Metals

XRD and XRF for residual stress and elemental analysis

Foundries, smelters and mills, as well as other aspects of the metals industry, are characterized by having continuous production demanding day and night control of both the process and the quality of incoming and outgoing materials. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis plays a dominant role in controlling the production processes within these industries. The speed and precision of XRF makes it a preferred testing method where high throughput chemical analysis is required to support the production process. In addition to alloy stoichiometry, another important characteristic of metals is residual stress which is correlated with structural failure. X-ray diffraction (XRD) is the only accurate way to measure residual stress non-destructively. XRD offers non-contact measurements with unsurpassed spatial resolution and the ability to measure hardened materials.

Rigaku also offers a, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) handheld product, the Katana. LIBS is a type of atomic emission spectroscopy which uses a highly energetic laser pulse as the excitation source. The laser is focused to form a plasma, which atomizes and excites samples that then emit characteristic spectra for the elements in the sample.

To meet the varied and demanding requirements of these analytical tasks, Rigaku offers a range of instrumentation systems that allow flexible component and sample handling while fitting every budget and need.