Overview
EN ISO 14096-2:2020 (ISO 14096-2:2005) sets the minimum requirements for the qualification of radiographic film digitisation systems used in non‑destructive testing (NDT). It defines three film‑digitisation quality classes and establishes the basic criteria that ensure information from industrial X‑ray and gamma radiographic films is preserved when converted to digital form. The standard explicitly excludes requirements for signal processing, display and long‑term storage of digitised data.
Key Topics and Requirements
- Film‑digitisation quality classes: Three classes - DS, DB, DA - categorise digitiser performance and intended use.
- DS: Enhanced technique - minimal loss of signal‑to‑noise ratio and spatial resolution. Intended for digital archiving.
- DB: Intermediate - allows some image quality reduction; for digital analysis where original films are archived.
- DA: Basic - permits further reduced image quality; for digital analysis with archived originals.
- Minimum density range and sensitivity (Table 1):
- Defines required optical density ranges per class (e.g., DS has the widest range).
- Specifies digital resolution (bits) requirements for converters (e.g., DS typically ≥12 bits; DB/DA ≥10 bits).
- Requires a minimum density contrast sensitivity (ΔD_CS) - ensuring small density variations are resolved.
- Spatial resolution requirements (Table 2):
- Minimum pixel size and MTF20% (modulation transfer function at 20%) specified by radiation energy and class.
- These parameters account for the inherent unsharpness of radiographic film at different X‑/gamma‑ray energies.
- Definitions and measurements: The standard references Part 1 (EN ISO 14096‑1) for quantitative measurements, standard reference films and qualitative control methods.
Applications
- Digital archiving of industrial radiographs - selecting DS‑class digitisation systems to preserve archival quality.
- Digital analysis and image evaluation - using DB/DA systems where some quality tradeoffs are acceptable while originals remain archived.
- Procurement and qualification of film digitiser hardware for NDT service providers and inspection authorities.
- Quality assurance in radiographic inspection workflows to ensure digitised images meet minimum diagnostic criteria.
Who Should Use This Standard
- NDT practitioners and radiography laboratories
- Digitiser manufacturers and system integrators
- Quality managers, inspectors and certification bodies
- Archivists responsible for preserving radiographic evidence
Related Standards
- EN ISO 14096‑1 - Definitions, image quality measurements, standard reference film
- EN 444, EN 1435, EN 12681, ISO 5579 - general radiographic examination and weld/foundry radiography standards
EN ISO 14096‑2:2020 is essential for organizations that digitise radiographic films for inspection, archiving or automated analysis and need a clear, auditable baseline for digitiser performance in NDT contexts.
