We have lately bought a look at how [Ken Shirriff] applied an industrial CT scanner as a reverse engineering software. The results have been stunning, with photographs that plainly confirmed the inside arrangement of areas that haven’t found the light of day given that the module was potted back again in the 60s. And now, [Ken]’s cohort [Curious Marc] has dropped a video with much more element on the superb device, furthermore deep dives into far more Apollo-era components
If you preferred seeing the stills [Ken] utilized to reverse engineer the obscure flip-flop module, you are going to like seeing [Marc] making use of the Lumafield scanner’s 3D software to non-destructively examine several Apollo artifacts. Initial to enter the sample chamber of the CT scanner was a sealed module known as the Central Timing Gear, which served as the master clock for the Apollo Command Module. The box’s magnesium situation proved to be no barrier to the CT scanner’s beam, and the 3D product that was constructed up from a sequence of 2D pictures was astonishingly comprehensive. The finest aspect about the digital versions is the potential to slice via them in any aircraft — [Marc] used this characteristic to hunt down the clock’s quartz crystal.
[Marc]’s Apollo gyroscope was next up, and the seem within the sealed scenario was really revealing. The aspects of the mechanical building were stunning, right down to the bearings supporting the gyro rotor. A electricity provide module that had noticed much better times also acquired the therapy its scans disclosed the exploded capacitor dependable for its rough outward appearance. All the scan data are publicly offered on Lumafield’s web page, even though you will require to make an account if you want to play with the products.
As for the scanner alone: is it some thing that could be built at dwelling? Perhaps. We’ve noticed a lot of homebrew X-ray devices, and even a CT scanner or two. Enable us know if you tackle a build like this — we’d adore to get a glimpse inside of.
