Quickly compare your manufactured parts to their original design, inside and out.

Nearly every modern product begins its life as a computer-aided design (CAD) file. The difference between this digital design and the physical finished product is at the heart of the product development process. Innumerable manufacturing variables stand between an engineer’s idea and her factory’s output, and linking these variables to outcomes occupies entire engineering professions.

We’re excited to offer a tool that will give engineers deeper insight into the obstacles that stand between them and their vision: CAD Comparison, which we’re introducing this month, makes it easy to see how a physical object diverges from its original design. CT scans can capture both visible and invisible features in a 3D model; by overlaying a CAD file, we’re able to compute deviation from the design and visualize it using color maps.

CAD Comparison is an essential tool for delivering high-quality molded, cast, and 3D printed parts; it instantly reveals signs of warping and tool wear, making it easy to tune design and manufacturing parameters. It can quickly detect flawed manufacturing steps, highlighting machined and stamped features that are misplaced or missing. And it’s an invaluable tool for failure analysis, pinpointing broken parts and capturing deflection.

Performing CAD Comparison on CT Scans

Running a CAD comparison takes just a few minutes on Lumafield’s accessible industrial CT platform. The process begins with our easy-to-use Neptune CT scanner—a machine designed to work in an ordinary office or workshop environment, equipped with automated scan configuration tools. Lumafield’s cloud-based Voyager analysis software accepts mesh files exported from any CAD software, guides the user through an alignment process, and visualizes the divergence between the CAD file and the scanned part.

The entire process runs in a web browser, taking just minutes to handle analysis that would otherwise require days of imprecise and expensive article inspection. Our CAD Comparison tools accelerate design iterations, reduce scrap, and cut costs; helping designers and engineers make data-driven decisions that go beyond calipers and 2D drawings.

Contact us for a live demo of Lumafield’s CAD Comparison tools.

Cosmetic packaging is carefully designed to transport and and dispense cosmetic products under exactly the right conditions, all while delivering a satisfying user experience. Intricate pumps, multifaceted assemblies, and chemical compounds of varying viscosities need to work together seamlessly to exceed customers’ high expectations.

Though this packaging is often elegant and simple in appearance, a lot can go wrong on the inside. We used our industrial CT scanner to study some of the astonishing mechanisms inside three beauty products. Along the way, we pinpoint flaws that could have been caught with the help of x-ray vision.

This hydrating serum from Drunk Elephant comes in a sleek angular bottle. Instead of a lid, you twist the top, and a pump pops up—ready to deliver the product. CT scans show an intricate snap-fit engagement between the pump casing and bottle, a higher-density metal spring, and threading where the pump screws into the serum reservoir. Unfortunately, this threading is misaligned, and there’s a gap that causes the pump to wobble and not dispense the serum properly. The sizing of the components may need to be adjusted, or the manufacturing process might require review to fix this problem. 

We also scanned a mascara container to determine the source of a noticeable leak. Slicing on both the X and Z planes of our CT scans reveals a clear leak path. It seems the rubber wipers that prevent the brush from picking up too much mascara aren’t fully sealing around the wand, allowing mascara to escape the well and accumulate in the threads, causing further interference.

In our CT scans of this eyebrow pencil, the tight connections between all of the interlocking parts are visible. At one end, we see the metal coil of the spoolie brush. At the other end, we discover the root of this product’s failure. There’s nothing wrong with the assembly that extends and retracts the wax stick, but the stick itself has broken. Just like the graphite in a mechanical pencil, you’d be left hopelessly twisting until the mechanism tightens completely to either extreme.

These are just a few of the ways industrial CT can guide inspection during the quality control stage of product development. Incorporating the insights of CT earlier on in the process, however, can help engineers and designers avoid issues like these before they even arise.

Reach out to our team to learn how Lumafield’s accessible industrial CT technology can work for you.

The following terms and conditions (“Terms”) apply to orders for Company Products, Company Software and/or Services (each, as defined below) from Lumafield Inc., a Delaware corporation, with a place of business at 38 Cameron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140 (“Company”), that are placed by Client via the execution of a Company-issued quotation or order form for such Company Products, Company Software and/or Services (the “Order”).  “Client” refers to the entity identified at the top of the Order. 

The Order and these Terms constitute Company’s offer with respect to the Company Products, the Company Software and any Services identified in the Order. Client accepts this offer by executing the Order. The executed Order and these Terms are a legally binding contract between Company and Client and constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the Company Products, Company Software and Services identified in the Order (the “Agreement”).  Any different or additional terms in a Client purchase order or other Client order documentation are hereby rejected and shall be null and void even if Company effects delivery of the Company Products and/or Company Software or renders Services without further reservation.

1.1 Products. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to provide Client with access to Company’s proprietary CT inspection system composed of hardware and software to provision computed tomography scanning, reconstruction, and viewing and analysis of volumetric data (collectively, the “Company Products”).

(i) Installation. Company shall consign and install at Client’s designated location(s) set forth in the Order, the hardware necessary to operate the Company Products (the “Consigned Hardware”) during the Term. Company shall work with Client to install the Company Products at such designated location(s). Client shall provide reasonable assistance in connection with such installation, including space allocation. Client is responsible for shipping and handling all Company Consigned Hardware to their designated installation location according to the Company’s reasonable shipping & handling instructions. Company will work with transportation providers (i.e., shipper or freight carrier) to provide instructions and pickup coordination as reasonably required. 

(ii) Use of Consigned Hardware. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Company shall at all times retain title to the Consigned Hardware while in the possession of Client and risk of loss of the Consigned Hardware will transfer to Client upon delivery to the designated location(s) and will transfer back to Company when delivered to Company upon the expiration or termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 5.2. During the Term, Client shall not remove the Consigned Hardware from the designated location without the prior written consent of Company, shall keep the Consigned Hardware in substantially the same condition as it was provided to Client (normal wear and tear in connection with use of such Consigned Hardware in accordance with this Agreement excepted), and shall be responsible for any damage to such Consigned Hardware while in the possession of Client (except to the extent caused by the performance by Company of the Services in accordance with Section 1.4 below). Company may, from time to time during the Term at its discretion, replace or substitute the Consigned Hardware with a unit that has substantially similar or upgraded features and functionality. Company shall coordinate the timing of such replacement or upgrade with Client and any such replacement or upgrade shall be at no additional cost to Client.

(i) Licenses. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Company grants to Client a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable right, during the Term, to (a) access and use the software that is installed on the Consigned Hardware and (b) access and use the software made available to Client which is hosted by Company and accessed through Company’s web applications (collectively, the “Company Software”), in each case (1) solely in connection with Client’s use of the Consigned Hardware and (2) solely in accordance with the installation guides, manuals and other documentation made available to Client by Company for use of the Company Products (the “Documentation”).

