Thermo Electron Updates Its Niton Portable RoHS Analyzer

The Niton Analyzers business unit of Thermo Electron Corp., Billerica, Mass., has released new software with additional features for its portable XRF analyzers that can help the electronics industry deal with the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) compliance deadline.

RoHS prohibits electronics or electrical equipment made from materials containing more than 100 parts per million of cadmium and more than 1,000 parts per million of mercury, lead, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers from being imported into the European Union.

According to Thermo Electron, its new version 5.1 analyzer software offers several new features and performance improvements, including an advanced thickness correction for improved direct analysis of polymer materials.

Thermo’s portable RoHS analyzers have been used to quantify restricted elements in plastic matrices down to a thickness of 5mm. However, very thin samples typically required folding or layering in order to provide the best analytical results possible. Thermo says its new Thickness Correction algorithm “provides the ability to compensate test results for even ultra-thin plastic materials” and is easy-to-use.

The company’s version 5.1 analyzer software also features six language options, improved analytical accuracy and the addition of elements to the calibration matrices.

Version 5.1 software is currently shipping on all new Niton RoHS instruments and is a free upgrade to customers with existing compatible analyzers.

Thermo Electron Portable Elemental Analysis, formerly Niton LLC, makes portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis technology.