Handheld XRF & LIBS Analyzers forScrap Metal & Alloy Sorting
SciAps handheld XRF and LIBS analyzers sort every scrap and alloy stream — aluminum, stainless, red metals, high-temps, turnings, and specialty grades — in seconds. Below, every analyzer used in scrap and alloy recycling and how to choose the right fit.
Why Recyclers Choose SciAps for Alloy Identification
Fast, accurate material verification protects your margins on every transaction — at the buy scale, on the sort line, and at the mill-ready shipment. SciAps analyzers deliver alloy grade and full chemistry in 1–2 seconds for most materials, in the ultralight handheld frames that are the most durable on the market. Two complementary technologies cover the entire job:
Handheld XRF
The scrap yard workhorse — sort stainless, high-temp alloys, red metals, turnings, and specialty grades in seconds, with an analyzer that's easy to train every operator on and forgiving on small or oddly shaped pieces. SciAps XRF is also the market leader for aluminum scrap, measuring magnesium and silicon up to 10× faster than any other X-ray gun.
See XRF analyzersHandheld LIBS
The laser sorter for what X-ray can't do. LIBS is the only handheld that measures carbon — so you can separate L- and H-grade stainless (304L vs 304) and verify carbon steels on the spot. It excels at aluminum alloy sorting (magnesium and silicon), and burns through anodizing, paint, and coatings with minimal grinding — all with no radioactive source and no X-ray licensing.
See LIBS analyzersThe X-Series XRF Lineup
Every SciAps X-Series XRF runs on one platform — the same Android OS, batteries, chargers, and accessories — so training and fleet management stay simple as you scale. All of the models below are used in scrap yards today.
The Ultimate Alloy Gun
Widely regarded as the best X-ray gun ever made for scrap sorting, and now protected by Detector Protector Technology (DPT). Its patented Aluminum App measures magnesium as low as 0.25% and silicon to 0.10% in ~2 seconds — so grades that differ only by fine chemistry (3003/3004/3005, 356/357, 2014/2024, the classic 1100-vs-6063 mix-up) can finally be sorted reliably by X-ray. It also runs the industry's most powerful X-ray tube (up to 3× Beam 2 power) for fast contaminant phosphorus and sulfur analysis and low-level residuals/tramp elements (Cr, Ni, Cu, V, Nb, Sn), letting you upgrade ferrous, copper, and nickel material for real money. No compromises on high temps, stainless, red metals, or turnings.
How the SciAps Aluminum App Sorts Aluminum in Seconds
Most X-ray guns run a "one size fits all" two-beam non-ferrous test that takes 20+ seconds to resolve common aluminum grades. The patent-pending SciAps Aluminum App starts instead with an optimized low-voltage, high-current tube setting tuned for the ~10 elements that sort 95%+ of aluminum alloys — analyzing them in 1–2 seconds. On-board library logic then decides whether a given material needs a quick second beam, so only a small percentage of tests take 3–4 seconds.
The result: end 1100-vs-6063 and 356-vs-357 mix-ups permanently, and stop downgrades caused by slow or imprecise Mg readings.
Sorts 95%+ of aluminum alloys
Library logic adds a second beam for a small % of tests
Built to Survive the Yard Floor
The detector is the most fragile — and most expensive — part of any handheld XRF. Detector Protector Technology (DPT) shields the sensitive XRF detector from the dust, drops, and debris that damage ordinary handhelds — so your X-550 and X-Series guns keep running shift after shift on the yard floor, with less downtime and lower service costs.
The Z-Series LIBS Lineup
SciAps Z-Series LIBS analyzers sort all alloy types with no radioactive source and none of the X-ray regulatory overhead. LIBS is especially strong on aluminum (superior magnesium and silicon vs. X-ray), measures light elements X-ray cannot detect at all (Li, Be, B, C, Na), and its high-energy laser burns through anodizing, oil, grease, and paint for rapid surface cleaning with minimal grinding.