(ii) Restrictions. Client may not (a) make any part of the Company Software or Client’s logon credentials accessible to anyone other than employees of Client who are authorized to use the Company Products by Company (“Authorized Users”); (b) permit any Authorized Users to use the Company Software except in accordance with the terms of this Agreement; (c) attempt to reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or extract any element of and/or otherwise discover any source code, algorithms, methods, or techniques embodied in the Company Software, except to the extent expressly permitted by applicable law, notwithstanding contractual obligations to the contrary, and then only after (1) Client has notified Company in writing of its intended activities and the information sought and (2) Company fails to provide such information within a reasonable period of time following such notice; (d) modify, transfer, assign, pledge, rent, lease, sell, resell, or create derivative works based on the Company Software or any user interfaces related to the foregoing; (e) hide, tamper, amend, alter, obscure, remove or destroy any proprietary markings or proprietary legends placed upon or contained within the Company Software or any related materials, or any Documentation; (f) introduce code or other items to the Company Software, in a manner that adversely affects the operation of the Company Products, Company Software or other systems; or (g) use the Company Software or Company Products in violation of this Agreement, the Documentation, or applicable law. Although Company has no obligation to monitor Client’s use of the Services, Company may do so and may prohibit any use of the Services it believes may be (or alleged to be) in violation of the foregoing.

(i) Installation and Validation. Company will send staff or agents to provide on-site installation and set-up of the Company Products, conduct a safety survey, and calibrate the Company Products prior to Client’s use of the Company Products.

(ii) Training. Company will provide on-site or remote training for Client employees with respect to the utilization of the Company Products including acquiring, reconstructing and analyzing computed tomography scans.

(iii) Support. Company will provide email support services through a designated email address provided by Company. Emails may be submitted at any time and Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to respond to such emails within one (1) business day after receipt. Additionally, if a support question or issue cannot be resolved by email, Company will make support personnel available via video conference to provide support.

(iv) Maintenance. Company will provide maintenance services to keep the Company Products in good working condition throughout the Term. See Section 6.1 (Limited Warranty) for additional information.

(v) On-site Repairs and Scan Coverage. In the case of a malfunction of a Company Product that cannot be repaired remotely, Company will repair such Company Product on-site, and provided such malfunction is not caused by Client, the repair will be at Company’s sole expense. Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to send a technician to the Company Products’ designated location as soon as possible, but in any case no later than ten (10) business days from Client’s notification of the malfunction. While Client is waiting for the Company Products to be repaired, Client may use Company’s service center to scan its parts at no additional cost. Client will cover roundtrip shipping costs related with shipping the parts to and from Company’s service center.

(all service described in this Section 1.4, collectively, the “Services”).

2.1 Export Restrictions. Client may not remove or export from the United States or allow the export or re-export of the Company Products and Company Software or anything related thereto, or any direct product thereof in violation of any restrictions, laws or regulations of the United States Department of Commerce, the United States Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control, or any other United States or foreign agency or authority. As defined in FAR section 2.101, the Company Software and Documentation are “commercial items” and according to DFAR section 252.2277014(a)(1) and (5) are deemed to be “commercial computer software” and “commercial computer software documentation.” Consistent with DFAR section 227.7202 and FAR section 12.212, any use modification, reproduction, release, performance, display, or disclosure of such commercial computer software or commercial computer software documentation by the United States government will be governed solely by this Agreement and will be prohibited except to the extent expressly permitted by this Agreement.

2.2 Use of Company Products. Client represents, covenants, and warrants that Client will use the Company Products only in compliance with the terms of this Agreement, the then-current Documentation, and all applicable laws and regulations.

2.3 Ancillary Equipment. Client shall be responsible for obtaining and maintaining any equipment and ancillary services needed to connect to, access or otherwise use the Company Products and Company Software, including, without limitation, modems, hardware, servers, software, operating systems, networking, web servers and the like (collectively, “Ancillary Equipment”). Client shall also be responsible for maintaining the security of the Company Products, Company Software, and Ancillary Equipment.

2.4 Account Credentials. Client acknowledges and agrees that, if the necessary functionality is made available as part of the Company Software and/or Company Products, Client shall require each Authorized User to create a user account, including a user name and password, or other logon credentials (collectively, “Logon Credentials”) to access and use the Company Software and Company Products. Each Authorized User is solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of his or her Logon Credentials and for all activities on Company Software and Company Products that occur through the use of such Logon Credentials.

3.1 Proprietary Information. Each party (the “Receiving Party”) understands that the other party (the “Disclosing Party”) has disclosed or may disclose proprietary or non-public information relating to the Disclosing Party’s business, products, services, customers, financials and other information which is marked confidential or should reasonably be understood to be confidential based on the nature of the information (hereinafter referred to as “Proprietary Information” of the Disclosing Party). Proprietary Information of Company includes non-public information regarding features, functionality and performance of the Services, Company Products and Company Software including the source and object code thereto, and any processes, algorithms, methods, and related know-how and residual knowledge developed, created or used by Company or its agents in connection with the performance of the Services, and provision of the Company Products and Company Software. Proprietary Information of Client includes non-public data provided by Client to Company to enable the provision of the Services (“Client Data”). Proprietary Information shall not include data or information which (i) was in the public domain at the time it was disclosed or thereafter falls within the public domain, except through the fault of the Receiving Party; (ii) was known to the Receiving Party at the time of disclosure without an obligation of confidentiality, as evidenced by the Receiving Party's written records; (iii) is disclosed after written approval of the Disclosing Party; (iv) becomes known to the Receiving Party from a source other than the Disclosing Party without an obligation of confidentiality; or (v) is developed by the Receiving Party independently of the Disclosing Party’s Proprietary Information as demonstrated by written records.

3.2 Use and Disclosure of Proprietary Information. Each party agrees to protect the other party’s Proprietary Information in the same manner that it protects its own Proprietary Information of a similar nature but in no event less than a reasonable standard of care. Neither party shall (i) disclose to any unaffiliated third party any Proprietary Information; or (ii) use the Proprietary Information for any purpose other than that indicated in this Agreement without the Disclosing Party’s prior written approval. The Receiving Party agrees to notify the Disclosing Party promptly of any unauthorized disclosure of Proprietary Information and to assist the Receiving Party in remedying any such unauthorized disclosure. The Receiving Party agrees that all persons having access to Proprietary Information under this Agreement will abide by the obligations set forth in this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to restrict the parties from disclosing Proprietary Information as required by law or court order or other governmental order or request, in each case, provided, that the party requested to make such disclosure shall timely inform the other party and use all reasonable efforts to limit the disclosure and maintain the confidentiality of such Proprietary Information to the extent possible. In addition, the party required to make such disclosure shall permit the other party to attempt to limit such disclosure by appropriate legal means. All Proprietary Information disclosed hereunder shall remain the sole property of the Disclosing Party and the Receiving Party shall have no interest therein or rights with respect thereto except as expressly set forth in this Agreement.

3.3 Survival. The provisions in this Section 3 shall survive for five (5) years after termination or expiration of this Agreement, except that, with respect to any Proprietary Information that constitutes a trade secret as defined under applicable law, the Receiving Party will continue to be bound by its obligations under this Section 3 for so long as such information continues to be eligible for trade secret protection under applicable law, but in no event for a period of less than the five (5) year period specified immediately above.

