Massbox

Using a new mass spectrometry technique, the Massbox combines a dual-laser ionization system with a Time of Flight mass analyzer and provides trace-level quantification for virtually the entire periodic table. The Laser Ablation Laser Ionization (LALI) ionization source analyzes solid samples directly, eliminating the complicated sample preparation procedures required by other techniques. For additive manufacturing applications, solid samples include printed parts or pelletized powders. The instrument’s versatility supports 1) rapid quality control of virgin and reused feedstock powders, 2) development of new materials specifically suited for additive manufacturing, and 3) investigating chemical variations across heterogeneous materials and failed parts. The Massbox provides bulk quantification of a metal’s elemental composition and it can quantify interstitial elements like carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen that generally require other instrumentation. Additionally, it can perform elemental mapping, identifying both spatial distributions and depth profiles of any element of interest. With a spatial resolution ranging from 5-200 microns, Massbox provides chemical data at the particle level and the same scale as the melt pool in many additive manufacturing techniques.