Do you really need a
vacuum or helium purge option?
The Innov-X Omega Xpress analyzer is quite good on many aluminum alloys and red metals. You do not necessarily need vacuum or purge to analyze many alloys. The guide below is intended to further define the correct product. And remember, with Innov-X’s upgrade policy, you can start with a standard Omega Xpress and add the vacuum option at any time.
Without vacuum or purge, XRF can only directly measure the fluorescence from magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), or phosphorous (P) with the use of silicon drift detector (SDD) technology, as utilized in the Omega Xpress analyzer. (Standard silicon PiN based analyzers look at the scattered x-ray radiation, rather than the fluoresced radiation – to determine if an alloy is a lighter grade such as aluminum or a heaver grade such as a steel, high temp, red metal, etc.)
Many alloys – typically aluminum alloys – can be accurately identified by the alloying elements. For example, high copper (Cu) indicates a 2000 series wrought – most likely 2024. High Cu and high zinc (Zn) indicates a 7000 series wrought – most likely the popular 7050 or a 7075 grades. A low Cu concentration (between about 0.15 and 0.4%) and little else indicates a 6061 as opposed to a 6063, 5000 or 4000.
For many XRF users, especially scrap metal processors, sorting by Cu content or likely wrought series is satisfactory. But those operators involved in Al alloy speciation, superalloy analysis and smelting need to directly measure light element content.
Please see our application guide below or call or email us to discuss your specific requirements.
|
APPLICATION |
Omega or Alpha |
Omega Xpress |
Omega Xpress Vacuum |
|
Verify common wrought alloy series: |
YES |
YES |
YES |
| Pull out Cu-containing Al and MLC’s from mixed aluminum scrap |
YES |
YES |
YES |
| Identify most red metals including aluminum and silicon bronzes |
YES |
YES |
YES |
| Analyze for Si, Mg, Al |
NO |
YES |
YES |
| Identify a cast aluminum alloy from Si as opposed to a similar, non-silicon containing wrought alloy. |
NO |
YES |
YES |
| Measure Al content in Ti alloys |
NO |
YES |
YES |
| Measure Al and Si content in red metals |
NO |
YES |
YES |
| Separate 4000 wrought Aluminum alloys from other wroughts. (Si measurement) |
NO |
YES |
YES |
| Separate 5000 from 6063, 1100 typically (Mg measurement) |
NO |
YES |
YES |
| Measure Si in low alloy steels, cast stainless. |
NO |
YES |
YES |
| Measure low residual elements in carbon steels |
NO |
YES |
YES |
| Measure low P in rephosphorized steels |
NO |
YES |
YES |
| Measure Al content in 17-7 or other high temperature alloys (not needed for ID normally) |
NO |
YES |
YES |
| Measure Mg in Al concentrations lower than 1.5% |
NO |
NO |
YES |
| Sort 2014 from 2024, sort 5000, sort 3004 from 3003, sort 3105, etc |
NO |
NO |
YES |