(i) Client Data. Client shall own all right, title and interest in and to the Client Data. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, Company shall have the right to collect and analyze data and other information relating to the provision, use and performance of various aspects of the Services, Company Products and Company Software and related systems and technologies (including, without limitation, information concerning Client Data and data derived therefrom), and Company will be free (during and after the Term) to (a) use such data and information to improve and enhance the Services, Company Products and Company Software and for other development, diagnostic and corrective purposes in connection with the Services, Company Products and other Company offerings, and (b) disclose such data and information solely in aggregate or other de-identified form in connection with its business. No rights or licenses to the Client Data are granted except as expressly set forth herein. 

(ii) Company Products and Company Software. As between the parties, Company retains all rights, title, and interest (including all intellectual property rights and other rights) in and to the Services, the Company Products and the Company Software, including any updates of any of the foregoing, and except for the licenses expressly set forth herein, no other rights, title or licenses in or to any intellectual property of Company, whether express or implied, is granted or conveyed under this Agreement.

(iii) Feedback. If Client elects to provide any feedback or comments to Company related to the Services, Company Products or Company Software (“Feedback”), all Feedback shall be the sole and exclusive property of Company, and Company shall have the right to use and disclose such Feedback in any manner and for any purpose in Company’s discretion without remuneration, compensation or attribution, provided that Company is under no obligation to use such Feedback.

4.1 Fees. Client will pay Company the applicable fees described in the Order in accordance with the terms therein (the “Fees”). If Client’s use of the Services, Company Products or Company Software exceeds the capacity set forth on the Order or otherwise requires the payment of additional fees or charges (per the terms of this Agreement), Client shall be billed for such usage and Client agrees to pay such additional fees or charges in the manner provided herein. Company reserves the right to change the Fees or applicable charges and to institute new fees and/or charges at the end of the Initial Term or then current Renewal Term (each such term as defined below), upon thirty (30) days’ prior notice to Client (which may be sent by email). If Client in good faith believes that Company has billed Client incorrectly, Client must contact Company no later than sixty (60) days after the closing date on the first billing statement in which the error or problem appeared, in order to request an adjustment or credit. Inquiries should be directed to Company’s Client support department.

4.2 Payment. Company may choose to bill through an invoice, in which case, full payment for each invoice issued in any given month must be received by Company ten (10) days after the mailing date of the applicable invoice. Unpaid amounts are subject to a finance charge of one and a half percent (1.5%) per month on any outstanding balance, or the maximum permitted by law, whichever is lower, plus all expenses of collection and may result in immediate suspension or termination of the Services.

4.3 Taxes. Unless otherwise stated, the Fees do not include any taxes, levies, duties or similar governmental assessments of any nature, including but not limited to value-added, sales, use, or withholding taxes, assessable by any local, state, provincial, federal, or foreign jurisdiction (collectively, “Taxes”). Client is responsible for paying all Taxes associated with its purchase of Services, Company Products and Company Software hereunder. If Company has the legal obligation to pay or collect Taxes for which Client is responsible under this paragraph, the appropriate amount shall be invoiced to and paid by Client, unless Client provides Company with a valid tax exemption certificate authorized by the appropriate taxing authority. For clarity, Company is solely responsible for taxes assessable against it based on Company’s income, property, and employees.

5.1 Term. Subject to earlier termination as provided below, this Agreement shall remain in force for the initial term specified in the Order (the “Initial Term”), and shall be automatically renewed for additional periods of the same duration as the Initial Term (each, a “Renewal Term” and collectively, the “Term”), unless either party provides notice of termination of this Agreement at least thirty (30) days prior to the end of the then-current Initial Term or Renewal Term, as applicable.

5.2 Termination. In addition to any other remedies it may have, either party may also terminate this Agreement upon thirty (30) days’ notice (or without notice in the case of nonpayment by Client), if the other party materially breaches any of the terms or conditions of this Agreement.

5.3 Effect of Termination. In the event of any termination or expiration of this Agreement, Client will pay in full for all Services and use of the Company Software and Company Products up to and including the last day on which such are provided. Upon any termination, Company will make all Client Data available to Client for electronic retrieval for a period of thirty (30) days, but thereafter Company may, but is not obligated to, delete stored Client Data. Upon any termination or expiration of this Agreement, Client must promptly return the Consigned Equipment in accordance with the instructions of Company. Client is responsible for the return of all hardware consigned to Client by Company to a domestic location of Company’s choice. Client will ship and handle the Company consigned hardware according to the Company’s reasonable shipping & handling instructions, all Company consigned hardware must be returned in the same condition as received (allowing for normal wear and tear).

5.4 Survival. All sections of this Agreement which by their nature should survive termination will survive termination, including, without limitation, accrued rights to payment, confidentiality obligations, intellectual property rights, warranty disclaimers, and limitations of liability.

6.1 Limited Warranty. During the Term, Company warrants that the Company Products and Company Software will function substantially in accordance with its written specifications and Documentation. In the event of a breach of Company’s warranty in this Section 6.1, Company agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Company Products and/or Company Software to function in substantial accordance with its specifications and Documentation. If Company notifies Client that it is unable to remedy any material breach of this warranty, Client or Company shall have the right to terminate this Agreement, and, upon such termination, Company will refund to Client a pro rata portion of any Fees that Client prepaid based on the remaining unused portion of the Term. For any breach of the warranty above, Client’s sole and exclusive remedy, and Company’s sole liability, shall be as provided in this Section 6.1.

6.2 Disclaimer. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN SECTION 6.1, THE COMPANY PRODUCTS, COMPANY SOFTWARE AND SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER THIS AGREEMENT ARE PROVIDED “AS IS”, “AS-AVAILABLE”, AND WITH ALL FAULTS, AND COMPANY MAKES NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES AND/OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY, OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY, OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OF ACCURACY AND NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS, AND ANY WARRANTIES THAT MAY ARISE FROM COURSE OF DEALING, COURSE OF PERFORMANCE OR USAGE OF TRADE. NO ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY COMPANY OR ITS REPRESENTATIVES SHALL CREATE A WARRANTY. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN SECTION 6.1, CLIENT’S USE OF THE SERVICES, COMPANY PRODUCTS AND COMPANY SOFTWARE IS ENTIRELY AT CLIENT’S OWN RISK AND THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO SATISFACTORY QUALITY, PERFORMANCE, ACCURACY AND EFFORT IS WITH CLIENT. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR LIMITATIONS ON APPLICABLE STATUTORY RIGHTS OF A CONSUMER, SO THE ABOVE EXCLUSION AND LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO CLIENT.

