Neutron imaging: past, present and future

In the aerospace sector, non-destructive testing (NDT) is vitally important. Aircraft and spacecraft have many components, such as turbine blades, ejection mechanisms, explosive signal transfer mechanisms and payload fairing separation mechanisms, for which the margins for failure are razor thin; new composite materials being developed for use in aircraft and spacecraft must be rigorously tested to ensure that they behave as expected in the research and development (R&D) phase. Any flaws in these components must be detected and eliminated early to mitigate the possibility of disastrous failures and accidents occurring. The aerospace sector has benefited heavily from one NDT method in particular: neutron imaging, also known as N-ray. Will Ascenzo, writer for nuclear technology company Phoenix LLC, based in Madison, Wisconsin, USA, explains...