Detection Technology, a global leader in X-ray detector solutions, has today unveiled a digital detector product family, called Aurora, to deliver value in simplicity for X-ray imaging. Aurora has the highest level of integration and a simplified system design. The product family consists of a wide range of stand-alone detectors, and all the necessary building blocks, such as ready-made detector boards, modules and readout electronics, for end-to-end imaging systems. It is a plug-and-play type solution, that speeds up time-to-market and delivers total cost savings for original equipment manufacturers and system integrators.
“There is room to do more with less in the industry. Our Aurora design takes the level of integration to new heights by reducing the number of PCBs on dual energy solutions and eliminating the need for separate arrays, sockets, pre-amplifiers, AD-converters, buffers, connectors and analog busses. Fewer parts in the bill of materials means minimized risks, a streamlined supply chain, and detector solutions that are mechanically more robust and digitally enhanced,” says Kari Hyvärinen, Vice President of Security and Industrial Business Unit at Detection Technology.
The simplified system design of Aurora mitigates noise from different sources like electromagnetic interferences caused by conveyor motors, power supply, X-ray tube high voltage, and disturbances on other radio frequencies. It also reduces leakage currents caused by humidity, and dirt or contaminants in pins and sockets. Moreover, Aurora paves the way for the signal by reducing bottlenecks like a slow and noise-sensitive analog video bus and limited data rates.
“Aurora provides superior image quality and a fully digitalized data path in the most robust, modular and easily scalable platform. Aurora is powered by an application-optimized, single-chip ASIC that effectively mitigates the impact of external interferences. Aurora has a big heart in a small package.”
For the Aurora product family, Detection Technology has designed and industrialized an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that features the lowest noise, and its 127 gain options make the best of signal level and optimize performance of the imaging chain. The ASIC has three operating modes, constant time, continuous and non-continuous, and built-in pixel binning options of x2, x4 and x8. The reliable, moisture-protected micro-BGA package ensures the longevity of this key component and usability in the target applications.
“Aurora is well suited for all security and a variety of industrial line-scanners. A single platform that works perfectly for baggage, parcel, mail, cargo, container, vehicle and person screening in the security segment - and still enables product safety and quality inspection, material sorting and process control in a variety of industrial applications, makes it one-of-a-kind.”
The Aurora product family comes with multiple scintillator options for various energy ranges in single and dual energy imaging applications. The product family has a backward-compatible mechanical outline and software interface, making it straightforward to upgrade line-scanners to the next detector generation. It has a robust Gigabit Ethernet interface, and a software development kit is available to support easy integration. The design also takes into account the requirements of Industry 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution.
Detection Technology will showcase the key features of the Aurora product family at the Security China 2018 show on 23-26 October. The show will be held at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing.