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Michael Marchev
06

In developmentCurrent / In Development

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A gantry-based system that automatically sweeps a radiation sensor across Lumafield's CT scanners to detect leaks, replacing the current manual survey process.

Role
Mechanical Technical Lead
Organization
Generate Product Development Studio / Lumafield project
Timeline
Current / In Development
Tools
SOLIDWORKS, Onshape, FDM + SLA prototyping, Linear motion components, Excel
Team
Mechanical, electrical and controls sub-teams at Generate, with Lumafield stakeholders
Project type
Technical Leadership · Automation · Precision Motion Systems · Industrial Equipment · Radiation-Safety Measurement · Experimental Design
CAD model of a rectangular extrusion gantry frame with diagonal bracing standing over a CT scanner, with a carriage on overhead rails and a vertical axis hanging down the scanner's face.
06.0 — GANTRY CADCAD of the gantry around the Neptune scanner: braced frame, rails on each side, and the carriage with its vertical axis.

Specifications

Gantry envelope
≈ 7 ft × 7 ft × 4 ft
Motorized axes
5
Positioning repeatability
2–5 mmtarget
Instrument
Thermo Fisher RadEye G20 survey meter
Subject
Lumafield Neptune industrial X-ray CT scanner
Scan coverage
Automated paths across multiple scanner facestarget
Status
Mechanical design and prototyping in progress

Values marked “target” are design targets for work in development, not validated results.

Focus areas

  • Motion architecture
  • Structural stiffness
  • Repeatability
  • Measurement coverage
  • Serviceability
  • Technical Leadership
  • Automation / Motion Systems
  • Product Development
  • Experimental Design
01

Summary

Lumafield's CT machines must be checked for radiation leaks around their exterior panels to ensure operator and facility safety. Today, this is done by hand: an operator drags a handheld radiation sensor (a Thermo Scientific RadEye) slowly and carefully across every face of the machine, taking readings as they go. This manual sweep takes 30–60 minutes per survey and pulls a trained operator away from higher-value work for a task that is largely repetitive motion.

Generate will design and build an automated gantry system that positions a radiation sensor along the exterior faces of Lumafield's CT scanners to replicate and replace the manual survey process.

Axonometric drawing of the five-axis gantry scannerA technical illustration of a 7 foot by 7 foot by 4 foot gantry frame surrounding an industrial X-ray CT scanner enclosure. A carriage on the top beam carries a vertical arm and a radiation survey meter, and a traced path shows planned scan coverage across the front face of the scanner. A human figure at the left indicates scale.7 FT7 FT4 FTXZYA / B5 FT 10 INSCANNER ENVELOPE
06.1 — AXONOMETRICFrame, scanner envelope, five-axis carriage and traced scan path, with a 5 ft 10 in figure for scale.
02

Role

  • Own the mechanical architecture and design direction.
  • Translate the measurement task into functional requirements, motion envelopes, load cases and mechanical interfaces for the electrical and controls sub-teams.
  • Direct gantry, axis, mechanism, frame and end-effector decisions.
  • Run iterative design reviews and record the reasoning behind decisions.
  • Coordinate mechanical work across the project team.
03

Prototype Demo

  • Y-axis does not have any misalignment / racking
  • RadEye sensor fixtured as end effector
  • Gantry-style frame able to fit Neptune scanner inside
04

Minimum Viable Solution

  • Sensor can sweep along all four side faces while avoiding / scanning protruding features
  • Limit switches mounted to prevent self-collision
  • Cable routing to all axes and end effector to avoid snags during movement
05

Status

In development.

Figures on this page are design targets. No repeatability, coverage or safety performance has been validated yet.

Confidentiality

Proprietary information withheld.

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Open to co-op, internship and project conversations in mechanical design, product development and R&D.

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Boston, MA