Review of 20 Years of Industrial Applications of Ion Beam and Radiation Techniques

The present work summarizes the applicative researches performed during 1980s and1990s in Romania using Ion beam based technologies, radiation based technologies and many other measurement techniques to characterize various technological objects as engines, gear boxes, pumps, tools and materials as shown in Fig.1. Tribology studies were performed together with material studies, and assembly performances using a large variety of measurement methods and devices. In order to improve speed and accuracy of tribology thin and Ultra-Thin Layer Activation (UTLA) method have been used producing a radioactive layer on a selected surface of a technological part, measured for quality assurance with auto-radiography and spectroscopy. The part was mounted in the installation and its radioactivity decrease faster than the natural decay was considered to be due to material loss by wear, corrosion or abrasion.