A method and apparatus for testing a fuse between plastic pipes within a fusion socket performed in the field includes a source of X-ray radiation and a scanning plate that has pixels that change state when exposed to this radiation. The source of the X-ray radiation is positioned on one side of the fuse and the scanning plate is positioned on another side so that the x-ray radiation passes through the fuse. After exposure, the x-ray image from the scanning plate is analyzed visually or algorithmically to find internal voids, weak fuses, and evidence of movement after the plastic of the fitting/pipes melted and flowed together. With such, the quality of the fitting is evident without cutting or otherwise destroying the fitting and, therefore, only weak or otherwise compromised fittings need be cut and redone.

A method for discriminating a polyvinyl alcohol resin film containing a polyvinyl alcohol resin in which all or a part of carbon is derived from bio-derived ethylene from a polyvinyl alcohol resin film containing only a polyvinyl alcohol resin derived only from fossil fuel-derived ethylene by measuring an abundance ratio .sup.14C/C of carbon 14 (.sup.14C) in total carbon.

A PVA film containing PVA that does not increase carbon dioxide existing in the global environment or has a small increase amount even when carbon dioxide is generated by a biodegradation treatment or an incineration treatment. A polyvinyl alcohol resin film having a polyvinyl alcohol resin with an abundance ratio of carbon 14 in total carbon constituting the polyvinyl alcohol resin of 1.0×10.sup.−4 or more. A method for discriminating a polyvinyl alcohol resin film, the method including discriminating a polyvinyl alcohol resin film containing a polyvinyl alcohol resin (Ab) in which at least part of the carbon is derived from bio-derived ethylene.

In the rotation mechanism for an X-ray inspection apparatus, a plurality of adjustment members configured to adjust the shape of an outer race of a bearing by deforming the outer race are arranged in a circumferential direction of the bearing. The adjustment members are movable relative to an adjustment member holder in a diameter direction of the bearing and contactable with an outer circumferential surface of the outer race. A gap S configured to allow deformation of the outer race is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the outer race and the adjustment member holder in the diameter direction of the bearing.

There is provided a technique for non-destructively and relatively easily acquiring orientation information of an anisotropic material even for a large-sized object. An object is irradiated with X-rays in a tangential direction of a curved anisotropic material from a radiation source of a phase-contrast X-ray optical system. A scattering image is then obtained using a detection signal of X-rays having penetrated through the object. Structure information of the anisotropic material is acquired based on the scattering image.

A golf ball comprising layers that have from 0.05% to 70% by weight of a radio-opaque filler, and wherein the concentration of the radio-opaque filler is measurably different in each layer is disclosed herein. The radio-opaque filler is preferably a compound based on barium, bismuth, tungsten, iodine, or reduced iron.

The present invention provides a method of deterioration analysis that enables detailed analysis of the deterioration, especially of the surface, of a polymer material containing at least two diene polymers. The present invention relates to a method of deterioration analysis including: irradiating a polymer material containing at least two diene polymers with high intensity x-rays; and measuring x-ray absorption while varying the energy of the x-rays, to analyze the deterioration of each diene polymer.

A compression moulding machine comprises: an extrusion unit configured to extrude a rod of pasty polymeric material; a cutting element, configured to portion the rod into individual charges; a rotary carousel, including a plurality of moulds, each mould being configured to receive a respective charge and to form a corresponding object from the charge; a feeder, configured to convey each charge to a respective mould at a feed position; an inspecting device, configured to capture inspection data, representing a composition of the rod or of the charges.

The present invention relates to relates to a method of optimizing a plastic composition formed from a plurality of resin feedstocks. A plurality of resin feedstocks are provided. The plurality of resin feedstocks are blended to form the plastic composition. One or more properties of the plastic composition, including radiation absorption, radiation transmission, gas evolution, radiation fluorescence, or melting properties, are measured. The ratio of the plurality of resin feedstocks being blended into the plastic composition is adjusted, based on said measuring, to form an optimized plastic composition. A system for performing the method is also disclosed.

An apparatus (20) for carrying out a quality control on industrial production lines (10), comprising one or more apparatuses (30, 40, 50) for the measurement of properties of a product sample (C) of the aforesaid industrial production lines (10), which supply respective one or more measurement signals, the apparatus (20) comprising a processing module configured for processing the one or more measurement signals and obtaining properties of the product sample (C), the quality control being carried out as a function of said properties of the product sample (C), said one or more apparatuses (30, 40, 50) for the measurement of properties of a product sample (C) comprising: an x-ray fluorescence apparatus (30) that comprises an x-ray source (331), which emits a first x-ray beam (XB, XBC) towards the product sample (C) in a measurement environment, and a particle detector (335), which is configured for receiving a second x-ray beam (XBR) scattered by the product sample (C) and generating a first received signal supplied within the set of said respective one or more measurement signals. The apparatus (20) further comprises an optical-spectroscopy apparatus, preferably operating in the near infrared (40), which comprises a radiation source operating in the near infrared (NIR), which emits a first optleal-radiation beam towards a product sample (C), and an optical sensor for receiving a second optleal-radiation beam scattered by the product sample (C) and generating a second received signal supplied within the set of said respective one or more measurement signals.