Tips for improving your radiograph scan

[David A. Andersen]

For those that use a BCAM and Quick Report for scanned editing, this tip will ensure the quality of your scan.

In the "Automatic Mode", the camera sets the scale range to the highest and lowest temperature pixel on the screen. Using "Auto Adjust" in Quick Report will also reset any changes you have made in the manual mode while taking the scan the same way.

In some situations, there may be objects in the field of view of the camera which are excessively hot/cold and are not part of the subject matter you are attempting to illustrate. An example would be the skies over a roof scan or a light fixture that is "on" during a ceiling scan. These objects are just a nuisance and cause the automatic settings to set the scale so wide that thermal anomalies may disappear. You didn't miss/lose them when you took the scan, they're just not visible under automatic settings.

The purpose of taking the scan is to depict the properties of the thermal anomaly. If the scale is not properly adjusted, minute variances in the anomaly may not be visible.
To properly tune your scan after it is taken, you must use computer software provided.

When viewing your scan in your computer software that does not illustrate your intended purpose, check the following:

1. Are there objects that are excessively hot/cold that are not part of the subject matter?
2. Using the"Area Tool" or "Line Tool" check the temperature range of the anomaly.
3. Using the "Area Tool" you will receive the minimum and maximum temperatures in the box as well as the average temperature. Check the range of the scale shown on your radiograph in the software. The minimum/maximum temperatures of the scale should be 1° above your maximum and 1° below the minimum of your "Area Tool" readings. This will provide the most detail of the anomaly.
4. Some of the background may not appear as you wish. Adjust the "Slide Bar" buttons slightly to improve the background/orientation of the scan. Try not to overdo it or you will lose detail of the anomaly.
5. You can then remove the temperature tools (and the apparent spot temperature inserted by the camera) and "Save As".