Which Analyzer Is Best for Your Scrapyard?

A Practical Guide to Choosing the Right XRF (and When LIBS Makes Sense)

By Don Sackett, Co-Founder, SciAps

When it comes to scrap metal sorting, few decisions have a bigger impact on accuracy, throughput, and profitability than choosing the right analyzer. At SciAps, scrap metal recycling is one of our favorite markets—and if you’ve ever caught us at a ReMA show, you know we genuinely love spending time with recyclers in the field.

One of the most common questions we hear—from customers and sales teams alike—is simple but important:

“Which analyzer should I get?”

The real answer depends on what you’re sorting, how precise you need to be, and how fast you need to work. To make that decision easier, let’s break down the three SciAps XRF options—entry-level, mid-range, and premium—and explain where each one shines, where limitations come into play, and how some scrapyards mix and match for maximum efficiency.

The Entry-Level Option: X-50

Affordable, Fast, and Ideal for Common Scrap

The X-50 is our entry-level XRF, and for many scrapyards, it’s more than enough.

What it does well

• Excellent for common alloys and everyday scrap
• Fast identification of popular aluminum grades like:
  
  • 2024
  • 6061
  • 5052
  • 3003
• Strong performance on steels, stainless, and red metals
• Attractive price point for smaller operations or multiple sorting stations

What it doesn’t measure

The X-50 does not measure:

• Magnesium (Mg)
• Aluminum (Al)
• Silicon (Si)
• Phosphorus (P)
• Sulfur (S)

Because of this, the analyzer assumes the alloy being tested is the most common version in that family.

Where mix-ups can happen

• 2024 vs. 2014 aluminum
  These alloys differ mainly by magnesium. Without Mg detection, both may be called “2024 type.”
• 6063 vs. 1100 aluminum
  Without magnesium measurement, 6063 can be misidentified as "1100 type."
• Magnesium alloys
  Without Mg detection, magnesium alloys may be misclassified as aluminum.
• Aluminum bronzes
  Copper alloys containing aluminum may be mistaken for pure copper.

Bottom line:
If you’re sorting mostly common alloys and understand the limitations, the X-50 is a powerful, cost-effective tool that handles the majority of scrap accurately.

The Mid-Range Workhorse: X-200

Greater Precision, Fewer Mix-Ups, More Peace of Mind

The X-200 steps things up by measuring the light elements the X-50 can’t.

Additional elements measured

• Magnesium
• Silicon
• Aluminum
• Phosphorus
• Sulfur

This expanded chemistry eliminates nearly all of the alloy mix-ups we just discussed.

Why that matters

• 2014 vs. 2024 aluminum?
  The X-200 detects small amounts of magnesium and separates them correctly.
• 6063 vs. 1100 aluminum?
  Magnesium shows up clearly—no more confusion.
• Magnesium alloys?
  Correctly identified as AZ-series alloys.
• Aluminum bronzes?
  Accurately flagged thanks to aluminum detection.

The X-200 uses two-beam analysis, allowing it to measure these light elements quickly—usually in just a couple of seconds.

One small limitation

In rare cases, aluminum alloys with high silicon and very low magnesium (like 356) may take a bit longer—around 7–8 seconds—to fully resolve. That’s still faster than most competing XRFs, and for the vast majority of recyclers, it’s a non-issue.

Bottom line:

‍The X-200 is the “safe choice.” If you want high confidence alloy sorting without jumping to the premium price tier, this analyzer delivers excellent accuracy and peace of mind.

The Premium Choice: X-550

Fastest, Lightest, Most Advanced—Built for High-Volume Aluminum Sorting

The X-550 is our most popular model—and for good reason.

Why recyclers love it

• Smaller and lighter than other models
• Better ergonomics for all-day use
• Faster on aluminum, magnesium alloys, and red metals
• Two-beam analysis in ~2 seconds total
• Ideal for high-volume, high-value sorting

Where the X-550 really shines

• Challenging aluminum alloys
  Low-mag, low-silicon alloys are identified as fast as stainless steel.
• Aluminum bronzes
  Accurately identified in ~2 seconds.
• Magnesium alloys
  Quickly and confidently classified.

Smart warnings that protect your shipments

The X-550 includes intelligent alerts for problematic materials:

• Beryllium copper
  Flags likely Be presence by detecting cobalt.
• Lithium-containing aluminum
  Identified indirectly via silver detection.
• Tellurium copper
  Warns operators when tellurium is present.

These warnings help prevent costly contamination errors—especially when operators are sorting by grade rather than chemistry.

The Aluminum App: Exclusive to the X-550

This dedicated aluminum sorting app identifies nearly all aluminum alloys in about one second, including:

• 2024 vs. 2014
• 6061
• 356 (even with low magnesium)

If speed matters—and in scrap, it usually does—this feature alone makes the X-550 stand out.

Bottom line:

If aluminum is a major part of your business and you want maximum speed, accuracy, and operator confidence, the X-550 is hard to beat.

A Smart Hybrid Strategy: Mix and Match

Many scrapyards don’t choose just one model.

A common setup:

• Multiple X-50s or X-200s at sorting stations
• One X-550 at a central“verification” station

Basic scrap gets sorted quickly, and anything questionable is sent to the premium analyzer. This approach maximizes ROI while keeping throughput high.

What About LIBS?

We’re often asked:

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‍“If your XRFs are so good at aluminum, where does LIBS fit?”

1. You don’t want to deal with X-ray regulations
2. You need high-precision measurement of light elements (Mg, Si, Li, Be, B)
3. You work with specialty alloys that demand tight tolerances

That said, XRF is generally easier to use, faster to train on, and more forgiving with small or oddly shaped scrap. For most scrapyards, XRF remains the go-to tool—while LIBS fills a specialized role.

Final Takeaway

There’s no one-size-fits-all analyzer—but there is a right analyzer for your scrapyard.

• X-50: Great value for common metals and basic sorting
• X-200: Enhanced accuracy and confidence for challenging alloys
• X-550: Premium speed, precision, and protection for high-volume aluminum sorting

At SciAps, we believe recyclers shouldn’t pay for performance they don’t need—but when you do need it, you should have the best-performing system available.

And that’s exactly why we offer all three.

Ready for a demo?

Contact us today!

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