Frequently asked questions

General questions

What does XRayDetect actually do?

We build software and electronics for X-ray systems across three core areas: dual energy image processing, controllers and control electronics and integration of line-scan detectors.

Do you sell ready-made equipment or do custom engineering?

Mostly custom engineering tailored to a specific project: software, firmware, SDK and integration. We can also supply the controllers we develop in series.

Can I order a single module rather than the entire solution?

Yes. Each service stands on its own: you can take just the colorization module, just the controller, or just the detector integration. When required, we also deliver a complete turnkey system.

Will we receive the source code?

Yes. As standard we deliver the source code and documentation including the rights to use and modify it, so you are never locked into the contractor.

Image processing (dual energy)

What advantage does dual energy offer over conventional X-ray?

Multi-energy measurement captures how radiation is attenuated across several energy bands and estimates the effective atomic number of the material. That lets us separate materials (organic, inorganic, metal) and color-code them — essential for security screening and sorting.

Can you handle more than two energies?

Yes. We implement both the standard dual-energy method and more advanced multi-energy processing, depending on the task and what the detector supports.

Do you develop software for X-ray transmission sorting (XRT)?

Yes. Building on the same material-discrimination principle, we create software for automatic sorting of waste, ore and minerals, scrap and recyclables. It classifies objects in real time and drives the ejection hardware (pneumatic air-jet valves). See the X-ray transmission sorting (XRT) page for more.

Which operating systems does the software support?

It is cross-platform — both Windows and Linux. Visualization is hardware-accelerated through OpenGL.

Controllers

Do you only build controllers for X-ray scanners?

Our reference design is the central controller of a conveyor X-ray scanner, but the method is general. We develop control electronics for a range of X-ray systems, adjusting the I/O mix and the logic to suit.

How does the controller connect to our software?

Via a cross-platform SDK (Windows/Linux) with a C/C++ API offering automatic device discovery, output control, sensor readout and asynchronous event notifications over the network (Ethernet, TCP/UDP).

How fast does it respond to emergency events?

In the reference design, the response to the emergency-stop button is 50 ms or less. Exact figures are agreed per project.

Detector integration

What detectors do you work with?

We have deep experience with industrial line-scan detectors — their SDKs, acquisition protocols and high-speed camera interfaces. The same principles carry over across detectors, so we integrate whichever one your project uses.

How is scanning kept in sync with the conveyor?

We support synchronization by encoder trigger (based on distance travelled) and by integration time. Pulses per unit length and the trigger divider are configurable.

Is calibration done in the detector or in the software?

Both approaches work: on-board calibration inside the detector and off-board calibration in the software, with the resulting coefficients written back to the detector.

AI and automatic detection

Do you offer AI-based automatic detection?

Yes. We build automatic detection and object recognition for X-ray imagery: weapon and prohibited-item detection in scanners (to support operator decisions), foreign-body checks in food, and NDT defect detection. We pair classical image processing with deep learning. Details: automatic detection & object recognition (AI).

Can you inspect food with X-ray?

Yes. We develop in-line X-ray inspection for food safety, detecting foreign bodies such as metal, glass, stone and bone, along with fill-level and packaging checks.

Cooperation

How do we get a project started?

Reach out and describe your system and your task. We will propose an architecture, estimate the scope, timeline and cost, and draft the technical specification.

In which language do you run projects?

We work in English and prepare documentation in English.