Hexagon’s Newest CT-Scan Data Analysis Software Includes Porosity and Inclusion Analysis
Hexagon has recently incorporated an upgraded version of its Porosity & Inclusion analysis (PIA) tool in the latest release of version 2025.3 of its VG software. The software won an iF Award earlier in 20225.
Many groups in industries that use CT-scan-data analysis for quality assurance use this tool, including in aerospace and manufacturing. The PIA uses AI to rapidly pinpoint discrepancies during various stages in production, from early development stages through final manufacturing.
Discrepancies that version 2025.3 can identify include:
- Pores and inclusions deep within metal
- Plastic or composite parts
- Components or material samples
“This is the first time our tool combines all previous methods into a single, powerful solution, from analysis to reporting,” says Jan Gräser, product manager VG Product Line, Manufacturing Intelligence Division.
Gräser continued, “We’ve completely redesigned the user interface for this feature to make it easier for everyone—from beginners to experts—to employ the PIA to understand their results and conduct even the most complex analyses easily, accurately, and efficiently.”
Key features in the Porosity & Inclusion Analysis
Version 2025.3 of this software includes features like:
- Intuitive design: Settings are immediately visible and summarized, while advanced options are clearly accessible on separate tabs.
- Efficient workflow: All porosity/inclusion analysis procedures occur in a single solution, allowing for direct access to the core functions and eliminating switches between different dialogs.
- Easier navigation: The new preview in the analysis dialog combines all key information and makes navigation easier using the interactive minimap that shows the user’s current position in the analysis window.
- Multipart coordinate measurement: Users can view, analyze and edit measurement plans for multiple parts in one location. The enhancement encompasses:
- Essential statistics for features directly in the feature list
- Interactive plotting of different values across all parts for individual features
- Functions for directly editing, removing and transferring features and geometry elements across all parts
- Create and modify dimensions directly in the 3D view: Users can create and adjust dimensioning features by dragging and dropping the measurement lines directly in the 3D view. Holding down the “Alt” key allows for creating projected dimensions on a preview plane. This ensures that all lines remain both visible and adjustable, even when located inside the material.
- Improved deformation field capabilities for optical scans. This improvement allows for more accurate and comprehensive handling of complex optically scanned parts, ensuring precise alignment and analysis even under challenging conditions.
- Enhanced mesh import/export now supports GLB/GLTF, AMF, and 3MF file formats: This allows users to exchange 3D surface data with other applications by directly importing and using mesh data created for additive manufacturing and stored in AMF or 3MF formats as nominal reference data. Users can also export colored meshes created from analysis results or extracted from volume objects in GLB format, which can be exchanged with other applications such as PowerPoint.
“Our goal with the redesigned Porosity & Inclusion Analysis feature, as well as others in version 2025.3, is to streamline the way our users work with our software, helping them make decisions about design and manufacturing parameters faster and more efficiently,” says Dr. Daniela Handl, general manager VG, Manufacturing Intelligence Division.
“These robust capabilities will improve workflows and elevate the non-destructive evaluation process for a wide variety of manufacturers who employ 3D CT scanning for quality assurance,” added Handl.