By Vijay Mathew, Industry Analyst
Undoubtedly, the x-ray inspection market has made rapid strides in the field of nondestructive testing. The integration of the latest technologies from the sensors, computers and communication fields has made x-ray inspection systems easy-to-use, safe and fast, all factors which, in the past, limited its adoption for industrial applications. These factors have also broadened the scope of x-ray inspection systems beyond research & development applications and into the realm of in-line production testing. Technological advances in hardware, such as tubes, sources, and detectors, as well as upgrades in software, have all contributed significantly toward improving the user-friendliness and efficiency of x-ray inspection systems.
Probably one of the most talked about trends in the industrial x-ray inspection system market is the evolution to digital radiography (DR). Pick up any magazine or journal on x-ray systems and chances are there will be an article dedicated to this trend and its numerous benefits. It is being touted as the future of industrial x-ray inspection with equipment vendors and industry pundits claiming huge productivity benefits and cost savings. So is it all hype or are we witnessing a genuine shift in the industry? What impact will it have on existing radiography techniques? Does film still have a future? Through this article Frost & Sullivan will attempt to put an end to all of this speculation by analyzing the opinions of real industry experts and their views on this transition to a filmless future.