7.1 Indemnification by Company. Company hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Client against any damages, losses, liabilities, settlements and expenses (including, without limitation, costs and attorneys’ fees) in connection with any third party claim or action alleging that the Company Products and Company Software infringe any United States patent or any copyright or misappropriate any trade secret, provided, that Company is promptly notified of any and all threats, claims and proceedings related thereto and given reasonable assistance and the opportunity to assume sole control over any defense and settlement thereof. Company will not be responsible for any settlement it does not approve in writing. The foregoing obligations do not apply (i) with respect to portions or components of the Company Products and Company Software that are (a) not supplied by Company, (b) made in whole or in part in accordance with Client specifications, (c) modified after delivery by Company, or (d) combined with other products, processes or materials where the alleged infringement relates to such combination, (ii) where Client continues allegedly infringing activity after being notified thereof or after being informed of modifications that would have avoided the alleged infringement, or (iii) where Client’s use of the Company Products and Company Software is not strictly in accordance with this Agreement. If, due to a claim of infringement, the Company Products or Company Software are held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be or are believed by Company to be infringing, Company may, at its option and expense (1) replace or modify the Company Product or Company Software to be non-infringing provided that such replacement or modified Company Product or Company Software contains substantially similar features and functionality, (2) obtain for Client a license to continue using the Company Product and/or Company Software, or (3) if neither of the foregoing is commercially practicable, terminate this Agreement and Client’s rights hereunder and provide Client a refund of any prepaid, unused fees.

7.2 Indemnification by Client. Client hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Company against any damages, losses, liabilities, settlements and expenses (including, without limitation, costs and attorneys’ fees) in connection with any claim or action that arises from (i) an alleged violation of applicable law or regulation in connection with this Agreement and/or (ii) Client’s use of the Services, Company Products or Company Software in violation of this Agreement, provided that Client is promptly notified of any and all threats, claims and proceedings related thereto and given reasonable assistance and the opportunity to assume sole control over any defense and settlement thereof. Client will not be responsible for any settlement it does not approve in writing.

EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THE FOLLOWING LIMITATION OF LIABILITY IS PROHIBITED BY LAW, COMPANY’S TOTAL LIABILITY TO CLIENT SHALL BE LIMITED TO DIRECT DAMAGES SUSTAINED BY CLIENT UP TO A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF THE FEES PAID BY CLIENT TO COMPANY UNDER THIS AGREEMENT FOR THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACTION GIVING RISE TO SUCH LIABILITY; PROVIDED THAT, REGARDLESS OF ANY STATUTE OR LAW, NO CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION, REGARDLESS OF FORM, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE BROUGHT BY CLIENT MORE THAN TWELVE (12) MONTHS AFTER THE FACTS GIVING RISE TO THE APPLICABLE CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION HAVE OCCURRED, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THOSE FACTS BY THAT TIME ARE KNOWN TO, OR REASONABLY OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED BY, CLIENT; FURTHERMORE, NEITHER COMPANY NOR ANY OF ITS SUPPLIERS OR LICENSORS SHALL BE LIABLE TO CLIENT FOR PERSONAL INJURY, OR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE, OR OTHER DAMAGES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OR INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF DATA, LOSS OF GOODWILL OR LOST PROFITS), UNDER ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHER THEORY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING IN ANY WAY TO THIS AGREEMENT EVEN IF COMPANY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE RISK OF SUCH DAMAGES.  SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR PERSONAL INJURY, OR FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THIS LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO CLIENT.  THE FOREGOING LIMITATIONS WILL APPLY EVEN IF THE ABOVE STATED REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.  THE PARTIES ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY IN THIS SECTION 8 AND IN THE OTHER PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE ALLOCATION OF RISK HEREIN ARE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE BARGAIN BETWEEN THE PARTIES, WITHOUT WHICH EACH PARTY WOULD NOT HAVE ENTERED INTO THIS AGREEMENT. 

9.1 Governing Law. This Agreement and all matters arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts without giving effect to any conflict of laws provisions. This Agreement shall not be governed by the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sales of Goods, the application of which is expressly excluded. Each party hereby irrevocably consents to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the state and federal courts located in Boston, Massachusetts in connection with any claim, action, suit, or proceeding relating to this Agreement, except that either party may seek injunctive, equitable or similar relief from any court of competent jurisdiction.

9.3 Severability and Waiver. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, invalid, or otherwise unenforceable, such provision will be enforced to the extent possible consistent with the stated intention of the parties, or, if incapable of such enforcement, will be deemed to be severed and deleted from this Agreement, while the remainder of this Agreement will continue in full force and effect. The waiver by either party of any default or breach of this Agreement will not constitute a waiver of any other or subsequent default or breach.

9.4 Assignment. Client may not assign, sell, transfer, delegate, or otherwise dispose of, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, by operation of law or otherwise, this Agreement or any rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of Company which may be withheld at Company’s discretion. Any purported assignment, transfer or delegation by Client shall be null and void. Company shall have the right to assign Agreement without Client’s consent and without prior notice to Client. Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns.

9.5 Independent Contractor. Company’s relationship with Client will be that of an independent contractor. It is agreed and understood that neither party is the agent, representative, nor partner of the other and neither party has any authority or power to bind or contract in the name of or to create any liability against the other in any way or for any purpose pursuant to this Agreement. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to give either party the power to direct and control the day-to-day activities of the other, constitute the parties as partners, joint venturers, principal and agent, employer and employee, co-owners, or otherwise as participants in a joint undertaking, or allow either party to create or assume any obligation on behalf of the other party for any purpose whatsoever.

9.6 Entire Agreement. This Agreement is the final, complete, and exclusive agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous communications and understandings between the parties, and any conflicting, different or additional terms in a Client purchase order or other Client documentation are hereby rejected and shall be null and void even if Company effects delivery of the Company Products and/or Company Software or renders Services without further reservation. To the extent of a conflict between these terms and conditions of these Terms and the terms and conditions set out in the Order, the terms and conditions of the Order shall control.  

9.7 Notices. All notices under this Agreement will be in writing to the address listed above or to sales@lumafield.com (in the case of Company) or the physical or e-mail address listed in the Order (in the case of Client) and will be deemed to have been duly given when received, if personally delivered; when receipt is electronically confirmed, if transmitted by e-mail; the day after sending, if sent for next day delivery by recognized overnight delivery service; and upon receipt, if sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.

9.8 Force Majeure. Company shall not have any liability or responsibility for failure to fulfill any obligation under this Agreement so long as and to the extent to which the fulfillment of such obligation is prevented, frustrated, hindered or delayed as a consequence of circumstances of acts of God or any other cause beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, strikes, riots, acts of war, epidemics, pandemics, material shortages, restricting legislation, embargo, blockage, work stoppage or major outage of a public communications carrier.

9.9 Amendment. Company may, from time to time, amend these Terms by posting the amended Terms on Company’s website, and such amended Terms will apply to Company Products, Company Software and Services ordered pursuant to Orders executed after the posting date (i.e., the “Last Updated” date). For clarity, Client’s ongoing receipt of Company Products, Company Software and Services will remain subject to the version of the Terms that were in effect at the time the Order for such Company Products, Company Software and Services was executed by the parties. If the Company desires to amend these Terms with respect to the ongoing receipt of Company Products, Company Software and Services, Company may do so upon written notice to Client; provided, however, that if any such amendment materially and adversely modifies Client’s rights and obligations with respect to the Company Products, Company  Software or Services, Client may provide written notice to Company that Client desires to terminate its relationship with Company, and Company will provide the Client with a pro-rata refund of any pre-paid Fees attributable to the period of time for which Company Products, Company Software and/or Services are not used by Client due to the termination. Except as expressly permitted in this Section 9.9, as between Company and Client, this Agreement may be amended only by (i) a written agreement signed by authorized representatives of each of Company and Client or (ii) a waiver in accordance with Section 9.3.

