Advanced engineering industries – including automotive, aerospace, and oil and gas – rely heavily on materials that can endure harsh conditions and withstand substantial mechanical stress. For instance, it is crucial that the alloys used to manufacture gas turbine blades are capable of resisting the strain of continuously rotating at high speeds in extreme temperatures. As a result, the metals and alloys used in these applications must adhere to strict specifications, and ensuring the accurate composition of these materials is critical for maintaining quality and preventing potential failures. Traditionally, quality control (QC) methods involved sending samples to laboratories for analysis, which was time-consuming, destructive and expensive. Fortunately, advances in technology have resulted in the development of handheld X-ray fluorescence (HHXRF) and handheld laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (HHLIBS) analyzers that can be used for on-site analysis, enabling real-time testing and often eliminating the need for destructive sampling. This approach offers significant benefits by providing reliable, essential data to operators in a timely manner, aiding manufacturers in optimizing their QC processes and manufacturing operations with confidence and efficiency.
XRF and LIBS differ in their underlying principles and applications, but both techniques enable rapid and accurate analysis of metals and alloys in the field. In XRF, a miniaturized X-ray tube is used to irradiate the sample, stimulating the emission of element-specific radiation known as X-ray fluorescence. These X-rays are then detected and analyzed to determine the elemental composition of the sample. Advances in these technologies have revolutionized material analysis by offering compact, all-in-one tools that are truly handheld, allowing accurate in‑field measurements. Modern HHXRF instruments, weighing less than two kilograms, offer enhanced sensitivity, and can detect elements down to atomic number 12 (magnesium). They can also identify alloy grades by comparing compositions to international standards, including ASTM International, DIN and AISI.