Ultralow-energy real-time radiographic techniques for composites

Quantitative data show that radiographic sensitivity is improved for thin composite materials when both film and real-time radiographic (RTR) exposures are made with x-ray energies less than 15 kV. Techniques are described for using radiographic film, which is optically magnified, digitized, and enhanced, as the detector in an ultralow-energy imaging system. Comparative examples are shown of defects in resin and metallic-matrix composites samples exposed at both ultralow (<15 kV) and higher x-ray energies