A robotic manipulator for handling TLD badges.

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiation Dosimetry
• Automation Engineering

Background:

• Manual handling of thermoluminescent dosimetry (TLD) badges can be time-consuming and prone to errors.
• Accurate tracking of TLD cards within badges is crucial for reliable radiation exposure monitoring.
• Existing systems may lack the automation necessary for high-throughput processing and quality control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and build a prototype automated system for handling TLD badges.
• To enhance the quality assurance process in TLD badge management.
• To ensure accurate correlation between TLD cards and their corresponding badges.

Main Methods:

• Development of a robotic arm system for automated TLD badge handling.
• Implementation of barcode technology for worker identification and data management.
• Integration of loading/unloading and magazine stations for efficient workflow.
• On-line identification for real-time verification of badge-TLD card correlation.

Main Results:

• Successful design and construction of a functional prototype automated TLD badge handling system.
• Demonstrated capability of the robotic arm to load, unload, and transport TLD cards and badges.
• Effective implementation of barcode stickers for worker details and quality assurance.
• Verified accuracy of automatic on-line identification for badge-TLD card correlation.

Conclusions:

• The prototype system demonstrates the feasibility of automating TLD badge handling.
• Automation significantly improves the efficiency and reliability of radiation dosimetry processes.
• The integrated quality assurance measures enhance the integrity of worker exposure data.