9.10 Effectiveness. This Agreement shall be effective as of the date on which the applicable Order is executed by each of Company and Client. The Order may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile transmission or electronic mail in portable document format) in one or more counterparts, and by Company and Client in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

Batteries and electronics are more important than ever before. They’ve already fueled the mobile revolution, and now they’re poised to transform the transportation industry and the power grid. With Lumafield's Neptune CT scanner and Voyager analysis software, it's fast and easy to inspect batteries, assemblies, BGA circuits, and wiring without destroying prototypes and products.

Inspect batteries before they go out to consumers, and stop invisible problems from becoming full-blown disasters.

Easily identify bad coils, faulty pads, and solder defects before shipping your product to prevent hazardous and costly recalls.

Clearly visualize the interaction between electronic components and the enclosures and fasteners around them. Resolve conflicts and improve ventilation.

When you think skiing, you think snow, jackets, boots, and—of course—skis. But this list leaves out perhaps the most important factor in the equation: ski bindings. Bindings have been so deeply integrated into the experience of skiing that we hardly pay any attention to them. Industrial CT scans show just how much bindings have evolved from the simple leather straps that first held skiers’ boots in place.

Modern ski bindings could be considered a communication technology, translating the skier’s physical inputs into control of the skis. But today’s ski bindings go far beyond the functions of connecting and steering. The process of disconnecting now takes precedence. Ski bindings have become vital safety devices, carefully engineered to quickly detach boots from skis in the event of a mishap. They reduce the likelihood of injury by interrupting a crash in progress, allowing the skier to (hopefully) land safely in the snow. 

Isolating the metal components in our scan of the front of a ski binding, the first thing you notice is the large toe DIN adjustment screw. DIN is an abbreviation for Deutsches Institut für Normung, the German Institute for Standardization, and it represents the scale of industry standard release force settings on ski bindings. Usually a technician at a ski shop will set this according to weight, height, experience, and boot specifications. The screws on both the front and back bindings allow skiers to personalize the tension level for ease of release. Visual indicators show the settings as you tighten or loosen the screws. 

Another key feature of the front binding is the AFD (Anti Friction Device) on the base of the binding, which minimizes friction as the boot and binding move side-to-side. With a dense, tightly-coiled spring, the AFD directs lateral force into the toe cup rather than the binding’s base. This makes the release of the boot from the toe cup easier, ensuring that it slides sideways in response to a twisting force.

The back binding, meanwhile, releases the boot upwards in response to a forward force. In the CT scans, you can see the two arms of the brakes engage at the same time as the upward release mechanism to catch in the snow and stop the ski in its tracks. And when the boot snaps back into the binding, the brakes lift from the snow for unimpeded skiing. 

There’s also another prominent DIN adjustment screw in the heel, and below that lies a smaller heel track adjustment screw that can move the entire housing and heel cup forward or backward.

These ultralight construction bindings have a low profile that puts the skier closer to the snow, improves feel for the terrain, and makes for highly responsive and reliable equipment.

Introduction to the Lumafield Neptune CT Scanner: Size, Installation, and Safety

Setting up a CT Scan with the Lumafield Neptune

Orienting and Fixturing Parts for CT Scanning

Sign up for a free Voyager account, and get instant access to real CT data.

Creating Custom Views and Regions of Interest

Using Linear and Radial Measurements with CT Scans

Learn how to get started with X-ray computed tomography using Lumafield's Neptune CT scanner and Voyager analysis software

CT 101: Introduction to Computed Tomography with Lumafield

Medical devices need to perform perfectly every time. When they don’t, they put lives at risk and trigger recalls that cost manufacturers over $5 billion annually. Industrial CT accelerates medical device product development, helps you fine-tune your manufacturing processes, and allows you to ship with peace of mind. 

Inspect O-rings, confirm thread engagement, and pinpoint leaks in situ, while critical seals are engaged.

Investigate mechanical issues, such as misalignment, breakages, spring deformation, and faulty parts.

Use advanced dimensioning tools to take precise internal measurements of hard-to-reach components.

Industrial CT gives engineers the power to look inside complex products without disassembling them or cutting them open. Compared to conventional destructive testing methods, CT can be faster, less expensive, and more repeatable, and it’s ideal for inspecting features that are only present in assembled products, like component alignment, spring deformation, and adhesive distribution.

Catch invisible, internal errors with CT inspection before they’re replicated in manufacturing.

Verify minimum clearance distances between critical parts of your assembly.

Ensure that all interlocking parts of your complex devices fit together as intended.

Industrial CT lets engineers see their work in tremendous detail, both inside and out. Lumafield's Neptune scanner and Voyager visualization software solve critical problems in a range of industries and allow you to take product development to the next level.

Inspect batteries, assemblies, circuits, and wiring without destroying prototypes.

Accelerate medical device product development and fine-tune your manufacturing processes.

Scan assembled consumer packaging to inspect seals, snap fits, and material integrity in situ.

Save time and cost while breaking new ground on performance athletic equipment.

Take control of your automotive supply chain and adopt new technologies with confidence.

Cross-section samples and automatically identify manufacturing flaws.

Design and engineering are at the center of many of today’s most salient news stories. In order to tell those stories effectively, journalists are increasingly turning to sophisticated visual storytelling tools like industrial CT.

Lumafield is proud to work with journalists who want to enrich their stories with compelling visualizations that reveal the hidden complexity of the world around us. Here’s a look at how three prominent storytellers have used Lumafield industrial CT scans to communicate effectively with their audiences.

If you’re a journalist interested in using industrial CT scans in your work, contact us at press@lumafield.com.

Lumafield has worked with the Financial Times on two major investigations. In January 2022, we helped reporter Alexandra Heal and the FT’s Visual Storytelling Team, led by Sam Joiner, look inside wireless earbuds as they explained the scale of our electronic waste problem.

In March 2023, we helped the same team look inside disposable vape pens–a major new source of e-waste. Each of the electronic cigarettes we scanned turned out to have a large lithium ion battery destined for a landfill after just a few days of use. Our scans of the Elf Bar, Crave Bar, and Luto disposable vapes are accessible to the public as demo scans in our Voyager software.

Sean Hollister, Senior Editor at The Verge, used Lumafield scans to look inside a dozen consumer electronics, including icons like a Polaroid camera, Apple pencil, and Palm Pilot.

In addition to a large-scale written feature on Lumafield’s scans, the video team at The Verge has produced a series of social media videos for Instagram and TikTok that use our scans to explain the inner workings of these familiar devices.

