Industrial Metal Detection Ideas?

[Joerg]

Hello Christopher,

Is it possible to safely x-ray material outside of an enclosure?

OSHA will want to have their say here. Yes, airports do it but these are
systems that are enclosed and have gone through a whole lot of agency
appovals (one reason why they are so expensive).

It is also done in the canning industry and other places but not in
areas where people are around all day. If I understand your system
correctly it might be necessary to reach in at times to dislodge a jam
etc. Then there is the guy riding the bucket tractor.

Regards, Joerg

 

[Graham Orme]

Is it possible to safely x-ray material outside of an enclosure?

Chris

No, not unless you are a long way from anything that can be damaged.

The way it is solved normally is to have whatever you're examining run
along a conveyor belt through a lead lined tunnel with multiple flaps of
lead-rubber to seal the ends. It's like an airport baggage checker but
the x-rays are form the side.

 

[Graham Orme]

Hello Christopher,


OSHA will want to have their say here. Yes, airports do it but these
are systems that are enclosed and have gone through a whole lot of
agency appovals (one reason why they are so expensive).

The approvals system isn't that onerous. The equipment needs to be safe
and you need to be able to prove that it is safe. The dose rates for
fluoroscopic techniques are very low so it is fairly easy to achieve.

It is also done in the canning industry and other places but not in
areas where people are around all day. If I understand your system
correctly it might be necessary to reach in at times to dislodge a jam
etc. Then there is the guy riding the bucket tractor.

Well, if it's properly designed then you won't get a jam. If it did
happen I think you'd probably want to turn off the conveyor and the
x-rays before diving in.

There would be no risk to the guy loading the conveyor belt.

 

[Rich Grise]

No, not unless you are a long way from anything that can be damaged.

The way it is solved normally is to have whatever you're examining run
along a conveyor belt through a lead lined tunnel with multiple flaps of
lead-rubber to seal the ends. It's like an airport baggage checker but
the x-rays are form the side.

Ever seen the metal detector in "Total Recall"? ;-P

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Joerg]

Hello Graham,

The approvals system isn't that onerous. The equipment needs to be safe
and you need to be able to prove that it is safe. The dose rates for
fluoroscopic techniques are very low so it is fairly easy to achieve.

It's not as bad as for medical gear. But is often depends on the state
you are in. We live in an over-regulated one :-(

You wouldn't believe it but when we lived in Germany and bought the
first microwave oven a guy from their counterpart of the FCC had to come
out and "bless the installation of an RF power source".

Well, if it's properly designed then you won't get a jam. If it did
happen I think you'd probably want to turn off the conveyor and the
x-rays before diving in.

There'll always be jams. Too long a branch drifts sideways, loud
screeching of wood against metal, pile building up behind it. Some wood
like that from a diseased pine tree can be extremely sappy and that gets
stuck a lot.

As to turning off the motors, you know how things can go when people
work on fixed bids...

There would be no risk to the guy loading the conveyor belt.

Yes, he may be far enough, depending on dosage. However, you can't
really close off the top of the conveyor. And when some regulatory folks
say that there shall be a shield and there is none they'll shut it down.
Whether or not the dose of radiation is much less than what comes from
the sky wouldn't make any difference to them. They go by their book.

Regards, Joerg