The requested infrastructure will substantially complement the existing micro-CT scanners of the UGent Center of Expertise and Core Facility for X-ray Tomography (UGCT), which is already available since many years for internal and external academic users as well as for industry. This scanner is essential to scan and analyze for the first time statistically relevant quantities of samples in an automated and reliable way using standardized protocols. It will also provide significant added value to achieve the objectives within the related IOF-platform on material characterization (MATCH). This proposal will allow micro-CT data-driven research and development, which is a substantial added value both for the current and future industrial partners of UGCT as well as for its various academic partners. With this step, we make UGCT ready for a large-scale deployment of micro-CT in research and development.