We’ve worked with Adam Savage and Norman Chan on a series of videos that use our technology to look inside the curiosities in Adam’s workshop. In June 2022, we scanned our first batch of Tested objects, starting with a Curta mechanical calculator, a giant Gundam figurine, and Adam’s aluminum foil ball–an object he spent an entire episode wishing he could see inside.

Since then, we’ve helped the Tested team look inside Adam’s collection of vintage vacuum tubes, an animatronic crow that served as a prop in Hansel and Gretel, and Buster, the legendary crash test dummy from Mythbusters.

Are you a journalist interested in using CT to tell powerful visual stories? Contact us at press@lumafield.com.

Industrial CT is a powerful tool for telling rich stories about design, engineering, and technology.

Journalistic storytelling with industrial CT

Today, there are almost 300 million cars in the United States, and automotive manufacturers are constantly pushing the envelope to make transportation more sustainable, easier to use, and safer. 

Modern automotive components have to perform perfectly throughout tens of thousands of cycles over the course of their lifetimes. A single design or manufacturing defect could have disastrous results, injuring passengers and triggering costly recalls.

These defects are often outwardly invisible, but industrial CT technology makes it easy to find them. An unparalleled diagnostic tool, industrial CT allows engineers to take full control of the product development and manufacturing processes of their automotive components.

In this webinar, Lumafield Co-Founder and Head of Research & Development Dr. Kevin Cedrone walks through the design of four familiar car parts and pinpoints common defects using insights gained from industrial CT scans.

Industrial CT works according to the same principles as medical CT. Instead of the X-ray source and detector rotating around the patient, Lumafield’s Neptune industrial CT scanner reverses this form factor and rotates the object. This generates a series of two-dimensional radiographs—the black and white images familiar from traditional X-rays. Lumafield’s browser-based Voyager software then reconstructs these radiographs into a three-dimensional model, capturing both internal and external details that can be visualized in a number of ways. 

For the automotive industry, CT scanning is unmatched for non-destructive testing (NDT) of critical parts such as airbags, engine piston heads, and plastic components. CT scanning allows for quick detection of internal defects and imperfections in these parts, such as cracks, porosity, and voids, which are not easily visible to the naked eye or traditional inspection techniques. In the February 2023 Scan of the Month and this webinar, we measure the porosity of an injection-molded fuel cap. This helps manufacturers to ensure the quality and reliability of their products, reducing the risk of failure or recalls.

CT scanning also unlocks dimensional analysis and reverse engineering of automotive parts, processes where accurate measurements of complex geometries prove absolutely essential. Not only can the 3D visualization be used to generate CAD models for further examination, Voyager’s CAD Comparison tools makes it easy to see how a physical object diverges from its original design. CAD Comparison instantly reveals signs of warping and tool wear, making it easy to tune manufacturing parameters. It can quickly highlight machined and stamped features that are misplaced or missing. And it’s an invaluable tool for failure analysis, pinpointing broken parts and capturing deflection.

Industrial CT scanning plays a crucial role in improving the quality, reliability, and performance of automotive parts and components, while also enabling faster and more accurate analysis and design.

Webinar: Inspecting automotive components with industrial CT

Industrial CT solves a wide range of design and manufacturing challenges in consumer packaging, allowing you to fine-tune your designs and ship products with confidence. Find tooling errors and undesired voids. Scan assembled products to inspect seals, snap fits, and material integrity in situ.

Identify and correct problems with part fit and interaction that lead to malfunctions and leaks.

Pinpoint voids, pores, and inclusions in your plastic or metal packaging to prevent recalls.

Detect leaks, inspect O-rings, and evaluate thread engagement while seals are engaged.

Lumafield’s Voyager software offers advanced dimensioning tools that allow you to take measurements of small and impossible-to-reach internal parts. Use CAD Comparison to investigate deviations from your original design. Scan-to-scan comparison makes it easy to analyze manufacturing performance across batches.

Upload and overlay your CAD file to compare parts to your original designs.

Check a product's internal dimensions that are inaccessible to traditional measurement techniques.

Compare one scan with another to detect drift and ensure consistent production.

Industrial CT gives engineers the power to identify and fix a wide variety of problems that would otherwise be hidden. Compared to conventional destructive testing methods, CT can be faster, less expensive, and more repeatable. It also offers deeper insights by making it possible to cross-section a single sample on multiple planes, and it can automatically identify manufacturing flaws like voids and pores.

Find pores, voids, and cracks before they lead to part failures. Tune casting and molding processes to guarantee material integrity.

Ensure your product adheres to the highest standards of quality by identifying and correcting failures early on.

Use CAD comparison to evaluate parts against your original designs. Inspect at high volumes using automated check gauges.

In everything from consumer packaging to medical devices, the integrity of seals is paramount to product performance. With industrial CT, you can pinpoint leaks in situ and quickly identify their source. 

Catch design and manufacturing problems like poorly-sized gaskets without disassembly.

Analyze thread engagement to reduce spoilage and returns by identifying misaligned, poor fitting, and broken internal components.

Determine leak sources and work backwards to iterate on your prototype.

Ensure your product’s material integrity with Lumafield’s automated analysis tools. Industrial CT offers deeper insights than conventional destructive testing by making it possible to cross-section a single sample on multiple planes. Lumafield helps you save time and reduce scrap with powerful automated tools that identify voids, pores, inclusions, and welding flaws.

Locate unwanted contaminants in your parts with Lumafield’s automated material integrity tools.

Find invisible cracks by reviewing cross-sections of your parts–without cutting them open.

Detect voids and pores that compromise material integrity and lead to part failures.

New manufacturing technologies require new inspection methods to make sure you’re delivering parts that will perform. Lumafield’s CT platform gives you the tools to validate, characterize, and manage new manufacturing processes and ensure that they meet your requirements.

Easily examine invisible features of lattices and internal channels in high performance geometries.

Fine-tune your designs with advanced materials like carbon fiber and titanium. Perform impact testing and check material integrity.

Push the limits of your designs, then investigate wear patterns, material friction, and mobility challenges without slicing your product in half.

Consumer expectations for athletic equipment have never been higher. In every sport from golf and tennis to football and ice hockey, equipment manufacturers are turning to advanced design and fabrication technologies to give their customers an edge. With industrial CT, engineers working on performance athletic equipment can examine intact prototypes and share scans with coworkers and suppliers, saving time and cost while breaking new ground with their products.

Push the limits on advanced materials like carbon fiber and titanium. Automatically find pores, voids, and cracks, and assess product performance in extreme conditions.

Investigate wear patterns and material interaction without slicing your product in half.

Verify the construction of complex assemblies and ship high-performance products that meet and exceed expectations.

Do you recognize this object from a CT scan? You probably have one in your purse or wallet right now. The chip and outline give it away: it’s a contactless credit card. 

Contactless payment is powered by RFID (Radio-frequency identification) technology and near-field communication (NFC). When you hold your card close—usually a few inches or so—to a card reader, its antenna picks up a signal and activates the chip. 

