System, method, and apparatus for x-ray backscatter inspection of parts

An x-ray backscatter apparatus for non-destructive inspection of a part, the apparatus comprising:

• a vacuum tube;
• an x-ray source, enclosed within the vacuum tube and comprising:
• a cathode that is selectively operable to generate an electron emission having a circular cross-sectional shape;
• an emission shaping mechanism, configured to receive the electron emission from the cathode and adjust a shape of the electron emission from the circular cross-sectional shape into a first elliptical cross-sectional shape;
• and
• an anode, configured to receive the electron emission having the first elliptical cross-sectional shape from the emission shaping mechanism and convert the electron emission into an unfiltered x-ray emission having a second elliptical cross-sectional shape corresponding with the first elliptical cross-sectional shape;
• and
• an x-ray filter, comprising a support ring and a filter ring, wherein:
• the support ring is concentric with and non-movably fixed directly to an exterior of the vacuum tube;
• the filter ring is coupled to the support ring;
• the filter ring has at least one emission aperture;
• the x-ray filter is located relative to the unfiltered x-ray emission to allow only a portion of the unfiltered x-ray emission to pass through the at least one emission aperture and form a filtered x-ray emission;
• the filter ring is rotatable about the anode to move the emission aperture relative to the unfiltered x-ray emission;
• and
• the filter ring is supported by and moves along the support ring and the vacuum tube.

A method of non-destructive inspection of a part, the method comprising steps of:

• generating an electron emission having a circular cross-sectional shape;
• adjusting a shape of the electron emission from the circular cross-sectional shape into a first elliptical cross-sectional shape;
• converting the electron emission into an unfiltered x-ray emission having a second elliptical cross-sectional shape corresponding with the first elliptical cross-sectional shape;
• filtering only a portion of the unfiltered x-ray emission through an emission aperture of a filter ring;
• and
• rotating the filter ring relative to the unfiltered x-ray emission.