Company Announcements

In June, Malvern PANalytical announced the opening an refurbished application lab at its site in Almelo, the Netherlands.

Judges Scientific announced in July the acquisition of Crystallon, the holding company of Oxford Cryosystems, for £4.5 million ($5.8 million) in cash. Oxford Cryosystems manufactures cryogenic cooling systems for x-ray crystallography and other applications. The products are sold to OEMs for integration into XRD systems or directly to users. For the year ending November 30, 2016, the company recorded revenues of £4.7 million ($6.0 million) and pre-tax profits of £4.3 million ($5.5 million)

Product Introductions

In July, PANalytical launched the Epsilon 1 XRF spectrometer, which is designed for small spot analysis and can analyze a large variety of sample types.

Rigaku released in July the Rigaku ZSX Primus 400 sequential WD-XRF spectrometer, specifically designed for very large and/or heavy samples. It offers micro-mapping capabilities and a customized sample adapter system.

In August, Rigaku debuted the NANOPIX mini, calling it the world’s first benchtop SAXS system that delivers automated nanoparticle size–distribution analysis for both QC and R&D applications. Features include ultra-SAXS measurements and suitability for opaque suspensions.

Rigaku launched in August the Simultix 15 high-throughput WD-XRF spectrometer for process control in industry such as steel and cement. It features a 30 fixed-channel configuration that can be upgraded to 40 channels.

In July, Bruker introduced the LYNXEYE XE-T 1-D compound silicon strip detector for its D2 PHASER XRD system. It features four times better energy resolution than traditional silicon strip detectors.

Bruker released in August the D8 VENTURE BIOTOOLS for lab macromolecular crystallography. Among its tools are the ImS DIAMOND, which the company calls the world’s brightest microfocus x-ray source, and the new PHOTON II, which it calls the largest photon counting pixel array detector for the home lab.

In August, Bruker and DECTRIS debuted the EIGER2 R 500K hybrid photon counting pix detector. The detector has been integrated into Bruker’s D8 ADVANCE and D8 DISCOVER XRD systems. With the new detector, switching between 0D, 1D and 2D mode is possible.

Bruker unveiled in September the D8 DISCOVER PLUS XRD system, combining the new TXS-HE high-efficiency Turbo X-ray Source with the ATLAS goniometer. It reduces data collection time and enables the study of dynamic processes.

SPECTRO Analytical Instruments unveiled in August the SPECTRO MIDEX MID05 small spot ED-XRF spectrometer, its fifth generation small spot ED-XRF system for precious metal testing. It features faster testing times, increased precision and ease of use.

In August, Teledyne CETAC Technologies introduced the Aridus3 Desolvating Nebulizer System for its nebulizer product group. It is the fourth generation of a specialized liquid sample introduction accessory for ICP-MS.

Nu Instruments debuted in August the SAPPHIRE collision/reaction cell multi-collector ICP-MS (MC-ICP-MS). It can be used as a traditional MC-ICP-MS as well as featuring a low-energy path in which the ion beam is directed through a hexapole collision cell for the removal of the ICP-induced molecular species that interfere directly with the atomic ions of the same nominal mass of some nontraditional isotopes. More than 170 of the the company’s MC-ICP-MS systems have been installed.

In August, XOS launched the Petra MZX, a new HD-XRF-based D4294 analyzer for combined analysis of 13 elements. It delivers repeatable sub-ppm measurements of metals like nickel, vanadium and iron combined with sulfur measurements as low as 5.7 ppm.

Shimadzu introduced in August the EDX-8100 ED-XRF spectrometer, featuring the ability to analyze light elements in liquid samples with high sensitivity by helium purging. More than one thousand of the EDX-7000 and EDX-8000 ED-XRF spectrometers, the previous platforms, have been sold.

Sales/Orders of Note

In August, Spectro Scientific signed a $9.6 million contract with the US Navy for the delivery of up to 69 model M-N/W SpectrOil RDE spectrometers.