21August 2016
sulphur in steel), and to provide the rapid light elements analysis, for
example, to separate certain grades of aluminium, bronze or titanium.
Used in tough environments and often by non-technical people, the
X-MET8000 has been designed with ruggedness in mind. Each com-
ponent has been selected and tested thoroughly to ensure a low cost of
ownership over the analyser’s life. The X-MET8000 also includes many
safety features while remaining easy to use (a PIN code is needed to
operate the analyser). There are two independent sensors which prevent
generation of X-rays should the trigger be pressed accidentally. Oxford
Instruments provides user safety training with every X-MET delivery.
Crisis impact
Petiot: ‘Despite difficult conditions in the metals recycling industry, our
market share has increased significantly. We have listened carefully to
our customers and other HH-XRF users over the last few years and taken
on board their feedback to ensure the X-MET8000 series meets their
requirements and more. We have also noticed that, despite the downturn
in metals prices, some recyclers have used this time to see how they can
invest wisely to generate higher profits. Testing a wide variety of materials
is certainly one thing they are exploring.’
Trends
All-in-one tools are taking over. According to Petiot, HH-XRF analysers
are being used, for example, to determine the content of precious metals in
catalytic converters or the gold content in printed circuit boards. Further-
more, use of LIBS handhelds has helped to increase sorting throughput,
reduce labour time and process higher volumes of scrap. ‘Enhanced
detector technology and analytics design have contributed to better per-
formance, so more elements can be identified and quantified accurately,
enabling the upgrading of the scrap, thus increasing profit,’ she explains.
www.oxford-instruments.com
Rigaku
‘Certified’ to US military standards
‘The downturn in the recycling business
and falling scrap metal prices have led to
a situation in which scrap yards have had
to carefully assess each stage of recycling
and secondary production processes to
ensure they are optimised,’ notes Bree
Allen, president of Rigaku Analytical
Devices.
Latest offering
The KT-100 Katana, an easy-to-use LIBS handheld. Owing to its sen-
sitivity to light elements, the KT-100 is able to analyse a wider range of
metals and alloys than was possible with previous-generation handhelds,
according to Allen.
The KT-100 was developed in co-operation with ‘industry-leading’ optics
and laser scientists to produce a highly-reliable LIBS system – even over
wide temperature ranges – for use in industrial environments. The KT-100
Katana is claimed to be the only handheld metal analyser certified to US
military standards, providing users with the industry’s ‘first drop-tested,
ruggedised analyser for alloy identification’. According to Rigaku, the
device offers results ‘in less than two seconds using so-called QuickID
