Handheld XRF Analyzers for Lead Paint
The SciAps X-550 Pb is the world's only handheld lead-paint analyzer that uses an X-ray tube instead of a radioactive isotope — delivering lightning-fast, most accurate lead-paint results with none of the regulatory and financial burden of owning, tracking, and replacing radioactive materials. This page explains how the X-550 Pb works, the HUD acceptance behind it, and the applications it covers.
The Best Lead Paint Analyzer Ever Made —With No Radioactive Isotope
Traditional lead-paint guns rely on a sealed radioactive source that must be licensed, tracked, disposed of, and periodically replaced — and whose test speed degrades as the isotope decays. The X-550 Pb uses the latest X-ray-tube and detector technology instead, so:
No radioactive isotope
no replacement costs, no disposal costs, no radioactive-materials licensing and tracking burden.
Speed that never fades
test times are the same in five years as on day one. The X-ray tube carries a 5-year guarantee.
Blazing-fast results
most tests finish in 2 seconds, and the longest is 6 seconds, auto-terminating at 95% (2σ) confidence.
The Analyzers for Lead Paint
Residential HUD assessment and industrial OSHA screening are different jobs with different rules. SciAps covers both.
HUD Residential Lead Paint, No Isotope
The world's only handheld lead-paint analyzer powered by an X-ray tube instead of a radioactive isotope. It holds an accepted HUD Performance Characteristic Sheet at all three action levels — 1.0, 0.7, and 0.5 mg/cm² — with no substrate corrections and no inconclusive range. Most tests finish in 2 seconds, and that speed never degrades because there is no source to decay.
A HUD First: Accepted PCS at Three Action Levels
The X-550 Pb is the first non-isotope handheld XRF with an accepted Performance Characteristic Sheet (PCS) for HUD residential lead-paint assessment — and one of only two instruments ever to hold PCS at three action levels: 1.0, 0.7, and 0.5 mg/cm². According to the PCS, it delivered no false positives, no false negatives, and no inconclusive tests, even at the demanding 0.5 mg/cm² level (rhodium anode). It's accepted for use with HUD's "Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing," 2012 Edition.
Highest accuracy
no substrate corrections, no inconclusive ranges — a first for an X-ray-tube-based lead-paint analyzer.
Two modes
automated Quick Mode for PCS-type testing, and Timed Mode for industrial lead-paint work.
Software, Cloud & Connectivity
Built on Android, the X-550 Pb feels like a smartphone, with a reversible light/dark display readable in any lighting. Built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and USB let you print and email results and connect to any information system. For multi-unit operators, SciAps Cloud+ data and fleet management collects and monitors lead-paint measurements in real time — eliminating manual export and copy-paste into spreadsheets and reports.
Explore Cloud+Frequently Asked Questions
Is the SciAps X-550 Pb lead paint analyzer radioactive?
No. It uses an X-ray tube powered by electric current, not a radioactive isotope — so there are no isotope replacement or disposal costs and none of the licensing, tracking, and inspection burden of owning radioactive materials.
Is the X-550 Pb accepted for HUD lead paint inspections?
Yes. It has an accepted HUD Performance Characteristic Sheet (PCS) at three action levels — 1.0, 0.7, and 0.5 mg/cm² — with no false positives, false negatives, or inconclusive tests reported, even at 0.5 mg/cm² (rhodium anode). It's one of only two instruments to hold PCS at all three levels and the only non-isotope one.
How fast is a lead paint test with the X-550 Pb?
Most tests finish in about 2 seconds and the longest is 6 seconds. The analyzer stops automatically once it determines the result is above or below the action level at 95% (2-sigma) confidence, and — because there's no decaying isotope — it stays that fast for the life of the instrument.
Can the X-550 Pb do more than lead paint?
Yes. Depending on the anode you choose (rhodium or gold), you can add apps for Lead in Soil, Alloy, Geochem/Mining, Environmental Metals, and Empirical calibrations — so one analyzer can serve lead-paint plus environmental, alloy, or geochemistry work.