SPECTRO ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS, a supplier of analytical instruments for optical emission and XRF spectrometry, introduced the SPECTRO xSORT handheld energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometer — a lightweight instrument it said offers better analytical performance than previous models and incorporates many exclusive new features. It is designed especially for high-throughput elemental testing and spectro-chemical analysis of a wide range of metals and other materials in the field. The developer said the new device’s speed, accuracy and ease of use set benchmarks for handheld spectrometric performance.
Users of the SPECTRO xSORT will not need to switch methods between metals or use complicated flushes or vacuum systems. The instrument’s light weight (1.64 kg or 3.62 lb) and compact, one-piece design make it easy to use in the field, even in hard-to-access areas. It incorporates the SPECTRO ICAL system for convenient one-sample, one-time calibration. Its simplified software has an intuitive touchscreen interface with two menu levels.
The SPECTRO xSORT reportedly is well suited for applications like positive material identification (PMI) and environmental screening; recycling of alloys, precious metals, and aluminum; and compliance screening.
“Users were requesting more speed, higher accuracy and greater operating simplicity in the field,” noted Dirk Wissmann, senior product manager. “For many jobs, such as material verification, our new instrument delivers highly reliable analyses in two seconds, and for more complex matrices such as in environmental screening, SPECTRO xSORT achieves very low detection limits without the need for complex sample preparation.”
The new xSORT also is available with an integrated video camera for precise spot testing and visual memory storage. Also available is an integrated global positioning system (GPS) that allows users to return to previously checked locations without time-wasting resurveys.
For metals and most alloys, SPECTRO xSORT delivers grade identification and material verification within two seconds of clicking its trigger. Pre-installed grade libraries cover common alloys used in industry and its exclusive high-resolution SDD detector provides signal throughput up to 10 times faster than other handheld spectrometers. Even light-metal alloys require only 12 seconds to process.
“High-volume users, such as service companies doing PMI, may use SPECTRO xSORT to complete hundreds of inspections per shift with greatly enhanced productivity and profitability,” according to Wissmann.
The developer said SPECTRO xSORT offers exceptionally low detection limits— down to the parts-per-million (ppm) range — for analyzing heavy metals. This allows the instrument to deliver accuracy that rivals lab analysis results. Also, the system includes an optional docking unit for stationary operation, adding stability for very small samples along with extended analysis with ultra-low detection limits.
Visit www.spectro.com/xsort.