Shimadzu Corporation announces the release of the PDA-MF and PDA-MF Plus, Shimadzu’s first tabletop optical emission spectrometers. Particularly designed for emerging markets, such as in South-East Asia, the PDA-MF and PDA-MF Plus are capable of quickly analyzing the concentrations of elements in solid metallic samples.
Using the properties of light, the PDA-MF and PDA-MF Plus perform simultaneous analysis of the concentrations of the elements that compose solid metallic samples. Shimadzu’s first tabletop optical emission spectrometers are equipped with high-sensitivity charge-coupled device (CCD) detectors, and by using newly developed software and an alloy database, they can easily identify unknown samples. Equipped with various features such as a function to automatically notify the user when it is time for maintenance and calibration, the instruments were developed with a focus on ease of use and cost efficiency, making them suitable for even users who are purchasing optical emission spectrometers for the first time.

Optical emission spectrometers are used for quality control and materials acceptance inspection of metallic materials such as iron, steel, and nonferrous metals. They are also used for shipment inspection of automotive parts and machinery parts. In recent years, such industries have increased in activity in South-East Asia, India, and China, and so demand for these instruments has increased. At the same time, there are increasing numbers of first-time users for the instruments, so ease of maintenance and ease of operation are viewed as important.
In response to these needs, Shimadzu has developed these instruments by capitalizing on nearly 80 years of data and technology accumulated in the development of optical emission spectrometers. The resulting instruments are compact and easy to handle, even by first-time users. Users can select from two models to suit their needs. The PDA-MF is targeted specifically at the analysis of nonferrous metals. The PDA-MF Plus can analyze a wide range of samples, including iron and nonferrous metals.

Using a new optical system with a high-sensitivity CCD detector, as well as newly developed software and special databases specific to iron and nonferrous metals, the instruments are equipped with functions to automatically identify the type and material properties of metals based on the degree of matching and number of matched elements in a single analysis, even for unknown samples. As a result, users can perform analysis with confidence regardless of their level of expertise.

To ensure that the instruments can be used with confidence even by first-time users of optical emission spectrometers, they are equipped with a function to automatically notify the user when it is time for maintenance and calibration, and a function to perform self-diagnostic checking for problem areas, unit by unit. In addition, there is a function to automatically identify and switch the instrument between analysis and standby modes, thus increasing the efficiency with which argon gas is utilized.

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PDA-MF Series Optical Emission Spectrometer