This antenna is the thin copper wire you see in the CT scan that traces three of the card’s sides before coiling around the dual-interface EMV (Europay, Mastercard and Visa) chip. This small network is sandwiched between two exterior sheets of plastic laminated together. Since the antenna covers most of the card’s area, it’s possible that any part of it can actually pick up the frequency—not just the chip as many of us think!

Once activated, the chip generates a one-time cryptographic code and sends it along with your payment information through electromagnetic waves to initiate a transaction. The card reader answers by transmitting this data to the card processing network—for this card, VISA. The network runs a quick fraud screening, and if everything checks out, it pushes the request to the card issuer itself. 

After clearing a few more security hurdles, the card issuer greenlights the transaction and notifies the point-of-sale card reader. This all happens in a matter of seconds, making tap to pay up to ten times faster and more secure than inserting the chip or swiping your card.

Industrial CT helps automotive manufacturers optimize their designs and adopt new technologies with confidence. Take control of your supply chain with quantitative analysis tools like automated porosity detection and digital check gauges to quickly identify parts that don’t meet requirements. Lumafield industrial CT also gives you a powerful new tool to inspect EV batteries at high volume, making it possible to catch invisible flaws before they trigger costly recalls.

Investigate component misalignments and track down missteps on your assembly line.

Take precise internal measurements to confirm that your manufactured parts match design specifications.

Detect and correct invisible welding flaws, voids, and pores to prevent product failure.

Nespresso’s mission has always been to allow anyone to make great coffee without the skills of a barista. But first, they had to figure out the secret to the perfect shot of espresso. Back in 1975, its founder Éric Favre interrogated a barista at Rome’s famous Caffè Sant’Eustachio, asking what they were doing differently to make Italians and tourists alike line up around the block for their coffee. The key turned out to be aeration; the baristas would pump the piston several times in quick succession instead of just the usual once. This brought out the flavors and aromas of the ground coffee beans and ensured a frothy crema on top. Favre’s initial prototype aimed to maximize the air in both the capsule and the water that would pass through it.

Nespresso’s best selling machine of all time is the top-loading Essenza, released in 2004. This holiday season, everyone has the sleek new Essenza Mini on their wishlists. Favre’s original design lives on in this model, and our CT scans illuminate the components of the all-important vibratory pump that injects pressurized hot water into the pod. An electromagnet switches poles 60 times per second, pushing a spring-loaded piston back and forth.

After you load the pod and bring the metal lever down, a sharply pointed spout pierces one end of it, while a waffle-shaped stamp cuts a cross hatch into the foil seal. This extraction chamber is where the magic happens and the espresso develops its character.

We featured the Nespresso Essenza Mini in our 2022 Holiday Gift Guide. Check out CT scans of the other gifts here!

Inside the Nespresso Essenza Mini with CT scans

Everyone needs a printout occasionally. You rush to the office printer to pick it up, only to find that dreaded message: Replace Toner. But should we take the printer’s word for it? Lumafield’s Neptune industrial CT scanner says otherwise.

We grabbed a low toner cartridge from our office printer and popped it into our Neptune scanner. We did the same to a brand new one for comparison. What we found shocked us: not only was the empty one not really empty, but the full cartridge was far from full!

With the help of the automated measurements tool in Voyager—our browser-based industrial CT analysis software—we found that right out of the box, only about 20% of the space inside the cartridge reservoir is occupied by toner. A cartridge deemed "empty" by the printer has only slightly less toner, about 15%. That 5% range seems to represent the entire capacity of the cartridge. But what exactly is inside? 

Whereas inkjet printers spray small drops of liquid ink onto paper, laser printers operate using plastics, electricity, and heat. They project an electrostatic charge onto a printing drum in the pattern of the images or text in the document. Each toner cartridge contains finely granulated plastic powder, which holds a static charge and clings to the oppositely-charged drum. The empty space in the cartridge hopper that we observed in our CT scans may be necessary for this powder distribution step of the process.

Finally, the printing drum transfers the powder to the paper, then hot fuser rolls melt and set it into place.  Remember the warmth of a freshly photocopied page? This process is known as xerography, where Xerox got its name. Even now, a stack hot off the laser printer briefly retains the fuser roll’s heat.

CT scans are able to distinguish materials of different density. As we adjust our visualization in Voyager to isolate only denser materials, the toner powder disappears quickly; it's mostly made of polyester and is much less dense than the cartridge's housing. After we completely exclude the toner, a very small amount of denser powder remains in the visualization. This could be a toner additive or a ferrous developer powder that helps distribute the toner.

Our CT scans transform the toner cartridge into an hourglass, showing powder settled like sand that tells you how much time is left before a replacement is needed. At the same time, we discover why the familiar home remedy of shaking your toner cartridge actually works in bringing it back to life. Once you redistribute the powder, the sensor will see that it’s not quite empty, and you’ll also be able to squeeze a few more pages out of it.

This is just one example of the constantly-expanding applications for industrial CT technology. Engineers at top companies use Lumafield’s Neptune scanner to gain insight into their manufacturing workflows at every stage from research and development to assembly inspection and validation. 

You can explore these and other scans in detail on Voyager. Reach out to our team to learn how Lumafield’s accessible industrial CT technology can work for you.

Speak with an expert to learn how industrial CT can help you improve your product development process and take control of your manufacturing.

Is this toner cartridge half empty or half full?

We’ve all wished our coffee would stay warmer for longer, but the Ember mug takes that dream to a whole new level. Not only does it keep your drink hot, you can set the exact temperature you want using an app on your phone. An LED light will show you when the mug has reached its target temperature, and then the mug can maintain it for up to an hour and half on a single charge (or all day, when sitting on its charging coaster). And once you’re done sipping, you can just pop it into the dishwasher; it’s even safe to submerge in up to three feet of water. With a CT scanner, we can see the impressive electronics that make the Ember Mug so intuitive.

At its base, there are two inductive charging rings that transfer energy from the coaster to the batteries via the circuit board in between.

Two lithium-ion batteries link directly to the heating element that runs along the bottom circumference of the mug. This ring is cleverly embedded in the external layer of the insulated mug wall, heating the drink from the sides rather than the bottom and allowing maximum heat retention on the inner wall. 

We featured the Ember Mug in our 2022 Holiday Gift Guide. Check out CT scans of the other gifts here!

The DJI Mavic Pro Drone is just the right size to throw into a backpack or tote bag. With its wings folded up, it’s no bigger than your hand, and this portability has made the drone a favorite among enthusiasts. Despite its compact size, the DJI Mavic Pro still packs an impressive amount of refined motor and photographic engineering into its lightweight body. The best way to appreciate and better understand DJI’s design is exploring the drone through the eyes of a CT scanner.

Most people will be drawn to the Mavic for its photo and video capabilities. It’s equipped with four cameras (two front-facing and two rear-facing) that help maintain its stability. The fifth main camera offers 12 megapixel still photo resolution and 4K video recording. A bubble dome protects the camera’s gimbal, and three motors control its movement. Our scan shows that one of them is tucked right behind the lens.

