Arduino controlled X-ray imaging machine

Hi my name is Colin and I want to tell you something about my Arduino controlled X-ray machine.

The plan was to make X-rays out of vintage half wave rectifier vacuum tubes. We used Felix’ 50kV high-voltage generator, and some batteries for the filament. But I knew that the shielding is important, so the first thing I built was an lead-box and lead-cover. For measuring my exposure I use a high quality Geiger-counter.

I placed an intensifying screen in the X-ray beam and made long exposures of it. The results were bad, really bad. We could only generate soft X-rays with and without the filament glowing.

The next step was to buy a better and bigger X-ray tube. So I bought a 100kV X-ray tube. I use the same HV-generator and buck converter as a filament supply. After some test I noticed that the tube is getting warm. So I sealed the lead-box and filled it up with oil. I placed two pc-fans in the oil as convection cooling.

Now I had to write some software to use the X-ray machine as safe as possible. I use an Arduino mega to control relays. The relays switch the cooling-fans, the filament, the High Voltage and trigger the camera.

The Arduino is only controlling the relays and is not timing anything.

For the timing, I use Processing.

Now I am able to take my X-rays safe, because I have enough time to leave the basement.

There are some pics: