Imaging for real research and product questions
The Center for Quantitative Imaging supports projects where internal structure, material behavior, defects, porosity, morphology or dimensional relationships matter.
This page organizes common applications by project area and audience so visitors can quickly determine whether the center is a fit for their imaging needs.
Application Areas
Materials & Engineered Products
The center supports R&D and quality assurance for advanced materials where internal structure determines performance.
- Characterizing porosity and internal flaws in composites
- Validating additive manufacturing and 3D-printed parts
- Assessing structural integrity and failure mechanisms
- Comparing material behavior under different conditions
Food & Packaging
The center helps companies evaluate product integrity and optimize packaging performance without compromising samples.
- Detecting internal packaging defects
- Evaluating food structure for quality and safety
- Confirming barrier integrity and seal performance
- Quantifying stress points and deformation
Coatings, Paints & Chemical Products
Non-destructive imaging reveals how coatings and chemical products interact with substrates, including details conventional methods may not show.
- Measuring coating thickness and uniformity
- Detecting subsurface defects or delamination
- Analyzing chemical or material distribution
- Supporting formulation and performance testing
Electronics & Consumer Goods
Imaging systems reveal complex internal assemblies with micron-level clarity to help ensure reliability and safety.
- Inspecting circuitry, solder joints, and connectors
- Identifying internal manufacturing defects
- Evaluating wear, fatigue, or failure points
- Supporting quality control for complex devices
Construction & Building Materials
3D imaging helps companies understand durability, structural performance, and long-term material behavior.
- Evaluating concrete porosity and aggregate distribution
- Detecting cracks, voids, and hidden failures
- Measuring reinforcement placement
- Supporting durability and performance studies
Healthcare
The center supports healthcare, biomedical, and life science partners with non-destructive, high-resolution imaging and quantitative analysis.
- Evaluating medical devices, implants, and components
- Assessing manufacturing quality and material uniformity
- Detecting internal defects, voids, or misalignments
- Quantifying porosity and structural integrity of biomaterials
Common Project Needs
See inside without destroying the sample
Computed tomography allows researchers and partners to inspect internal features while preserving the object for future testing, comparison or documentation.
- Internal structures and hidden features
- Defects, cracks, voids and inclusions
- Repeat imaging over time
Turn images into measurable data
Image analysis workflows can help quantify structures, compare materials and produce data for publications, reports and decision-making.
- Volume and dimensional measurements
- Segmentation of features of interest
- Porosity, density variation and spatial relationships
Visualize complex structures
3D reconstructions and rendered views can help researchers communicate findings, explore complex samples and make internal features easier to understand.
- 3D renderings and visual outputs
- Internal slices and image stacks
- Publication and presentation support
Who uses these capabilities?
Penn State researchers
Faculty, students and research teams use imaging to support experiments, publications and grant-funded work.
Industry partners
Manufacturers and product teams use imaging to evaluate materials, components, prototypes and production questions.
Government and agencies
Public-sector partners use imaging and analysis to support research, evaluation and technical decision-making.
External universities
Researchers from other institutions can work with the center on specialized imaging and analysis needs.
Have a sample or project in mind?
Contact the laboratory to discuss sample size, imaging goals, analysis needs and whether computed tomography is the right fit.