Help for the metallugically impaired
Help for the metallugically impaired
(OP)
Does anyone know of a good online site for identifying metals by the XRF analysis?
My background is in analytical and instrumental chemistry. However due to the retirement of a collegue I have been assigned the task of using the portable XRF for identifying materials that maintenance and other departments have and are unsure of. Usually this is quete easy as you put the analyser on the material for a few minutes and it pops up with the analysis and identifies it as inconel or 316 SS etc. However if the composition is not programmed into it's memory it only give the analysis.
The internal client then looks at me and says "Well, what is it?". I then get the chance to stand there looking dumb and say, "I dunno". Sometimes I am pretty sure, since perhaps only one of the metals is a % or so off the mark for 316 or something, but not being expert in the field I can only give a qualitative "yeah, it's pretty close to 316".
I would like to be of more help to these guys but need a resource to help me do so.
I would appreciate any helpful suggestions you have.
Thanks
Edd
My background is in analytical and instrumental chemistry. However due to the retirement of a collegue I have been assigned the task of using the portable XRF for identifying materials that maintenance and other departments have and are unsure of. Usually this is quete easy as you put the analyser on the material for a few minutes and it pops up with the analysis and identifies it as inconel or 316 SS etc. However if the composition is not programmed into it's memory it only give the analysis.
The internal client then looks at me and says "Well, what is it?". I then get the chance to stand there looking dumb and say, "I dunno". Sometimes I am pretty sure, since perhaps only one of the metals is a % or so off the mark for 316 or something, but not being expert in the field I can only give a qualitative "yeah, it's pretty close to 316".
I would like to be of more help to these guys but need a resource to help me do so.
I would appreciate any helpful suggestions you have.
Thanks
Edd





RE: Help for the metallugically impaired
" All that is necessary for triumph of evil is that good men do nothing".
Edmund Burke
RE: Help for the metallugically impaired
You will have to have a operating manual for your instrument to use all it' features and to use it properly.
RE: Help for the metallugically impaired
I went to a web site referred to me by a friend, http://www.matweb.com/search/SearchComp.asp and put in this mornings readings, Fe 98 - 99%, Mn 0 - 2% for a search. It returned 3 pages of possibilities at 200 per page. How would I ever know which one was right?
RE: Help for the metallugically impaired
Realistically you may not have 98% Fe and 2% Mn alloy. You might also have some Si, S, P, and trace elements like Ni,Mo, Cu, Cr etc.
" All that is necessary for triumph of evil is that good men do nothing".
Edmund Burke
RE: Help for the metallugically impaired
If you are dealing with higher alloy materials and it will not make a match try getting the surface flatter and smoother (better finish), and then run and extended count analysis to get higher precision.
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RE: Help for the metallugically impaired
RE: Help for the metallugically impaired
- The functionning principle of XRF machines precludes detection of materials below Titanium in the periodic table.Therefore XRF machines do not distinguish between different steels which have differing C, Mn, Si, S, P contents
- We have never been able to distinguish between Inco 718 and Waspaloy.
-We cannot distinguish between Ti6-4 and Ti 6-6-2Sn
-We obviously cannot distinguish between stainless (eg 304) and the low carbon version of same.
These machines were developed for scrap metal merchants who need to distinguish between Aluminum, copper-base, stainless etc. They cannot replace spectroscopy.