{"id":4719,"date":"2015-06-18T08:00:19","date_gmt":"2015-06-18T08:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/?p=4719"},"modified":"2026-04-16T19:45:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T19:45:10","slug":"key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/","title":{"rendered":"Key Elements of a Plant FAC Program Should Include Handheld XRF Analysis"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"float: right;border: 0;margin: 10px\" title=\"power plant pipe steam\" src=\"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/istock_000005626080_medium.jpg\" alt=\"power plant pipe steam\" width=\"350\" height=\"237\" \/>Flow-accelerated corrosion, or FAC, is a well-known source of problems in nuclear and fossil-fuel power plants. FAC occurs when carbon steel piping and components are degraded by flowing water or steam water with low-dissolved oxygen. As the water flows against the carbon steel material, the stable surface oxide layer (typically Fe<sub>3<\/sub>O<sub>4<\/sub>) is dissolved into the flowing stream \u2013 thinning the walls of piping over time and causing them to rupture.<\/p>\n<p>Research conducted through the<a href=\"http:\/\/www.epri.com\/Pages\/Default.aspx\"> Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)<\/a> demonstrates that FAC is a complex process influenced by a number of variables, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The composition of the steel \u2013 principally the alloying elements of chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), and molybdenum (Mo)<\/li>\n<li>The water chemistry in use \u2013 pH at temperature in the water, dissolved oxygen, and temperature<\/li>\n<li>The flow variables \u2013 fluid velocity, diameter, fitting geometry, and upstream influences.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>EPRI\u2019s published study, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.epri.com\/abstracts\/Pages\/ProductAbstract.aspx?ProductId=000000003002000563\">Recommendations for an Effective Flow-Accelerated Corrosion Program<\/a>, describes six interrelated key elements for a plant FAC program, summarized here:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Corporate Commitment:<\/strong> This includes providing financial support, defining responsibilities, managing, qualifying and training employees and ensuring they have time to complete their tasks, facilitating communication, and monitoring, evaluating and documenting each step of the FAC program.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Analysis:<\/strong> EPRI recommends FAC predictive analysis of the plant using inspection drawings and a database of inspection and replacement histories to identify the most susceptible components and develop a plan of action.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Operating Experience:<\/strong> EPRI maintains a database of shared operating experiences and information to help plant operators identify problem areas, understand differences in similar types of components, and understand the FAC consequences of using systems off-design.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Accurate Inspections:<\/strong> EPRI suggests thorough inspections of \u00a0FAC components, including wall thickness measurements, to establish the extent of wear in a given component, provide data to help evaluate FAC trends, and provide data to refine the predictive model.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Training and Engineering Judgment: <\/strong>EPRI maintains that personnel involved in the program should be formally trained in an appropriate engineering discipline, be trained in FAC, and receive input from the other plant departments.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Long Term Strategy:<\/strong> EPRI suggests that a long-term strategy focus on reducing FAC wear rates and inspecting the most susceptible locations.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thermoscientific.com\/en\/product\/niton-xl3t-ultra-analyzer.html\">Handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) <\/a>technology is a valid method for monitoring the trace alloy content of carbon steel piping where FAC is a concern.\u00a0Read the application note, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thermoscientific.com\/content\/dam\/tfs\/ATG\/CAD\/CAD%20Documents\/Application%20&amp;%20Technical%20Notes\/Portable%20Analyzers%20for%20Material%20ID\/Handheld%20XRF\/FAC-Inspection-AppNote-FINAL.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Use of Handheld XRF in the FAC Inspection Protocol<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>to see data and analysis of the performance of a handheld XRF analyzer for the FAC application.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Flow-accelerated corrosion, or FAC, is a well-known source of problems in nuclear and fossil-fuel power plants. FAC occurs when carbon steel piping and components are degraded by flowing water or steam water with low-dissolved oxygen. As the water flows against the carbon steel material, the stable surface oxide layer (typically Fe3O4) is dissolved into the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":4976,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,206],"tags":[],"division":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-4719","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-positive-material-identification","8":"category-steel","9":"entry"},"_selected_authors":[1047],"_selected_reviewers":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.8 (Yoast SEO v27.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Key Elements of Plant FAC Program Should Include Handheld XRF Analysis<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Read how handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology is a valid method for monitoring the trace alloy content of carbon steel piping where FAC is a concern.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Key Elements of a Plant FAC Program Should Include Handheld XRF Analysis\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Read how handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology is a valid method for monitoring the trace alloy content of carbon steel piping where FAC is a concern.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Analyzing Metals\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2015-06-18T08:00:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-16T19:45:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/istock_000005626080_medium.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1682\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1141\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Esa Nummi\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Esa Nummi\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Esa Nummi\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4d4d3ad5a71dcb1ca19735d6516c7190\"},\"headline\":\"Key Elements of a Plant FAC Program Should Include Handheld XRF Analysis\",\"datePublished\":\"2015-06-18T08:00:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-16T19:45:10+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":420,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2015\\\/06\\\/istock_000005626080_medium.