How do scrap yards know what types of metals they are buying? That is a common question that many scrappers have asked us in the past, and it is valid. Knowing what metals you are selling is, well, kind of a big deal. We know that your scrap yard will know what copper, brass, and aluminum grades are, but what about when you get into different metals like stainless steel and carbide?
How Do You Test Scrap Metal?
Old Methods Die Hard: Spark Test
There used to be a method called the spark test, and this was how scrap yards could figure out what
metals were for so many years. This spark test was done, and the sparks’ color, intensity, and consistency came off of it, which is how the scrap yard would get a much better idea about the alloy they were buying.
Technology Has Taken Over
As all technology has evolved over the last few decades, a new invention or innovation (depending on how you look at it) has developed: the XRF Analyzer. These tools are handy (but expensive) and will leave little to no doubt about what metal you have while selling it to your scrap yard.
What Is An XRF Analyzer?
An XRF (X-ray fluorescence) analyzer is often used in the scrap metal industry to determine the types of metals. It passes fluorescent X-rays off the metal sample and provides a breakdown of elements inside the material.
XRFs are not a standard tool for scrappers, with their cost in the tens of thousands of dollars range, but they are relatively common in the scrap yard world. Scrap yards invest a lot of money in tools because they become essential to their day-to-day operation, which will also help you and your scrap needs.
If you have a material that you think maybe a unique alloy or metal and your scrap yard used one of these tools, then you should be able to get them to analyze the metal and help you learn more about what you have.
What Can These Scrap Metal Analyzers Read?
The analyzer will be able to read almost all types of metals you have, from aluminum to tungsten scrap. There are so many types and grades of metals that unless the metal has a stamping on it (which is rare), you won’t be able to tell just by looking at it. For example, stainless steel 304 and stainless steel 316 look identical, even to the trained eye of scrap yard owners, but 316 stainless steel will be worth a lot more money if you can identify it.
Knowing and abusing that your yard has an analyzer are two different things. If you have one or two pieces of metal and won’t get any more of it soon, we suggest just selling it like it is. You don’t want to aggravate the scrap yard managers, so they no longer try to help you.
How Do The XRF’s Work?
The XRFs shoot small amounts of radiation into the metal, which helps to learn its composition. By understanding the composition, you will see if it is 100% aluminum or has some copper mixed into it. But what it does is it gives you an exact idea. The exact science behind it is not easy, but know that it is accurate and will help you learn and make money.
One of the biggest things the analyzers need to do is ensure that the area they are zapping is clean. The best way to do this is with a grinding wheel or a cut-off end.
Model no. DWE402
- 4.5 Inch, 11 Amp, With Paddle Switch
- Dust Ejection System provides durability
