After more than 10 years in the field, our Area Sales Manager and DR specialist, Abdallah Rady, still regularly meets inspection teams using film every day. We asked him what really changes when companies make the move to digital radiography, what to look for when choosing a detector, and what advice he would give before a first investment.

What is the first benefit companies notice after moving to digital?

“Time. Not image quality, time.

SCI Control e Inspección has been doing radiography for over 40 years and worked only with film for decades. That meant mobile labs, chemicals, storage and transport. In our latest case study, their director put it simply: today they know straight away if the inspection is good. The operator no longer waits for the film to be developed. If a shot is not right, it is retaken on the spot, not the next day.”

[Want to see how SCI Control e Inspección made the transition from film to digital radiography? Read the full case study.]

What matters most when choosing a detector?

“In the order I would rank them on site:

1) Technology vs. your thickness range

CMOS gives you very fine detail on thin parts. aSi handles higher energies and gamma sources better, so it is usually the choice on thick steel. On larger thicknesses, a bigger pixel often gives a better overall image because it collects more signal. Buy for what you really inspect.

2) Software

People often focus on the detector and forget the software. The detector captures the image, but the software decides if you can use it. It has to be simple enough for operators to get productive quickly. It also needs the right measurement tools (SNR, basic spatial resolution, duplex IQI), clear reporting, and an export format your client accepts, like DICONDE. Ask to see it working on your own parts, with your own procedure.

3) Ruggedness

Ask for the IP rating and the drop test. Rain, mud, scaffolding. A detector needs to keep working in those conditions.

4) Autonomy

Look at real autonomy in use, not on standby. What matters is getting through a full shift on site.”

What advice would you give before a first digital investment?

“Be honest about the scope. Digital does not replace film on 100% of applications. Tight access, small diameters where a rigid panel does not fit, and jobs where the client or code still requires film will bring you back to it. So start where the volume is, not where the demo looks best.

Two things I would not skip:

• Train your operators, because a good detector with a bad technique gives poor results.
• Test on your own real parts before you sign.”

Thinking about moving to digital radiography?