X-ray settings for steel

[andyman]

I have the chance to get someone I know to x-ray my welds on practice pieces at his chiropractics business. Is it possible to use a x-ray machine meant for bones to x-ray steel? If so can anyone give me some settings to x-ray 3/16" steel?

Just thought it'd be cool to mess around and see how my welds turn out since he is doing the x-rays for free.

Thanks
Andy

[Wheelchair]

Old buddy that is not going to work. You will not get good results.

Wheelchair

[welder_one]

i dont think the machines meant to x-ray bones are gonna put enough "juice" to look into a piece of metal... ive had welds x-rayed before and the machines were ginormous.... then again, the last time i got to actually see the xray machine was a few years ago and technology has prolly made them small like a cell phone

[Dingus]

You have to use sonar (sonogram) not X ray. Electro conductivity will ensure a good bond but WILL NOT produce a "picture" I think you are looking for

[Andy]

Medical x-rays don't go through the thin piece of metal I have in my shoulder. It's probably less than 1/8" thick. Unless they line up the shot just right, you can't even see the extra holes where they didn't put screws.

[dholmes]

they can adjust the settings on the machine to be able to shoot through the steel. They don't use alot of radiation on people for obvious reasons. The amount of amperage you need is pretty high, everything is dependent on your source size etc

[rustybearing]

The x-ray machine for metal is much different than medical machines for sure but the bigger difference is the shielding. The little vests you wear in the dentists office won't cut it. You'll need a lead shielded room because the shot will be much longer. The medical x-ray is a fraction of a second, the shot for the metal will be much much longer depending on the thickness of the metal. Could go several minutes depending on the source of the radiation.

[joiseystud]

Be really careful about xray. It is obvioulsly dangerous. I was running a pipe install job where we had 10% of welds xrayed and we actually built a xray building complete with lead lining and warning indicators, etc. There was a 400 page xray safety procedure. The energy involved is xraying welds is relatively high compared to a bone xray. Not sure if the energy source is in medical xray is even high enough to penetrate the steel in a weld but if it was I am sure the exposure time would be really long and you would burn a bunch of film getting it dialed in. Best be it to go try to get on a job where they are qualifying welders (all our welders had to run certain weld procedures and we xrayed the results).