light alloy wheels are usually subject to 100% testing. Comet Yxlon supports foundries in their aim to manufacture prime-quality casting products at competitive prices – and to prevent defects and downtime.

Comet Yxlon X-ray and CT systems are designed to meet the most critical aerospace and defense standards and ensure the safe, reliable inspection of aircraft parts and materials.

Applications of industrial X-rays in foundries

Verification of casting quality, e.g., blowholes and pores


Geometric measurement of inner structures


Wall thickness analysis

Target/actual comparison


Inspection of joints in brake discs


Measurements of cooling channels in pistons

Industrial X-ray or CT scanning It’s all about material density

Evaluating flaws, ensuring material integrity

Typical foundry casting flaws can occur in all casting techniques that involve materials such as iron, aluminum, magnesium, or zinc – with a major impact on product quality. Just one example: If cavities are located just below the surface of the part, they may get opened by further processing such as milling, grinding, or cutting threads. Random inspections help verify the stability of the casting process and thus ensure the quality of the component.

Industrial X-ray or CT scanning? It’s all about material density.

The decision to choose an X-ray or a computed tomography (CT) system is independent of the type of casting process a manufacturer is using. However, the density of the metal, the size of the component, and its wall thickness play an important role in the energy needed. With energies ranging from 20 kV to 600 kV, Comet Yxlon systems for industrial X-ray and CT cover the inspection needs of a wide variety of applications and parts.

Seeing deeper: live-image X-ray inspections with HDR

Classical 2D fluoroscopic inspection has one limitation: It does not give concrete information about the depth position of the discontinuities. With the introduction of high dynamic radioscopy (HDR), Comet Yxlon has developed a method of live-image capable, digital image processing. HDR makes it possible to obtain a good estimate of the depth position while moving the component in the X-ray beam.

x-ray-scan-aluminum-cast-part
Adding perspective with computed tomography

Adding perspective with computed tomography

In comparison with 2D X-ray inspections, computed tomography (CT) provides detailed 3D information about the internal structures of an object, showing the precise position, shape, and size of existing flaws. Since casting molds can change over time and structures become significantly more complex, CT is the solution to address specific issues such as dimensional accuracy, wall thickness measurements, target/actual comparisons, or porosity analysis including statistical evaluation.

Easy operation and automated defect recognition

While Comet Yxlon inspection systems feature a wide range of powerful X-ray and CT capabilities, they are easy to operate by users of different skill levels thanks to their intuitive user interface Geminy. In addition, computer-aided evaluations, also known as “automated defect recognition” (ADR) allow for user-independent inspection decisions.

Easy operation and automated defect recognition

NON DESTRUCTIVE TESTING

Inspection Systems

Our world class Imaging Division offers a range of innovative and cost effective equipment for industrial X-ray and CT for non-destructive parts inspection.

SUPPORT & TRAINING

Service & Maintenance

We have a team of equipment and process specialists capable of providing 24/7 rapid-response, ‘frontline’ support and training to compliment your own technical personnel.

Etek Aero, Prestwick Aerospace Centre

Featured Products

We offer a broad range of cutting-edge X-ray and CT products designed to support all your industrial inspection needs. Whether your component is measured in micrometers or meters, we have a system that fits.

Coment Yxlon FF85 Computed Tomography inspection system Aerospace

YXLON FF85 CT

With its dual-tube configuration, the high-energy, high-resolution FF85 CT achieves extremely precise inspection results for a wide variety of material types and part sizes.

Coment Yxlon FF35 Computed Tomography inspection system aerospace

YXLON FF35 CT

With its optional dual-tube set-up, the FF35 CT combines unprecedented CT data quality with the highest versatility when inspecting small and medium-sized parts.

Comet Yxlon UX20 x-ray and CT inspection system

Yxlon UX20

Designed to provide intuitive operation, the UX20 system makes it easy for users of all expertise levels to conduct highly efficient X-ray and CT inspections in record time.

With its optional dual-tube set-up, the FF35 CT combines unprecedented CT data quality with the highest versatility when inspecting small and medium-sized parts.

YXLON UX50

With its large inspection envelope, multiple field-of-view extensions, and a powerful 450 kV X-ray tube, the UX50 takes the inspection of complex, dense parts to the next level.

Coment Yxlon Cheetah EVO X-ray inspection system

Yxlon Cheetah EVO

The Cheetah EVO is designed to meet the demands of Industry 4.0, enabling efficient and reliable inspection in the SMT and semiconductor industry as well as in laboratories.

Why choose Etek Aero

With our team of experienced and factory trained service engineers, Etek Aero provide a world class service that focuses on quick response times and putting customers first.

Stay ahead of the curve

Subscribe to our newsletter and receive the latest news, special promotions and events.