FIFTH CANADIAN CONFERENCE ON NONDESTRUCTIVE ... - IAEA

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The primary mechanical disadvantage is the presence of 50-100 rollers which
touch the film. But, in manual we learned how to avoid or control air bells,
reticulation, streaks, and hanger scratches. In an automatic processor we can
learn how to keep the rollers clean and because it is automatic it does not have
any of the problems listed above.
The primary advantage is consistency. This is achieved with automatic replenishment
that is only +_ 3% inaccurate for Gorman Rupp Bellows Pumps. It is
achieved with solid state electronic temperature control with inaccuracies of
only +_ 1/4°F in a Du Pont NOT 100 processor or similar unit. It is achieved
with motors, gears, pumps, switches, and thermostats that should last 5 to 10
years.
CONCLUSION
More and more radiographers are buying automatic processors and more important
is the fact that more radiographers are expressing confidence in automatic
processing. Automatic processing is more consistent, it handles higher
film volumes with less mess in a smaller space, it is cost effective. But most
of all, it is more consistent than manual processing. Once this is realized
the next step is check out the costs. But what about the occasinal jam or
roller nark or guide shoe nark? Artifacts such as these will occur occasionally
but are not generic to automatic processing. They are controllable. In
fact, more films will be produced artifact-free than are now possible with the
human manually processing. And improved quality, consistent quality with
improved capacity and reduced costs is attainable only through the modern NOT
radiographie processor.
And, finally, how does one make the transition to automatic processing? By
matching the automatic processing quality to the manual, or if automatic is
superior then adjust techniques. In either case density and contrast are
maintained.
READING
"Radiographic Latent Image Processing" by William E. J. McKinney Section
Seven, ASNT Nondustructive Testing Handbook, Columbus, Ohio, 1982.
WEJM/daw