The SciAps X-550 is a handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer that returns elemental chemistry in seconds, with no sample preparation and without consuming the material under test. A 5-watt X-ray tube and a 20 mm² silicon drift detector are packed into a 7.25" x 10.5" x 4.5" housing weighing 2.98 lb with the battery installed, so the measurement nose reaches weld roots, small-bore elbows and other geometry a benchtop instrument cannot get to.

Its internal geometry is tuned for the light end of the periodic table — magnesium, aluminum, silicon, phosphorus and sulfur — which is what makes it practical for silicon determination in sulfidic corrosion screening and for low-magnesium work in aluminum alloys. Stepping the tube up to 50 kV brings rare earth elements and the gold pathfinder elements antimony and silver into range.

Applications

• Positive material identification (PMI) and NDT — verify welds, piping, valves and pressure equipment in place, including hard-to-reach test locations.
• Sulfidic corrosion screening — low-silicon determination in carbon steel, one of the light-element measurements this instrument is specifically optimized for.
• Environmental soil metals screening — the soil app covers the 8 RCRA metals and 11 of the 12 EPA priority pollutant metals for on-site delineation and hot-spot mapping.
• Mineral exploration and grade control — field and core-shack geochemistry, with an optional compact test stand for closed-beam operation.
• Scrap sorting and incoming material verification — low detection limits on common tramp elements including Cr, Ni, Cu, V, Nb and Mo in steels, and Pb and Bi in nickel alloys.
• Precious metals and high-temperature alloys — rapid chemistry on stainless, red metals and precious metals using the 22-element precious metals app.

Key features

• 50 kV tube capability — reaches rare earth elements and the gold pathfinder elements antimony and silver, not just the routine alloy range.
• Light-element performance — optimized internal geometry for Mg, Al, Si, P and S, where most handheld XRF struggles.
• 20 mm² silicon drift detector — 140 eV FWHM resolution at the Mn K-alpha line for clean peak separation.
• Four-position filter wheel — the beam is optimized per application rather than compromised across all of them.
• 2.98 lb with battery, hot-swappable — battery changes in under 60 seconds keep a shift running without a charge break.
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and USB — results and coordinates move off the instrument as you work, through an Android-based touchscreen interface.

Full technical specifications are in the spec sheet:

Purchase or rental

This analyzer is available either to buy or to rent. Both are arranged by phone rather than through the cart.

• Rental — the price on this page is the weekly rate. Daily and monthly rates are also available; ask when you call.
• Purchase — quoted per configuration, because the app package, tube anode and filter options change the build and the price.

XRF instruments generate ionizing radiation and are subject to radiation-device registration and operator training requirements that vary by state and by country, and they cannot be supplied into every region. Call 1-800-468-8921 or use the CONTACT US button above, and a Geotech representative will confirm configuration, pricing, licensing and availability for your location.