Purpose-Built LIBS Sorting Tool
A rugged, air-burn LIBS built specifically for material ID and high-throughput sorting. It uses a 6 mJ/pulse laser — the most powerful in the LIBS sorting market (roughly 40× the "micro-LIBS" guns) — to burn through surface contamination, with an integrated air pump that keeps the window cleaner longer for consistent data. Users can enter their own grades and adjust for specific sorting needs.
Air-Burn vs. Argon Purge: Which LIBS Do You Need?
Depending on the element, the LIBS signal is 2×–10× higher in argon purge than in air-burn — and about 50× higher for carbon, which is why argon is always required for carbon testing. It's a choice of analyzer, not a mode: the Z-70 is a dedicated air-burn sorter, while the Z-901 and Z-902 run on-board argon purge on every test.
Air-Burn (Z-70)
Works well for many scrap applications, particularly aluminum and titanium — and it's faster for high-throughput grade ID.
Argon Purge (Z-901 & Z-902)
Earns its keep when you need mill-ready aluminum precision, ultra-low tramp detection (B in aluminum), or better precision on refractory elements (Ni, Mo, Co, Nb, W, Ta) in high temps and stainless.
Get Both Technologies:The OneBox
Peak-season throughput and full-spectrum coverage often call for both tools. The OneBox packages any Z-Series LIBS with any X-Series XRF — sharing the same batteries, charger, and cables, running on the same Android interface. Sort your "lights" and ferrous fast with the Z; your stainless, high temps, and red metals with the X. Either unit backs up the other for peak demand, in one economical package.
Explore the OneBox
How to Choose the Right Scrap Analyzer
| Model | Technology | Best for scrap | Aluminum sorting | Light elements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| X-550 | XRF | Premium — aluminum + residuals, high volume | Fastest (Mg to 0.25% in ~2s) | No |
| X-505 | XRF | High-value alloy workhorse | Strong (few sec. slower on Mg/Si) | No |
| X-200 | XRF | Everyday value sorting | Good (3–4s on complex Al) | No |
| X-50 | XRF | Economical common metals | Families only | No |
| X-5 | XRF | Economical transition/heavy metals | Limited | No |
| Z-70 | LIBS | High-throughput point-and-shoot sorting | Yes (air-burn) | Yes |
| Z-901 | LIBS | Mill-ready aluminum, argon purge | Superior Mg/Si | Be/Li/B |
| Z-902 | LIBS | All alloy bases + carbon option | Superior Mg/Si | incl. C |
There's no one-size-fits-all analyzer — but there is a right analyzer for your yard. Not sure which fits your material mix? Contact our scrap team for a recommendation or an on-site demo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest handheld analyzer for sorting aluminum scrap?
The X-550 is the fastest, sorting aluminum alloys in about 2 seconds and measuring magnesium down to 0.25% — enough to separate grades that differ only by fine chemistry, like 3003/3004/3005 or 356/357. It uses SciAps' patented Aluminum App and a tube that runs at ~3× the Mg/Si power of a standard XRF. The X-505 delivers the same result a few seconds slower at a lower price.
How does SciAps solve the 1100-vs-6063 aluminum mix-up?
Alloy 6063 contains 0.45–0.9% Mg while 1100 has none, but rising recycled-copper content leads most X-ray guns to shortcut and call any copper-bearing piece "1100" rather than spend 30+ seconds confirming Mg. The X-550 measures the magnesium in 6063 in about 1 second, eliminating the mix-up without slowing you down.
Do I need a radioactive materials license to use a SciAps scrap analyzer?
SciAps LIBS analyzers (Z-70, Z-901, Z-902) use a laser rather than an isotope or X-ray tube, and the Z-901 can be operated under Class 1 conditions in virtually all states and countries — eliminating radiation badges, inspections, and isotope tracking. XRF analyzers use an X-ray tube (no isotope), though X-ray licensing rules still apply in some states.
When should a scrapyard choose LIBS over XRF?
Choose LIBS when you want to avoid radiation regulations entirely, need the fastest and most precise aluminum sorting, or must measure elements X-ray physically cannot detect — lithium, beryllium, boron, carbon, and sodium — such as verifying L- vs H-grade stainless by carbon or detecting Li/Be contamination in aluminum.