Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
X-ray diffraction has long been the mainstay for materials characterization in the laboratory. This characterization includes the determination of phase composition, residual stress, microstrain, grain size, and crystallographic texture of polycrystalline metals, ceramics, and minerals. The analytical capabilities of XRD techniques have been expanded recently by the application of computer control to data collection and processing. These capabilities include the identification of irregularities in metals and ceramics that are caused by processing and fatigue damage, as well as the apriori prediction of processing anomolies. While the above applications have been largely restricted to the laboratory, the possibility for exploitation of the nondestructive nature of x-ray diffraction for inprocess evaluation of materials is now being realized. The availability of computer-controlled position-sensitive x-ray detectors can now provide rapid, non-contacting, in-process interrogation of materials. The examples of nondestructive characterization illustrated in this paper will be those that can be used for process control and/or damage assessment.