We recently visited customer SA Recycling, a leader in the metal recycling and processing industry, to learn how they use our Vanta™ handheld XRF analyzer at their facility in Montebello, California.
During our visit, General Manager Tog Valizada shared how they use the Vanta analyzer as a tool for accurately sorting alloys and identifying light elements throughout the facility.
Streamlining Scrap Sorting at SA Recycling
SA Recycling’s facility in Montebello, California, processes about 3,000 tons of ferrous scrap and 1.5 million pounds of nonferrous scrap each month. They have several analyzers at this location, including one Vanta handheld XRF analyzer.
Tog highlights how efficient the scrap sorting process is with the Vanta analyzer.
General Manager Tog Valizada of SA Recycling
“The Vanta XRF analyzer is easy to use, and testing takes about three seconds. It’s very quick. Our employees prefer that, especially when we’re sorting through our alloys,” Tog explains.
Every day the employees at the facility use the Vanta analyzer for receiving purposes. Tog finds that it’s really important on the buying side when they receive the scrap and how they buy it.
On the shipping side, the Vanta analyzer helps the employees read the light elements to confirm they are shipping the scrap to the end user according to the specifications.
They use the SmartSort feature, a rapid sorting method for alloy analysis that automatically shortens or lengthens the test time depending on the material. With this method, the Vanta analyzer tests until it has an exact match for a grade, determining whether to use one or two beams for the analysis.
This saves time while maintaining accuracy and precision, even when light elements are present. If the analyzer turns off testing in the first beam and light elements are present in the grade, nominal chemistry will be displayed for the elements not analyzed in the second beam.
Tog elaborates, “Testing for light elements is important for us, and we leave the SmartSort feature on. That automatically lets us know if there’s anything that shouldn’t be in the chemistry. If something is not according to the spec, we can catch it during the processing, keep it, separate it, and make sure we don’t ship it. It’s very important and can save us a lot of money.”
If the material gets rejected at the mill, SA Recycling must track it back. Accurate sorting with the Vanta analyzer saves on freight and saves the time and labor of doing it a second time.
Other Vanta Advantages for Scrap Sorting
In addition to fast, accurate sorting, Tog highlights Evident’s local service and support as a key benefit of Vanta handheld XRF.
“One of the things I like, and why I prefer Vanta handheld XRF over other analyzers we’re using, is having the relationship with the local rep who can help you,” Tog comments.
Together, all these benefits contribute to a fast return on investment (ROI).
Tog explains, “The return on investment is very important. Before purchasing the Vanta XRF analyzer, we ran the numbers to make sure that with the money we’re putting into the instrument, we’ll be able to get it back in a short period of time.”
Watch the full interview with Tog below for more insights into alloy identification and scrap sorting with Vanta handheld XRF. You can also visit our application page to learn more about Vanta XRF analyzers for scrap sorting.
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