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Positive Material Identification\",\"Steel\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\\\/\",\"name\":\"Key Elements of Plant FAC Program Should Include Handheld XRF Analysis\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2015\\\/06\\\/istock_000005626080_medium.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2015-06-18T08:00:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-16T19:45:10+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4d4d3ad5a71dcb1ca19735d6516c7190\"},\"description\":\"Read how handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology is a valid method for monitoring the trace alloy content of carbon steel piping where FAC is a concern.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2015\\\/06\\\/istock_000005626080_medium.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2015\\\/06\\\/istock_000005626080_medium.jpg\",\"width\":1682,\"height\":1141,\"caption\":\"power plant pipe steam\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Key Elements of a Plant FAC Program Should Include Handheld XRF Analysis\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/\",\"name\":\"Analyzing Metals\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4d4d3ad5a71dcb1ca19735d6516c7190\",\"name\":\"Esa Nummi\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/612d84861406b7e913bb50763a7ce6995f9f2bde4a6ae8fd8f182c64e09b834e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/612d84861406b7e913bb50763a7ce6995f9f2bde4a6ae8fd8f182c64e09b834e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/612d84861406b7e913bb50763a7ce6995f9f2bde4a6ae8fd8f182c64e09b834e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Esa Nummi\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/author\\\/esa-nummithermofisher-com\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Key Elements of Plant FAC Program Should Include Handheld XRF Analysis","description":"Read how handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology is a valid method for monitoring the trace alloy content of carbon steel piping where FAC is a concern.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Key Elements of a Plant FAC Program Should Include Handheld XRF Analysis","og_description":"Read how handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology is a valid method for monitoring the trace alloy content of carbon steel piping where FAC is a concern.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/","og_site_name":"Analyzing Metals","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thermofisher","article_published_time":"2015-06-18T08:00:19+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-16T19:45:10+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1682,"height":1141,"url":"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/istock_000005626080_medium.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Esa Nummi","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@thermofisher","twitter_site":"@thermofisher","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Esa Nummi","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/"},"author":{"name":"Esa Nummi","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#\/schema\/person\/4d4d3ad5a71dcb1ca19735d6516c7190"},"headline":"Key Elements of a Plant FAC Program Should Include Handheld XRF Analysis","datePublished":"2015-06-18T08:00:19+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-16T19:45:10+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/"},"wordCount":420,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/istock_000005626080_medium.jpg","articleSection":["Positive Material Identification","Steel"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/","url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/","name":"Key Elements of Plant FAC Program Should Include Handheld XRF Analysis","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/istock_000005626080_medium.jpg","datePublished":"2015-06-18T08:00:19+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-16T19:45:10+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#\/schema\/person\/4d4d3ad5a71dcb1ca19735d6516c7190"},"description":"Read how handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology is a valid method for monitoring the trace alloy content of carbon steel piping where FAC is a concern.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/istock_000005626080_medium.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/istock_000005626080_medium.jpg","width":1682,"height":1141,"caption":"power plant pipe steam"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/key-elements-of-a-plant-fac-program-should-include-handheld-xrf-analysis\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Key Elements of a Plant FAC Program Should Include Handheld XRF Analysis"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#website","url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/","name":"Analyzing Metals","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#\/schema\/person\/4d4d3ad5a71dcb1ca19735d6516c7190","name":"Esa Nummi","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/612d84861406b7e913bb50763a7ce6995f9f2bde4a6ae8fd8f182c64e09b834e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/612d84861406b7e913bb50763a7ce6995f9f2bde4a6ae8fd8f182c64e09b834e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/612d84861406b7e913bb50763a7ce6995f9f2bde4a6ae8fd8f182c64e09b834e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Esa Nummi"},"url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/author\/esa-nummithermofisher-com\/"}]}},"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":4,"label":"Positive Material Identification"},{"value":206,"label":"Steel"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/istock_000005626080_medium-1024x695.jpg",760,516,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Esa Nummi","author_link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/author\/esa-nummithermofisher-com\/"},"comment_info":2,"category_info":[{"term_id":4,"name":"Positive Material Identification","slug":"positive-material-identification","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":4,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":123,"filter":"raw","meta":[],"cat_ID":4,"category_count":123,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Positive Material Identification","category_nicename":"positive-material-identification","category_parent":0},{"term_id":206,"name":"Steel","slug":"steel","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":206,"taxonomy":"category","description":"steel manufacturing","parent":0,"count":187,"filter":"raw","meta":[],"cat_ID":206,"category_count":187,"category_description":"steel manufacturing","cat_name":"Steel","category_nicename":"steel","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13557,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/how-to-improve-inspection-of-small-metal-parts\/","url_meta":{"origin":4719,"position":0},"title":"How to Improve Inspection of Small Metal Parts","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"May 26, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Article Summary Manufacturers, quality control teams, and field inspectors face a growing challenge when verifying the composition of small metal parts. Components