Aluminium Testing Machine

Aluminum (Al) is one of the most important industrial metals there is and as such it is used in an enormous range of applications. Modern industry depends on reliable and efficient metallic aluminum testing. But how should aluminum be tested? Bruker’s small and powerful S1 TITAN handheld XRF aluminium testing machine has become the standard solution for easy, fast and accurate aluminum testing. The S1 TITAN yields near-lab accuracy in just seconds.

Today, Handheld XRF is the technology of choice for testing the elemental composition of aluminum as well as other metals and their alloys. An XRF gun is handy, cost-efficient and eliminates the need for lab testing. Handheld XRF guns like the S1 TITAN aluminum tester uses the analytical technique of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to determine the elemental composition of different materials. Bruker has been a global leader in XRF analysis technology since 1982.

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Aluminum has many industrial uses and is highly favored in manufacturing, especially in consumer products, food packaging, medication containers, and transportation. Its non-toxic nature means it is used frequently for perishable food preservation. Aluminum’s light weight and strength make it the choice material for applications in the transportation industry, improving fuel efficiency and reducing carbon footprint. Aluminum's low density makes it ideal for many applications, from power lines to household appliances.

Whatever the applications of aluminum, industrial quality control using an aluminium testing machine is essential to ensure that aluminum-based materials adhere to the required alloy specifications and compliance standards.

As of today, the global demand for aluminum is over 29 million tons per year. But what make aluminum so popular in industrial uses across so many industries?

Here are eight properties of Aluminum, which make it so suitable for widespread use..

1. Aluminum is a light metal with a high strength-to-weight ratio, meaning aluminum can be used to increase strength whilst remaining light. for equipment that needs a light but strong material aluminum is highly cost-effective.

2. Aluminum is known for its remarkable corrosion resistance both to general atmospheric corrosion and marine corrosion (although aluminum alloys can fare differently in core marine environments). In addition, anodization can increase the corrosion resistance and scratch resistance of aluminum.

3. Aluminum is widely prevalent in industrial and decorative uses, thanks to its high reflectivity. Reflectivity or reflectance is defined as how much the surface of a material reflects radiant energy. Aluminum is often considered to be one of the best lighting materials. With a light reflectivity of around 80%, it is a popular choice for LED light fittings. 

4. Many aluminum alloys approximate the strength of construction steel. These alloys are particularly effective at absorbing crash energy, which is why they are preferred to steel in some of the tallest skyscrapers. Thanks to its strength and lightweight aluminum is also widely used in shark cages!

5. Even when subjected to exceedingly low temperatures, aluminum retains its original toughness (unlike carbon steels, which tend to become brittle). Whilst its yield and tensile strength may increase, there might be a slight decrease in elongation, although impact strength remains almost unchanged.

6. Aluminum is a good conductor of heat and electricity. Electrical grade aluminum has a conductivity that is over 60% of that of electrical grade annealed copper. 

7. Alloyed aluminum is non-toxic and is therefore widely used in food containers. Thanks to its conductivity, it distributes heat uniformly, improving the quality of cooking food in the oven. Because aluminum foil trays are entirely recyclable, sustainability is guaranteed. 

8. Aluminum is easily formed, which is why it is often referred to as the ‘miracle metal’. Aluminum can be formed using a wide range of different forming processes - such as cold stamping, cryogenic forming, roll forming, deep-drawing, sheet hydroforming, incremental sheet forming, warm stamping, warm hydroforming, hot gas forming, hot stamping with rigid dies, and more. 

This list of properties is far from exhaustive. It is only intended to highlight the immense industrial significance of aluminum and, as a result, why accurate aluminum testing is so important. The use of aluminum is widespread, and includes key industries such as automotive and aerospace, which makes proper and efficient aluminum testing essential.

With an increasing number of studies gaining insight into the yet-undiscovered properties and benefits of aluminum, the industrial demand for the ‘miracle metal’ is set to grow. 

It stands to reason that every reasonable application of aluminum depends on accurate positive material testing with an aluminium testing machine like the Bruker S1 TITAN.

Contact Bruker today to find more about how our XRF guns can save aluminum testers many headaches!