Observation of Urethane Foam Using a Microfocus X-Ray CT System

User Benefits

- A wide variety of items can be observed by changing the magnification rate based on the objectives.
- The causes of adhesion failures can be analyzed by observing nonuniformities in bonded areas or voids in adhesive interfaces.
- The volume and wall thickness of voids inside urethane foam can be analyzed simultaneously to help improve quality.

Introduction

Due to the diverse performance characteristics of urethane foam, such as its cushioning, thermal insulation, sound absorption, and filtering properties, it is used for a wide variety of applications in our daily lives.
Quality control of urethane foam by observation and evaluation of its internal structures is necessary because the shape, volume, and wall thickness of internal voids in foam can affect its properties. A variety of shapes can be accommodated by bonding foam pieces together with adhesive, but that can result in lower performance due to the adhesive interface debonding. Consequently, for quality control, it is also important to understand the adhesive status. But cutting foam to inspect it can change the void shape or adhesion status, so foam should be inspected non-destructively.
X-ray CT imaging offers a useful way to non-destructively observe and evaluate internal structures of urethane foam. This article describes using the inspeXio SMX-225CT FPD HR Plus X-ray CT inspection system to scan packaging material for a consumer electronics product and analyze the adhesion interfaces and voids.

October 29, 2024 GMT