such as fasteners, weld wire, tubing, bolts, and machined pieces are often difficult to analyze accurately. These parts are critical to operational safety and product integrity, yet their\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Manufacturing Quality Assurance&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Manufacturing Quality Assurance","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/manufacturing-quality-assurance\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"small metal fasteners","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12860,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/how-xrd-analysis-optimizes-electrochemical-baths-in-aluminum-manufacturing\/","url_meta":{"origin":4719,"position":1},"title":"How XRD Analysis Optimizes Electrochemical Baths in Aluminum Manufacturing","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"September 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Electrochemical baths are essential tools in various fields, including the aluminum manufacturing industry. This article discusses how X-ray Diffraction (XRD) can be critical in bath control and plant performance, and will delve into the Hall-H\u00e9roult aluminum production process and the role of XRD in that context. Aluminum\u2019s beginnings: a natural\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Metals &amp; Alloys&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Metals &amp; Alloys","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/metals-and-alloys\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"pile of rolled silver aluminum metal. set of industrial materials","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/iStock-1727943935_aluminumrolls.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/iStock-1727943935_aluminumrolls.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/iStock-1727943935_aluminumrolls.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/iStock-1727943935_aluminumrolls.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/iStock-1727943935_aluminumrolls.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/iStock-1727943935_aluminumrolls.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13429,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/how-to-identify-aluminum-in-a-scrap-metal-recycling-yard\/","url_meta":{"origin":4719,"position":2},"title":"How to Identify Aluminum in a Scrap Metal Recycling Yard","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"May 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Identifying aluminum in a scrap metal recycling yard is more challenging than it might seem. While aluminum is one of the most widely used and recycled metals, its physical similarities to other materials, combined with the complexity of aluminum alloys, make accurate identification difficult. This challenge has significant implications for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General\/Industry&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General\/Industry","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/general-industry-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Scrap metal pieces laying in a pile","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1733,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/heres-a-free-periodic-table-for-your-halloween-goody-bag\/","url_meta":{"origin":4719,"position":3},"title":"Here&#8217;s a Free Periodic Table for Your Halloween Goody-Bag","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane, Editor","date":"October 30, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"No tricks here. Download this handy periodic table and X-ray energy reference guide to help in analyzing your metals samples. \u00a0It's our treat. Then visit our Steel Manufacturing and Precious Metals Analysis\u00a0 pages for more goodies. Download Periodic Table.\u00a0","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General\/Industry&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General\/Industry","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/general-industry-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Halloween pumpkin with goodies","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/MetalsHalloween-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/MetalsHalloween-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/MetalsHalloween-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/MetalsHalloween-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/10\/MetalsHalloween-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13418,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/buyer-and-seller-beware-how-to-detect-fake-gold-in-current-times\/","url_meta":{"origin":4719,"position":4},"title":"Buyer and Seller Beware: How to Detect Fake Gold in Current Times","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"April 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A Practical Guide for Jewelers and Pawn Shop Owners The rise in gold prices and continued market volatility have made precious metals more attractive\u2014not just to legitimate sellers, but also to increasingly sophisticated counterfeiters. For jewelers, cash-for-gold operators, and pawn shop owners, the ability to accurately verify gold authenticity and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General\/Industry&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General\/Industry","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/general-industry-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Clasp on a 14k Gold necklace with markings on a black background","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10286,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/a-valentines-special-best-metal-elements-for-a-sturdy-piece-of-jewelry\/","url_meta":{"origin":4719,"position":5},"title":"A Valentine\u2019s Special: Best Metal Elements for a Sturdy Piece of Jewelry","author":"Mark Lessard","date":"February 10, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A Pleasant Garden article noted that \"from a global perspective, nearly 6 million couples get engaged on February 14th.\"\u00a0It\u2019s no surprise that many of those who \u2018pop the question\u2019 choose to do it on the day known for its message of love and affection. Those who have bought an engagement\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Precious Metals&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Precious Metals","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/precious-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"ring in box with Valentine heart decorations","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/istock_000005626080_medium.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4719","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/55"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4719"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4719\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4976"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4719"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4719"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4719"},{"taxonomy":"division","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/division?post=4719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}