Introduction
The X-Ray Image Logger (XMSL) takes X-Ray images from whole-round sections and section-halves.
WARNING: This is an X-Ray imaging system, not place your hand under the source. Ensure that you receive the apropriate training before using it.
Procedures
Preparing the Instrument
- Double-click the IMS icon (Figure 1). IMS initializes the instrument, tests instrument comunications, home the pusher arm of the motion control system and verify Dark and Light Calibration images. For more information refer to the XMSL User Guide.
Figure 1.- IMS icon.
2. Prior to imaging cores, especially at the start of an expedition, the user must:
Test the exposure parameters in the Imaging Utility (Review the 'Imaging Utility Section' on the User Guide).
Set the exposure parameters in the Measurement Editor (DAQ > Measurement Editor). Review next section.
Adjust the automatic image processing settings (Image Processing section on the User Guide)
NOTE: Ask the PP technitian to help with these steps.
Set exposure parameters
- Select DAQ > Measurement Editor from the IMS panel menu. This window allows the user to view and adjust the XMSL Data Acquisition (DAQ) parameters (Figure 2).
- Interval: Number of centimeters the core will move between each image. This value is hardcoded in IMS software and cannot be changed in this window. This interval guarantees image overlap and maximizes system efficiency. Default interval is set at 12 cm.
- Width: Fixed length of the produced image. This value is dependent on the detector and hardware setup. Default length is 15 cm.
- Stack: Number of x-radiographs taken at each position. These images are stacked and averaged to produce the final raw image. 20 images is the standard. Stacking more images does not improve the image quality further. See the User Guide, 'Image Stacking' section for more explanation.
- Exposure Time: Duration of each exposure in milliseconds.
- kV: X-ray tube voltage. Maximum voltage for the source is 120 kV. Lowering the voltage while maintaining the number of x-rays penetrating the core (longer exposure or higher current) will increase image contrast.
- mA: X-ray tube current. Maximum current for the source is 1 mA. Increasing the current will increase contrast if voltage is kept constant.
Figure 2.- XMSL Measurement Editor Window.
2. Once the parameters are set click Accept Changes. To revert any changes back to the original settings click Cancel Changes.
Making a Measurement
- Place section in the core tray. Make sure the section is oriented blue endcap towards the X-Ray source (Figure 3).
Figure 3.- Correct core position.
2. Click START. The Section Information screen is displayed (Figure 4).
Figure 4.- XMSL Section Information Screen.
3. Select the Core Status (left side of window) that matches the type of core being imaged.
Full= Whole round.
Half= Section half.
4. Place the cursor in the SCAN field and scan the section label. SAMPLE ID and LIMS ID automatically fills. This ID tag contains information on expedition, site, hole, core, section number and length.
Additional entry field options are the LIMS and MANUAL tabs.
Manual: Type in the sample label ID (i.e., 362-U1480A-1H-1-A), LIMS Text ID (i.e., SHLF7851761) and length of section. Use the whole round ID when imaging whole rounds. Click USE ME to update the IDs and enable the MEASURE button. Any entry will be accepted, but that does not guarantee the data will upload. The Text ID information must match an actual section in order for the data to upload.
5. Ensure the section is inside the load track door and that all doors are closed. Green and yellow lights on top of the lead box should be on. If doors are not closed properly green light will not appear and a warning message will pop-up on the screen (Figure 5).
Figure 5.- Warning message indicating that the source is not ready to ramp up.
NOTE: If this message pops-up and both doors are closed, call the Physical Properties technitian.
6. Click MEASURE
7. The motion control pusher will move the section under the source.
8. When section is over the detector, the x-ray source will ramp up and a window with its status will appear (Figure 6). Once mA and kV are stable, the window will close and image acquisition will begin. User may abort at any time by clicking the ABORT button.
Figure 6.- X-Ray status. As the source ramps up, the measured values will update.
9. System will move the core and automatically take images along the section (Figure 7) until the actuator reaches its limit switch and returns to the home position. At that moment the source will ramp down.
Figure 7.- IMS display during imaging.
10. XMSL Section Information window will reappear on the screen (Figure 8).
Figure 8.- Sample Information Window- Pusher End Sequence View.
11. Open the load door and place the XMSL whole-round or section-half Pusher section onto the track. Close the load door.
12. Select Pusher end sequence in the Sample ID window. The source will ramp back up and the motion control system will continue to push the section through the x-ray system.
- X-Rays OFF
- Figure 9 will be displayed when the X-ray Off command is sent to the CP120 source. The window will be displayed until the kV has been confirmed to be at zero.
- You will also see this window flash on during X-Ray START when the CP120 fails to respond to the start command. The X-ray off will reset communications with the CP120 and bring it to a known state which will clear any communication issue.
Figure 9.- X-Ray OFF status window.
- When the imaging is complete, IMS will automatically process the raw images and output them to the AUX_DATA folder. These are not the primary processed images, but are available for quick image evaluation. The raw images output to the DATA > IN Folder. For more information on IMS image processing, see the Automatic Image Processing section in the user guide.
Note: Recalibrate the detector if the detector grid pattern becomes visible in the images.
NOTE: During imaging, the user can use the software abort button to end the imaging process and ramp down the source. The abort button is available when the x-ray source is ramping up and during the imaging process.
If the abort button is used, a dialog window will appear (Figure 9). Once pressed, imaging will end and the user will need to start imaging the section from the beginning. Dialog window options are:
Return to Load Position: Actuator returns to the home position. User will need to manually remove core
Stop and Do Nothing: Actuator will remain in place. Use this option if the section had jammed in the XMSL or is there is a hardware issue. 
Figure 9- Dialog when after user selects abort during imaging. The x-ray source will automatically ramp down once abort is selected. The section in the imager will need to be restarted from the beginning once abort is selected.