Metal Analysis Group Blog

We are excited to announce the launch of our MAG Premier Equipment Access service to support the replacement of capital expenditure purchasing models (CAPEX) with multi-year subscription agreements managed as operating expenses (OPEX).

If you’re a metal maniac like me, I’m assuming you know about handheld XRF and what a staple it is in Positive Material Identification (and if not, here’s a handy article about that).

But there is another method that is perfectly capable of doing many PMI testing applications for metal identification, and it is, without doubt, a super cost-effective option.

RIgaku KT-100S handheld LIBS analyzer

Is it better than XRF? Like everything else in life, it depends. Read on and make the call for yourself.

There have been a handful of truly revolutionary inventions throughout history.

Fire. The wheel. Electricity. Donuts. The handheld XRF. No, I’m not over-exaggerating!

In all reality, the handheld XRF really has done a lot for positive material identification (PMI). That’s why I feel it’s important for manufacturers to understand how it works and why we use it.

Olympus Vanta Element Handheld XRF

The big question I’m setting out to answer today is…

What is handheld XRF and why is it so popular for positive material identification (PMI)? Handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a widespread technique used to determine the elemental composition of a material, normally a metallic alloy. Compared to previously available techniques, the lower cost, speed, handheld design, and flexibility of testing led handheld XRF analysis to quick and widespread adoption for PMI testing.

There’s the “quick” answer. But, of course, there’s a little more to it.

Today I want to share the Top 5 Reasons you should trade-in your handheld XRF.

1. Avoid Costly Repairs and Lower the Cost of Ownership

If you have ever had to pay for a repair to your handheld XRF, you know exactly what I am talking about. With expensive, fragile components like X-ray tubes & detectors, repairs can cost upwards of 

Handheld LIBS has been around for the better part of a decade but there are still many scrappers out there that either don't know what it is or don't believe in the benefits.

For starters, LIBS guns use a laser, instead of x-ray radiation, for scrap metal sorting.

But I get it. Handheld XRF has been around awhile and is a tried-and-true technology. It's the safe play when the new, laser-based option rolls into the yard promising you the world.

I am not here to promise you the world. Handheld XRF still has its place in some yards, but we are seeing more and more customers see great results after using Handheld LIBS for Scrap Metal Sorting. So what keeps them happy when it comes to LIBS? Utility, Safety, and Profitability.