(EMAILWIRE.COM, July 21, 2008 ) KENNEWICK, Washington — July 21, 2008 - Bruker AXS announces another technology breakthrough for the die casting industry with the introduction of its new TRACERturboSD ™, the world’s first handheld X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) instrument that uses a Silicon Drift Detector (SDD) for dramatically improved speed, sensitivity and resolution. Bruker’s industry-leading proprietary XFlash™ SDD, previously available only in high-performance laboratory XRF instruments, now offers unprecedented speed and analytical specificity when integrated into the novel handheld TRACERturboSD
With this announcement, the Bruker AXS Handheld business, until recently known as Keymaster Technologies Inc., builds on its long tradition of technology leadership in the handheld XRF industry that includes:

• 2001 - First tube-based handheld XRF
• 2004 - First vacuum handheld XRF, co-invented with NASA
• 2008 – First SDD-based handheld XRF

The revolutionary TRACERturboSD with integrated SDD offers unparalleled speed, sensitivity and energy resolution, previously found only in more expensive laboratory systems. Now all handheld XRF customer segments can benefit from these compelling performance advantages in their analytical work. In the aerospace metals industry, the proprietary Bruker SDD technology enables TRACERturboSD users to better and faster analyze sophisticated light element alloys, even without the use of a vacuum or helium attachment. In the general metals analysis markets, the Bruker TRACERturboSD offers higher speed, sensitivity and selectivity for many demanding handheld XRF applications.

This detector provides a major improvement in the analytical performance of handheld alloy analyzers. The measurement precision is improved by a factor of two to three times, in addition to making the measurement of light elements such as Mg, Al and Si possible when operating in air mode. The TRACERturboSD provides a new capability of measuring aluminum in titanium alloys and magnesium and silicon in aluminum alloys, with no vacuum or helium required. For additional sensitivity, the well-known joint Bruker-NASA vacuum technology can be combined with the SDD to provide the best sensitivity possible in a handheld XRF instrument.

The TRACERturboSD includes all of the standard features of the highly-regarded Bruker S1 Tracer analyzer, such as Grade ID and chemistry, a unique PASS/FAIL analysis capability and the largest Grade library in the industry. The capabilities of the TRACERturboSD make it the ideal analyzer for the measurement of all types of alloys. In addition to the new high-end TRACERturboSD, Bruker AXS continues to offer the standard S1 Tracer™ handheld instrument with traditional SiPIN diode technology for routine analysis

John Landefeld, Vice President of Bruker AXS Handheld, stated: “This breakthrough continues our tradition of technology leadership, going back to the initial introduction of tube-based XRF handhelds in 2001. Following the joint NASA-Bruker development of vacuum technology for handhelds in 2004, Bruker proves, once again, to be the overall technology leader in handheld XRF instrumentation, especially in the metals industries.”

“The die casting industry will be particularly pleased to find that high-end handheld XRF can now approach the capabilities of laboratory systems,” added John Patterson, Director of Marketing and Product Management of Bruker AXS Handheld.

For more TRACERturboSD information, please visit: www.bruker-axs.com/handheld

Bruker AXS’ new TRACERturboS joins other technologically leading Bruker instruments for the die casting and other metals industries, including Bruker’s Q4 TASMAN and G4 ICARUS

Just a few months ago at Pittcon 2008 , Bruker AXS announced the release of its new Q4 TASMAN™, a benchtop CCD-based spark-OES spectrometer based on the very latest state-of-the-art technologies. It provides the die casting industry, among others, with shorter measurement cycles, improved stability, improved precision and lower limits of detection than existing CCD spectrometers in the metals market.

Bruker’s ClearSpectrum technology, a combination of highest pixel resolution on CCD detectors and powerful firmware, provides excellent performance in a very compact design. Measurement cycles are now up to 30 times faster. These shorter measurement times improve efficiency and can increase clients’ profitability. A newly designed spark stand with co-axial argon flow directs gas right onto the burn spot area, eliminating the need for any standby flow and improving accuracy, especially when analyzing small samples and wires.

Bruker AXS offers the Q4 TASMAN with various dedicated solutions for analytical tasks: Bruker Analytical Solution Packages (ASPs) are available for various matrices and their relevant alloying elements. The Q4 TASMAN provides calibration for all major alloy groups and quality libraries with version control. It shares its powerful Windows-based software with Bruker Quantron’s other well regarded spark-OES spectrometers: the bench-top Q6 COLUMBUS and the high-end Q8 MAGELLAN.

“Simple routine handling, optimal analytical performance and cost effective operation with minimal maintenance were the guidelines for the development leading to this new outstanding optical emission spectrometer,” said Bruker AXS Vice President Georg Schick. “At Bruker, we design and develop advanced optical emission spectrometers to meet or exceed our customers’ analytical needs.”

In addition, Bruker JUWE today develops, manufactures and distributes advanced combustion analysis systems for various C, H, N, O and S elemental analysis applications used in metals foundries and processing. “Our JUWE combustion analysis systems and technology are very complementary to our spark-OES product line, as well as to Bruker AXS XRF systems. Of particular interest to the die casting industry is our new Bruker JUWE G4 ICARUS combustion analyzer for carbon and sulfur in solid metals. The recent addition of JUWE to Bruker AXS makes it possible to offer the various elemental analysis technologies from a single source and further strengthens our combined industrial analysis business,” Vice President Schick concluded.

ABOUT BRUKER AXS
For more information about Bruker AXS and Bruker Corporation, please visit www.bruker-axs.com , www.bruker-axs.com/handheld and www.bruker.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
John I.H. Patterson Director of Marketing and Product Management Bruker AXS Handheld Inc.
Telephone: +1-609-847-9468 Email: jpatterson@BrukerHandheld.com

Georg Schick Vice President Industrial Sales & Marketing Bruker AXS Inc. Telephone +1 (978) 663-3660 ext. 1043 Email: georg.schick@bruker-axs.com

Contact Information:
Bruker
Michael Willett
Tel: 978-663-3660 x1411
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