Apr 21 2008
Trace Laboratories, Inc. announces the expansion of its material certification and analysis capabilities with the addition of new, portable Niton XL3T X-Ray Fluorescence equipment.
X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) is a non-destructive method of testing for the presence of lead and other hazardous substances, such as mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and brominated compounds. Portable XRF devices allow for the onsite analysis of any product and provide parts per million (ppm) content data on hazardous substances.
Portable XRF devices offer the least expensive, most reliable means of determining hazardous substance content. Other techniques, such as self-use lead test kits are unreliable and test only for lead, ignoring other dangerous materials. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently announced that due to their inaccuracy, these lead test kits should not be used to evaluate consumer products for potential lead hazards.
Trace Laboratories, Inc. has developed test programs to support both consumer-based and industrial-based companies. The programs range from simple elemental detection to complete RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) compliance. RoHS restricts the amount of various materials allowed in electronic components. XRF screening can be conducted cost-effectively on hundreds or thousands of parts, followed by a more thorough destructive analysis on select samples using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP), and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy (GC/MS).
By implementing XRF measurements into your quality control procedures, you can verify your supplied products before they are used. Materials that have been mismarked or fraudulently delivered can be detected prior to use in the end product. Trace’s XRF testing will justify itself by helping to prevent the introduction of inferior or illegal materials into the marketplace.
Posted April 21st,2008