Particle chemistry impacts the fundamental performance of the final printed or molded parts. Bruker’s X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzers provide rapid, detailed, measurement of the powder’s elemental composition upon final inspection of metal powders and fast and accurate verification of material certification for incoming inspection.
The content of light elements like O, N, H, Ar and C, S must be tightly controlled at every step. Carbon impacts hardness, brittleness & melt point and Sulfur is a generally undesirable element but may be added to enhance machinability during finishing. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen strongly influence material properties and must constantly be monitored as content will change during processing. Argon remaining in metal powders after atomization affects porosity and creates inclusions in final parts Bruker’s Combustion Gas Analyzers (C, S) and Inert Gas Fusion – Mass Spectrometry (O, N, H, Ar) instruments are industry-proven to measure these critical elements to ensure finished part quality and durability.