AGFA ADC 5155 X-ray Scanner Teardown (4 part series)

[Mads Barnkob]

Part 1: AGFA ADC 5155 System teardown
Teardown of a AGFA ADC 5155 x-ray image scanner / digitizer. Also known as Computerized Radiography (CR) it fulfills the job of scanning a x-ray exposed image plate with a laser beam and extract each pixel illumination with a photo multiplier tube setup.

This particular unit has a very interesting computer that runs on VME framework developed for the Motorola 68000 series CPUs.

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Coming soon, part 2: Computer teardown and reverse engineering
Coming soon, part 3: Laser scanner module teardown
Coming soon, part 4: Photomultiplier tube teardown and reverse engineering

[Mads Barnkob]

This is the reverse engineering and teardown of a very interesting computer that runs on VME framework developed for the Motorola 68000 series CPUs. It runs a custom operating system called Monitor 4.28 developed by Agfa-Gevaert NV, Belgium.

Teardown of a AGFA ADC 5155 x-ray image scanner / digitizer. Also known as Computerized Radiography (CR) it fulfills the job of scanning a x-ray exposed image plate with a laser beam and extract each pixel illumination with a photo multiplier tube setup.

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List of commands:
ATX = Execute ASTRX shell command
BF = Block fill
BI = Block initialize
BM = Block move
BS = Block search
BT = Block test
BR = Breakpoints (BR -* clear)
BRS = Set Breakpoints cmd string
BO = Boot from disk
CPU = Set CPU parameters
CWS = Show Clock and Wait states
DA = Display or set DATE
DCP = Disk copy from 10 to 00
DI = Disassembler
DOS = Enter DOS mode
DU = Dump sector from disk
GO = Go target
GN = Go target, break at next instr
GT = Go target, set temporary break
HE = Help
fep = Show FEP info
IOP = IO disk read and write
IOT = IO teach
JSR = Jub to subroutine
LO = Load S-records
LOG = Show OS RAM logging
MAP = Select memory map
MD = Memory display
ML = Memory display link (range) == address1,address2 or address:count
MM = Memory modify
MS = Memory set
NAM = Show symbolic name
PF = Set Port format
PRJ = Select project
RAM = RAM test
RD = Register display
RDF = Display floating point regs
RDM = Display MMU regs
RES = Reset
SC = Set Control options
ST = Start clock
-swi = Switch CPU
T = Trace next (step into JSR)
TR = Trace next (skip over JSR)
TC = Trace on change of flow
TM = Transparent mode
TI = Display & Set clock time
TE = Switch to TEST menu
US = Start user program
VE = Verify S-records
VEC = Show vectors
VIC = Show VIC & hardware
VME = VME remote control
VIX = Boot from disk
X = Execute external shell command
XT = File transfer protocol

[Mads Barnkob]

Teardown of the laser scanning module that feeds in the image plate and converts the irradiated plate from analog pixel values to digital bits through a photomultiplier tube.

[Mads Barnkob]

Teardown of the photomultiplier tube assembly (PMT) and its high voltage power supply. The high voltage power supply and PMT is reverse-engineering to use the PMT as a cosmic ray detector with a scintillation plastic crystal in front of the PMT.

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The PMT assembly contains a Burle S83021E photomultiplier tube


The Heim Electronic SNP1.5N24/176 high voltage power supply is a custom made AGFA unit that can output a maximum of -1.5kV / 6mA. It is a very nice little power supply that only takes 24VDC supply, can be controlled by 0-10V and gives a feedback at 0-10V.





The low output voltage makes a huge difference on the sensitivity of the PMT, at its -600V it is   20 times less sensitive than if it was running at -1100V.



Some examples of the detected particles resulting pulse on the oscilloscope

[Da_Stier]

Nice experiment, as I said on youtube, it's always nice to find something that uses only single digital flags and analog signals which makes it pretty easy to reuse. 

Where did you get your Scintillation platic?
I'm searching for some as well, maybe some Bicron BC412.
Do you know some place in europe that sells stuff like this?


Greetings,
Michael

[Mads Barnkob]

Nice experiment, as I said on youtube, it's always nice to find something that uses only single digital flags and analog signals which makes it pretty easy to reuse. 

Where did you get your Scintillation platic?
I'm searching for some as well, maybe some Bicron BC412.
Do you know some place in europe that sells stuff like this?

Greetings,
Michael

I could only find a note that I bought the 2" diameter round one for around 80€, so I guess it was from USA as that total would include shipping and import taxes. Seems to fit with current listing prices on ebay.

The unknown square piece was given to me by a friend that works with radiography.

[Da_Stier]

Thanks for the response, I guess I will have to order it from the USA as well.