A slice view of two of the four main motors shows how much attention was paid to the rotors. We also get a glimpse of how the folded arms work. They each contain a strong but lightweight truss pattern and a power line to each motor. 

The Mavic boasts a redesigned flight battery with a remarkably long life; it can fly for upwards of 25 minutes on a single charge. Any cross section shows that this is only possible because the battery takes up almost half of the total internal space of the drone. If you’re looking to reach speeds of up to 40 mph with the Mavic’s Sport Mode or planning to shoot video all day, you might want to have a few spare batteries on hand—though it does only take about an hour to recharge.

We featured the DJI Mavic Pro Drone in our 2022 Holiday Gift Guide. Check out CT scans of the other gifts here!

Inside the DJI Mavic Pro Drone with CT scans

Adam Savage and the Tested team dropped by Lumafield’s San Francisco office once again, this time to use our Neptune industrial CT scanner to excavate a Mythbusters origin story. 

Our Voyager software combines thousands of x-ray images taken from different angles into a 3D model that allows us to see an object’s structure—both external and internal. Engineers rely on our technology throughout the design and manufacturing process to perfect their products—everything from lithium-ion batteries to medical devices. 

Buster, the “sixth host” of the original Mythbusters—after Adam, Jamie Hyneman, Tory Belleci, Kari Byron, and Grant Imahara—is a Hybrid II crash test dummy designed to measure human reaction to automotive impact. He survived untold abuse and damage over the course of 10 years on the show, beginning with an initial drop from 170 feet when he withstood 700 G of force (seven is enough to kill a person).

“This might be the grossest thing I’ve ever CT scanned” is really saying something coming from Lumafield CEO and co-founder Eduardo Torrealba. Eduardo walked Adam through scans of Buster’s hand and face, then turned to the tech hidden inside a modern crash test dummy. At the end of the episode, Eduardo hands over a special memento: a 3D printed rendition of Buster's face, created from our CT scan, that captures features as small as his improvised stitching.

With CT scanning, we can isolate materials and peel back the vinyl on Buster’s hand to see the steel “bone” underneath. More than the difference in densities between these component parts, our software allows a glimpse at the dummy's manufacturing process, which has changed surprisingly little since the 1970s. A slice view shows exactly how the two elements interact when clamped together. 

Buster’s face, though not a complex mechanical assembly, still tells a story. Adam recalls how Kari Byron sewed the stitches that kept Buster together; with CT, you can see underneath them to fully appreciate her craftsmanship. Crowning Buster’s head is a compacted spot of higher density—evidence of just how many times he’s been dropped on his head.

Adam also shared the small head of a child crash test dummy, an analog to a 10-year-old. Inside a plate on the back of its head, you’d typically find a transducer to measure impacts—likely using a wheatstone bridge with four resistors. In this instrument, three legs of the bridge have set resistance values, but the fourth is a variable resistor. By measuring the change in voltage across the circuits, you can determine how much force the head endures during impact. 

The way Eduardo and Adam examine these components is a lot like how our customers use the Neptune scanner. They want to know if they’re positioning sensors correctly, if their fasteners are screwed in the right way, and if their molding processes are sound. Industrial CT gives engineers the confidence to know exactly what’s there, even down to the smallest stitch.

As a parting gift, we brought Buster back to life. Having extracted STL models from our scan, Eduardo presented Adam with a pair of highly detailed 3D prints of Buster, scars and all. You can learn more about the process of getting from CT scan to 3D print here.

Engineers working on everything from performance athletic equipment to consumer packaging would agree with Adam when he says that “every time I’m looking at one of these scans, it gives me insight.” If you’re interested in exploring how industrial CT can help you develop this unparalleled insight into your application, contact us!

Want to learn how Lumafield can help your team? Contact us to set up a call with an industrial CT expert.

Inside a Mythbusters origin story with Adam Savage

The Dyson Airwrap is an internet sensation, with styling videos on TikTok netting upwards of 4 billion views. It dries and styles hair quickly and safely and is well-suited to a wide range of hair types. Jet engineering allows its heat control and airflow systems to maintain the unit at a temperature below 302° F.

Instead of extreme heat, the Airwrap dries and styles hair by creating a vortex between two high-velocity airstreams. A CT scan slice-view of the handle reveals the path the air takes from the base of the wand to a tiny 13-blade impeller that generates immense pressure by spinning at 110,000 RPM. From there, the air travels through a heating element before funneling into the styling attachment.

Over 200 engineers and scientists at Dyson designed an ingenious system that embraces the Coanda effect—the tendency of a fast, controlled jet of air to attach to a curved surface. Powered by the impeller, fast-moving air escapes from thin slits in each of the eight included attachments and then hugs the barrel to create the vortex that dries hair or creates a curl. Scans reveal the precision engineering of the internal vanes in the brush attachment that guide the air to achieve Dyson’s remarkable results.

We featured the Dyson Airwrap in our 2022 Holiday Gift Guide. Check out CT scans of the other gifts here!

A cooking technique once found only in high-end restaurants has been making its way into the kitchens of more and more home chefs. The Anova Precision Cooker is synonymous with sous vide (pronounced sue-veed and meaning “under vacuum” in French), a process in which food is vacuum sealed in a bag and then cooked at a low temperature for a long time in a circulating water bath. Anova’s temperature controls allow you to consistently cook food to the exact right level of doneness while retaining maximum flavor. CT scans offer insight into how this fine-tuned culinary technology delivers such delicious meals.

The primary internal element is the heating tube, filled with a coiled resistive wire just like you’d find in a hairdryer. Unlike in a hairdryer, this one does not reach extremely high temperatures and is carefully modulated by a feedback system.

The Precision Cooker earns its name from the abundance of sensors packed inside it. Three different tubes contain sensors that ensure the programmed temperature is correctly maintained and does not deviate even slightly from the target. 

A slice view of the motor shows the electromagnet windings inside the immersion circulator that moves the water around the vacuum-sealed food. A skillet or grill cannot compare to this level of control, though many chefs still finish off their steaks with these tried and true methods for the sake of texture and added flavor.

We featured the Anova Precision Cooker Nano in our 2022 Holiday Gift Guide. Check out CT scans of the other gifts here!

Inside the Anova Precision Cooker Nano with CT scans

Kids aren’t the only ones obsessed with Lego. A subset of enthusiasts known as AFOLs (adult fans of Lego) have latched onto collecting minifigures, but these aren’t the basic smiley yellow faces you remember from childhood. As of December 2022, there are 24 groups of strangely specific characters; the latest series includes Rococo Aristocrat, Newspaper Kid, and Carrot Mascot—just to name a few. 

Every series is made up of 12 minifigures, and each comes in a “blind bag” of its own, intended to make a guessing game out of collecting. But superfans have discovered a workaround to ensure they can complete a series without any duplicates. They feel the blind bags to figure which minifigure is inside; some even go so far as to publish “feel guides” online with instructions for determining the identity of the enclosed character based on the shape of their component parts.

Introducing CAD Comparison

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Fuel nozzle

IGUS 4-hole bearing

AB styrofoam fixture

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