CT Scan of a Valve Assembly with Component Isolation
This is an aerospace quality solenoid valve, which had reached the end of its useful service life. It was CT scanned as an assembly. The assembly included the dense magnetic coil windings, as well as the internal o-ring seals and even the plastic dust plugs. In this video, the CT scan of the valve (with soft goods and metallic parts) has been segmented using Volume Graphics.
Disassembly of the valve can result in loss of evidence. We can take a CT scan of a failed assy, segment it virtually, and isolate components such as o-rings, springs, seats and more. With the individual components virtually isolated, the CT scan data can be optimized to show the most detail for that particular material/density. Hence, we are able to pick out the details of the plastic end caps just as well as we can see the metallic parts.
This technology is particularly helpful for spotting a mis-seated spring in a solenoid valve assembly, or determining the quality of the o-ring within the o-ring gland.
