Positive Material Identification
Positive material identification (PMI) is used to screen or identify metals and alloys based on elemental composition. XRF Research performs non-destructive XRF analysis using portable and benchtop instrumentation, with appropriate quality control checks for the project.
Common Uses
- Alloy identification and sorting
- Verification of supplied or installed metal components
- Screening unknown metal samples
- Comparison to known standards, reference samples, or mill certificates
- Documentation for quality control, due diligence, or technical review
Capabilities and Limitations
XRF can rapidly identify many alloying elements and compare the measured composition to common alloy families. It is non-destructive and useful for many field and shop applications.
However, XRF does not directly measure every element equally well; light elements and some carbon-dependent alloy distinctions may require other methods or documentation. When the result will be used for a high-value, safety-critical, or contractual decision, we recommend discussing the required confidence level and whether additional laboratory confirmation is appropriate.
