More Power Density, Faster Inspection, and Improved Resolution with the New High-Density Power (HDP) Target for the 225 kV Microfocus Tube
November 18, 2025
The Comet Yxlon FF35 CT and FF85 CT are well known for their dual-tube design, flexibility, and precision. These advanced systems are used across a broad range of applications—from semiconductor packaging and additive manufacturing to automotive components and materials research—where capturing internal details with speed and accuracy is critical. Now, these systems have reached an exciting new milestone. The 225 kV microfocus directional beam tube, available in both systems, has been upgraded with a new High-Density Power (HDP) Target—delivering a twofold increase in power density while maintaining the same form factor and water-cooled focal-spot stability. The result: faster inspections, finer image detail, and longer-lasting performance.
Why Power Density Matters
In X-ray inspection, throughput and image quality are often at odds. To increase speed, users typically raise the focal range, sacrificing resolution, or increase power on the target, producing more usable X-ray dosage, but potentially degrading the target material over time.
The HDP Target resolves this long-standing challenge. By doubling the available power density while keeping the focal-spot size constant, it generates a higher usable X-ray dose without increasing thermal stress on the target. This means operators can achieve faster scan times at the same resolution or higher image resolution at the same power—without compromise.
Putting the HDP Target to the Test
To verify the improvement, Comet Yxlon’s Application Center was able to work with parts provided by the ISF – Welding and Joining Institute at RWTH Aachen University. A steel-alloy weld sample produced by wire-arc bonding (70 × 80 × 55 mm³) was scanned on an FF35 CT system using the 225 kV tube with both the standard high power target, and the high density power target at identical settings: 200 W and 0.89 mA.
Even at constant power, the HDP Target achieved remarkably higher resolution and detail visibility. Fine grooves and interface connections that appeared blurred in standard scans became crisp and well defined.
Standard Target
HDP Target
Wire-arc bonded steel sample scanned with standard versus HDP Target. The HDP Target reveals sharper weld interfaces at identical power.
Sharper Details in Regions of Interest
When zooming in on a region-of-interest around the grooved connection between the valve and main part body, the difference in clarity is immediately apparent. The HDP Target exposes fine structural boundaries that were previously difficult to resolve, helping engineers detect potential defects such as incomplete joints or material inclusions more efficiently.
In another region containing small metal deposits within a narrow channel, the HDP Target produced a clearer outline of the excess material, enabling more accurate dimensional assessment and improved defect identification.
Standard Target
HDP Target
ROI comparison: the HDP Target resolves the grooved interface with greater precision and contrast.
Standard Target
HDP Target
Enhanced definition of metallic inclusions inside the channel with the HDP Target.
Battery Inspection: Revealing the Finer Details
Battery inspection presents one of the toughest challenges for industrial CT—dense materials, fine electrode layers, and strict time constraints.
To test the HDP Target under these conditions, a battery pack (225 × 110 × 590 mm³) was scanned on an FF35 CT using the 225 kV tube at 218 W and 0.97 mA.
Both the standard and HDP Targets completed scans in roughly 3 hours 45 minutes, but image quality told a different story. The HDP Target produced visibly improved contrast between anodes and cathodes, with clearer delineation of each layer—even at 45 µm voxel resolution.
Standard Target
HDP Target
Standard Target
HDP Target
What This Means for You
With the High-Density Power Target, both FF35 CT and FF85 CT users can achieve:
- Faster scan speeds while maintaining micro-scale resolution
- Sharper images at constant power for improved defect recognition
- Reduced thermal stress on target materials, extending system uptime
- Greater application flexibility—from weld analysis to batteries, electronics, and beyond
The HDP Target enhances every aspect of the inspection workflow, allowing engineers to analyze fine structures faster and more confidently—from research labs to production environments.
See the Difference in Action
Experience the HDP Target firsthand at Formnext, November 18–21 in Frankfurt.
Visit the Comet Yxlon booth # to view live demonstrations and learn how this innovation can accelerate your inspection workflows.
Can’t attend?
Contact our team for a personalized demonstration or to schedule a remote session with your sample data.
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