Current trends for quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures in metal manufacturing plants are becoming more stringent. The need for 100% measurements for alloy verification is frequently becoming part of these procedures.

X-ray fluorescence is an elemental analysis tool that has been a mainstay of test labs for decades. A versatile NDT method that demands only minimal sample prep and can be run by novice operators, it is perhaps most valued for delivering accurate results quickly. Today, evolving XRF capabilities are moving this quality assurance workhorse into critical new roles in a widening spectrum of industries.

XRF is a spectrometric technique that can be applied to many materials for composition analysis, as well as coating and multilayer thin-film thickness measurements.

Recent advances in scanning electron microscopy (SEM), particularly in the benchtop realm, enhance quality control procedures of laboratories across a wide range of industries.