Discover What XCT Can Do For You

What Are X-rays?

X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation, the same family as visible light, but with a much shorter wavelength. This gives them the energy to penetrate solid materials that visible light cannot pass through. As X-rays travel through an object, denser or thicker regions absorb more radiation than lighter ones, creating contrast that can be captured by a detector. It is this contrast that makes X-rays so powerful for imaging the interior of objects without opening them up.

What is X-ray Computed Tomography?

X-ray Computed Tomography, or XCT, is a non-destructive imaging technique that reveals the full three-dimensional interior of an object without cutting, sectioning, or altering it in any way. Much like the CT scanners used in hospitals, laboratory XCT systems use X-rays to see inside solid objects, but with far greater resolution and tailored for scientific and industrial applications.

By passing X-rays through a sample from hundreds of different angles and mathematically reconstructing the result, XCT produces a detailed volumetric dataset made up of thousands of cross-sectional slices. The outcome is a complete, navigable 3D image of everything inside your sample, from large structural features down to microscopic details.

What Can XCT Be Used For?

XCT is a remarkably versatile technique, with applications spanning a wide range of disciplines:

Materials Science & Engineering — characterise microstructures, measure porosity, analyse fibre orientation in composites, and track damage evolution in structural materials.
Industrial Inspection — detect internal defects, voids, and cracks in manufactured components without disassembly or destruction. Validate additive manufacturing builds and inspect assemblies that cannot be taken apart.
Geoscience & Earth Sciences — image pore networks in rock and soil samples, study fluid flow pathways, and analyse sedimentary structures in three dimensions.
Archaeology & Heritage — examine the interior of artefacts, reveal hidden inscriptions, and study manufacturing techniques without any risk to irreplaceable objects.
Biomedical & Biological Research — image bone microarchitecture, soft tissue, and biological specimens with high resolution, preserving samples for further study.

The Advantages of XCT

What sets XCT apart is its combination of resolution, versatility, and non-destructiveness. Unlike sectioning or conventional microscopy, it leaves the sample completely intact, so the same object can be scanned repeatedly: before and after testing, across treatments, or shared between research groups without compromise. The result is rich, quantitative 3D data you can measure, visualise, and publish, while the specimen itself remains available for whatever comes next.

Why Work With Us

Owning a scanner is only part of the picture. Getting genuinely useful data out of XCT depends on choosing the right system, the right settings, and the right reconstruction and analysis for your question, and that is where our laboratory comes in.

Our facility houses two complementary systems: an RX Solutions EasyTom L, a large-chamber micro-CT that accepts samples up to 450 mm across at resolutions down to 0.4 µm, and a Zeiss Xradia Versa, a sub-micron X-ray microscope reaching spatial resolution below 0.7 µm. Between them we handle everything from large structural components and additive-manufactured parts down to the internal microstructure of a single small specimen. More importantly, you work alongside an experienced team of specialists who help you scope the scan, run it, and interpret the results, whether you are an established XCT user or have never scanned a sample in your life.

We support academic researchers, students, and industry partners across the North East, from one-off scans to long-term collaborations. If you have a sample and a question but are not sure XCT is the answer, that is exactly the conversation we want to have. Get in touch and we will help you work out what is possible. To find out how to access the facility and apply for scan time, visit our Access and How to Apply page.