X-ray inspection apparatus, X-ray inspection system, and X-ray inspection method

An X-ray inspection system comprising:

• an X-ray inspection apparatus including:
• a transport unit configured to transport an article;
• an electromagnetic wave irradiation unit configured to irradiate the article with a first electromagnetic wave in a first energy band and a second electromagnetic wave in a second energy band higher than the first energy band;
• and
• an electromagnetic wave sensor configured to detect the first electromagnetic wave and the second electromagnetic wave emitted to the article;
• and
• a controller to which a detection result of the X-ray inspection apparatus is input,
• wherein the controller is configured to:
• generate a first transmission image based on a detection result of the first electromagnetic wave and a second transmission image based on a detection result of the second electromagnetic wave;
• and
• perform, after specifying a gradation corresponding to a largest number of pixels from a luminance distribution related to a background other than the article displayed in the first transmission image and the second transmission image, image processing including a subtraction process on the first transmission image and the second transmission image based on the gradation that has been specified.

An X-ray inspection method comprising:

• irradiating an article which is being transported, with a first electromagnetic wave in a first energy band and a second electromagnetic wave in a second energy band higher than the first energy band;
• generating a first transmission image based on a detection result of the first electromagnetic wave and generating a second transmission image based on a detection result of the second electromagnetic wave;
• performing, after specifying a gradation corresponding to a largest number of pixels from a luminance distribution related to a background other than the article displayed in the first transmission image and the second transmission image, image processing including a subtraction process on the first transmission image and the second transmission image based on the gradation that has been specified;
• and
• determining whether or not a foreign material is included in the article on the basis of a difference image obtained after the performing the image processing.