Accurate Alloy Grade Identification and Verification

Across a wide range of industries, the reliable determination and verification of metal alloy grades is a daily requirement. Bruker’s handheld X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) alloy analyzers are a standard solution for alloy identification.

Each grade of an alloy has a specific combination of different elements. XRF provides a fast and easy non-destructive method for alloy grade identification by accurately determining the elemental composition of alloys via a quick scan. Bruker XRF guns are a frequently used in applications such as:

• metallurgy

• alloy fabrication

• scrap processing and recycling

• PMI (Positive Material Identification)

• specialty alloys

• medical and surgical grade alloys

• metal imports

• welding

• forensic metal analysis

In these industries using the wrong, or out of specification, alloy grade can also lead to potentially catastrophic equipment failures. Bruker's alloy grade testing machines can be used swiftly and on the spot for accurate alloy identification.

Just some of the industries that depend on a fast and portable tool to verify alloy composition and avoid materials mix-ups include:

• Consumer electronics

• Other consumer products (metal fasteners on clothing, metal toys, packaging, etc.)

• Aerospace & Satellite

• Defense

• Automotive

• Petrochemical refining

• Scrap metal recycling

• Precious metal recycling

• Metal fabrication

• Other metal refining operations

In each of these industries, there are unique reasons why alloy grade verification is mission critical, but all these industries have one significant reason in common: materials mix-ups and out-of-spec alloys cause problems that are expensive to fix. 

The finances and reputation of a company can suffer greatly due to the accidental use of the wrong alloy in a product. Additionally, many of these industries are subject to regulatory requirements that demand rigorous alloy testing. Alloy identification is necessary to check for toxic heavy metals in consumer products, or to ensure that the correct alloy is used (e.g. light element alloys) every time in life-or-death applications such as aircraft manufacturing and maintenance.

Bruker, a leader in portable XRF technology for alloy testing, provides a fast and accurate handheld XRF alloy identifier that can verify an alloy in just 5 seconds.

The Bruker S1 TITAN is an industry-leading handheld alloy testing and analysis system. The S1 TITAN boasts a silicone drift detector (SDD) with exceptional speed and limits of detection, a 50 kV x-ray tube, and a robust alloy library which includes exotic alloys. 

The S1 TITAN can identify most alloys within 2-5 seconds with light element alloys, containing Magnesium (Mg), Aluminum (Al), and Silicon (Si), taking just a little longer. The S1 TITAN provides near-laboratory-quality alloy determination in a lightweight package, weighing just a total of 3.3 pounds for comfortable all-day use.