The X-Ray image thread by Aurora - various electronics via X-Ray imaging

[KE5FX]

I can't help thinking that X-Raying (or, more likely, gamma-raying) the Pyramids might reveal some interesting information.

That was Luis Alvarez's thinking as well.  His early work with muon imaging didn't reveal anything too interesting, but it looks like they've continued to pursue the idea.

Are you running the Bioptics or Hamamatsu sensor in your MX-20?  Those images are sharper and cleaner than I tend to get from my Bioptics-based unit.

[Wolfram]

@KE5FX - I am fortunate to have two cabinet-type X-Ray systems. The first was a ScanMax 20 mail scanner, which was very low resolution when it came to me but I modified it with a higher resolution imaging system (without, I hasten to add, affecting the cabinet's X-Ray containment). This is the sort of resolution I got from the original setup (the subject is a Nexus 10, 10" Android tablet, and I am aware there's an aspect ratio error):

That's a quite dramatic improvement. Did you replace the detector with a digital flat panel detector, or is it still based on a screen-camera system?

Edit: Added a film X-ray of a couple of small lightbulbs still in the box, in the spirit of the thread.

[Ultrapurple]

I will check which sensor the machine uses the next time I fire it up. If it's a clue, the panel has a single USB connection to the host PC.

@Wolfram: In the Scanmax, I replaced the original high-brightness phosphor sheet with a Kodak Lanex Fine extracted from a used hospital X-Ray dry imaging cartridge got from eBay. (They were/are plentiful as hospitals replaced dry imagers with digital panels). The original imaging system comprised a 45° rear-surface mirror and a TV camera. I replaced the camera with a DSLR (tethered to a PC) and, later, replaced the mirror (which was a bathroom mirror tile!) with a first-surface mirror (front silver).

[Ultrapurple]

Here's something I did with the Faxitron recently. It started life as a daffodil.

Interestingly, getting the right X-Ray voltage was important for this image. There was about 2kV between peak image quality and blowing right through the petals.

[nfmax]

It's a zombie thread that needs resurrecting. 

In that case...

Zombie thread? It's barely out of short pants! Take a look at The Wireless World issue of April 2nd 1921 https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Wireless-World/20s/Wireless-World-1921-04.pdf on page 7, to see how much the art of Geek has progressed in almost exactly 100 years 

[Ultrapurple]

I doff my hat to nfmax.

There are also some relevant visible images of the subject discussed in the Wireless World piece; I love the 'jigger switch'! (And yes, I am almost old enough to remember what a jigger coil did).

[nfmax]

I doff my hat to nfmax.

There are also some relevant visible images of the subject discussed in the Wireless World piece; I love the 'jigger switch'! (And yes, I am almost old enough to remember what a jigger coil did).

And WTF is a Billi-condenser?

[Ultrapurple]

And WTF is a Billi-condenser?

Very useful - even essential - when you're distilling Billi.

Although the Science Museum says it's an early form of adjustable capacitor.

[Ultrapurple]

Now for a bit of fun.

I fired up my older ScanMax ex-mailroom scanner that manages >55kV, meaning it's rather better than the Faxitron at penetrating the sort of metal shields you find in, for example, phones. So I submitted my Samsung S20 5G to the X-Ray Torture Test. The ScanMax hadn't been fired up for a year or more and various bits of the optical system had drifted out of alignment and/or got a bit dusty, so I didn't get quite the same sort of image quality I'd achieved in, for example, the Nexus 5 shown earlier in this thread.

But then I had an idea. I noticed the geometry of the X-Ray image was pretty-much spot-on, so I displayed it full-screen on the phone itself, then photographed that.

I rather like the result.

[Mr.B]

^ Great lock screen image...

[harerod]

@Ultrapurple: Would you consider turning this into a service? 
There must be millions, maybe even dozens, who want that for their own cellphone...

[Ultrapurple]

@Ultrapurple: Would you consider turning this into a service? 
There must be millions, maybe even dozens, who want that for their own cellphone...

Well... yes... but...

"Send your highly valuable cell phone to a stranger, along with its unlock codes, so that I can X-Ray it and add the image to your sexting folder"

Actually, I'm beginning to like the idea, provided I can be selective!

[Ultrapurple]

Here are a couple of better versions of the S-20 X-Ray.

[Ultrapurple]

... And a slightly less heavily processed version.

The X-Rays were made on my modified Scanmax S20 mailroom scanner using a Nikon D700 as the image capture device. This image is an Autostakkert!-stacked version of about 10 images at ISO 2000. Ultimate resolution is in the region of 5 to 7 line pairs/mm, not as good as my Faxitron but the higher energy X-Rays penetrate better.

Resolution is ultimately limited by the fact that the Scanmax tube is not of the microfocus type, so its spot size is relatively large. I mitigate this as best I can by having the subject sitting right on the phosphor, but even 1 or 2 mm of device thickness has a noticeable effect on sharpness.

[Gyro]

Nice image of the wireless charging coil. Something inside me keeps saying 'drill here'.

[Ultrapurple]

Anyone fancy guessing exactly what this piece of 1970s tech is?



(Full-size image below, 2113 x 1057 pixels)

[Gyro]

Easy (unless I've got it wrong!). It's a calculator.

Based on the 7 segment LED bubble display and the mains adaptor socket. The ceramic flatpack IC I'm not sure about,  I'd guess at a CBM, but possibly TI or HP?.

[KE5FX]

Was thinking maybe TI-1200, but the power switch is too close to the center.

[Gyro]

Damn, you mean you don't know the answer? 

Edit: Trying to remember which ones used 9V batteries.

[Ultrapurple]

@Gyro - you're right about a calculator. But which one?

@KE5FX Big clue: it's not a TI.

I do know this is going to be something of a guessing game but I will throw out the odd clue.

Although the IC looks like it's an ancient round-with-square-leads it is actually a rectangular ceramic-bodied device. You can just see the outline of the package if you look hard enough.

[harerod]

Something like
https://www.calculator.org/calculators/Commodore_886D.html

My father had one. Sadly, one of the first victims of my growing interest in electronics.

[Ultrapurple]

@Harerod - unfortunately, no. This calculator had a slide power switch on the left side of the case. But thanks for linking to calculator.org - they do have a photo of this not-rare calculator.

I love their standard fix-it advice:

If you have a <calculator name> that is no longer working, you can first try replacing the PP3 9V battery. If that doesn't solve the problem, then you can consider replacing the calculator with a modern equivalent.

[nfmax]

Anyone fancy guessing exactly what this piece of 1970s tech is?

It looks like a Sinclair Scientific - which does actually use a TI IC

[Ultrapurple]

@nfmax - Afraid not.

I think the Sinclair Scientific had the battery between the keys and display. And the X-Ray shows the power switch on the left of the PCB (actually actuated by a plastic assembly on the left flank of the case) rather than the upper right of the keypad on the Sinclair Scientific.

It's not a Sinclair of any description.

[Gyro]

Yes, there must have been very few calculators that had the power switch operating vertically on the top left of the keyboard. Most I know of were horizontally actuated and top right, or on the side (Casio).

The Sinclairs had rather more logic and discretes inside.