Rigaku NEX LS Scanning Coating Analyzer

Designed explicitly to meet the needs of challenging conditions found in coating and converting processes, NEX LS helps maintain routine quality control for web and coil applications. The NEX LS linear scanner provides real-time coat weight profiling of your process. Common applications include silicone release coaters, converters, denesting Si for vacuum-formed plastics, conversion coatings, fuel cell loadings, metalized plastic, top coatings on the metal coil, and fire retardants on fabric.
 

Featuring advanced third-generation energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technology, NEX LS represents the next evolution of scanning multi-element process coatings analyzers for web or coil applications.

• In-line, real-time coat weight profiling
• Measure elements aluminium (AI) to uranium (U)
• Robust Rigaku NEX Series optical kernel
• Industrial touchscreen user interface

Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF)

To deliver superior analytical performance and reliability, the EDXRF measuring head assembly was derived from the established Rigaku NEX Series high-resolution benchtop instrumentation. With their proven technology, the Rigaku NEX LS delivers rapid, non-destructive, multi-element analyses — for coat weight, coating thickness and/or composition — for elements from aluminium (Al) through uranium (U).

Coating Thickness and Composition

Rigaku NEX LS is specifically designed to service web and coil applications, with the ability to perform multi-element composition, coat weight or coating thickness. The measuring head is mounted on a rigid beam and is equipped with a linear traversing mechanism positioned over a roller so that the head-to-surface distance is constant. Where needed, the elemental composition of a coating is measured directly. In contrast, coat weight (or coating thickness) may be measured directly (where the counting rate for an element is proportional to thickness) or indirectly by measuring the attenuation of some substrate element (where the counting rate is negatively correlated to thickness).

Silicone Release Coatings

Benchtop EDXRF spectrometers have long been a familiar technology for release coatings, converters, vacuum-formed plastics manufacturers and other industries using silicone oils as barrier layers, release coatings or denesting agents. Real-time scanning, for tighter process control tolerances, takes EDXRF technology for silicone coatings analysis to the next level. Silicone coatings are applied to plastic and paper substrates to modify the release characteristics of a product (like labels) or packaging. If too little silicone is applied or if there are areas of the web where the silicone coating is missing, the adhesive release properties will be adversely affected in release applications or the denesting characteristics of the vacuum-formed plastic will be compromised causing product rejection or disruption in manufacturing and other downstream processes. If too much silicone is applied, the cost of the manufactured roll increases, reducing profitability and in some cases impacting the acceptance and performance of the end product.