TSP

[@metasequoia12]

Your tenacity, knowledge, and explanations are without compare! Thank you!!

[@Thesignalpath]

Thank you!

[@xDevscom_EE]

At least we can't complain now that TSP always gets it easy to fix with just cable reseating. :) Thank you for great explanation and details, as usual! Lets analyze some voltnut ppm metals next :)

[@Orbis92]

I hate those key sticks... isn't the multi-thousand dollar machine I connected to the PC not enough license? :D

[@JFirn86Q]

No kidding! Such a stupid system.

[@christopherleubner6633]

They are very easy to patch if need be. ❤

[@mikeselectricstuff]

6:42 BNC on the X-ray tube will be the filament supply.

[@Thesignalpath]

Yup!

[@michaelknight2342]

Those 20 mins went by pretty quickly.

[@adrianschneider4441]

One video is good. Two are even better.

[@amogusenjoyer]

I work for one of the biggest manufacturers of (portable) XRF scanners and the technology still fascinates me every time I hear about it, especially when I see the device teardowns. (Maybe that's because I work in the ultrasounds division, and rarely get to work on XRF related stuff though... ).

[@JFirn86Q]

Oh wow, I'm excited for Part 2. This was super interesting... and funny too as I have been looking all into this and Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) lately.

[@TheChillieboo]

This is awesome , it’s great to see the more mechanical skills you have!

[@dine9093]

The failures feel like this has been over volted. LED's, and photo detectors just don't die together this frequently.

[@cat637d]

Likely photon induced quantum entanglement damage😳

[@Gelf54]

I've seen many failed opto-interrupters/couplers over the years in all sorts of equpment. I'd always test these first if they were accessible.

[@rolfdieterklein]

fantastic repair -- looking forward for the 2nd part.

[@fmashockie]

They packaged it so badly that PNP transistor committed suicide... Awesome video!

[@Konecny_M]

Comet and few other x-ray tube manufacturers are using those thermochromic stickers for voiding warranty claims on their tubes in cases where coolant flow is interrupted during operation, quite common to see them in such instruments.

[@FesixGermany]

I have a Biopitcs Pixarray that also got completely damaged during shipping, took quite sone tine and effort to repair it, seems to be about the same x-ray tube from Oxford inside

[@Janktzoni]

This is a serious repair. Without schematic this really is not easy to accomplish. Would like to see some 'before' pictures of the damage.

[@donepearce]

The problem with such a low production volume machine is that every one is a nasty hand-wired prototype. Fun though.

[@pa1wbu]

Well, it clearly is nasty but there is not really a reason for that, apart from cutting corners that is. Probably someone wanted to make a few extra $. Would be interesting to know the original price when new..

[@brianpoi5117]

For a low production volume machine, read "expensive." I'd still expect neater cable management.

[@BassheadMusicConnoisseur]

Thanks for the knowledge!

[@andymouse]

Ooooo ! Can't wait !

[@mikeselectricstuff]

I took apart a similar unit several years ago : kzbin.info/www/bejne/apPFk4V6rrCbask

[@Dustycircuit]

I was just thinking, "this seems familiar"

[@ZeroStatic]

Thanks so much for the hard work and great video. Merry Christmas 👍❤️

[@karlgoebeler1500]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

[@Thesignalpath]

To you as well!

[@jjoonathan7178]

Nice work! Re: heavy machine and interlocks -- how much X-ray intensity can XRF actually use? Isn't it inherently limited by the need to choke intensity until single photons are time-resolved in the detector, allowing their energy to be read off? (Tune in next time to find out? Will do!)

[@Konecny_M]

Its not so much about the absolute power, but rather about occupational exposure of the worker. The legal requirements are set quite strict for even relatively weak sources of ionizing radiation, because cumulative dose even from very negligible leak will become significant with daily use of the instrument. Regarding maximum fluence - nowdays photon counting pixel detectors are a thing, pulse pile-up becomes much less of a problem when the detector is not single channel only.

[@christopherleubner6633]

They use a few mW of x ray energy to excite the sample but it must be well filtered to about 50keV or so❤

[@pyrokinetikrlz]

what was not broken in this xray machine? :)

[@peterhaan9068]

I can only hope the seller got not a penny out of his sale and piss poor packing!

[@wolpumba4099]

*Exploring the X-Ray Fluorescence CMI900: A Journey Through Repair and Discovery* * *0:07** Introduction to X-Ray Fluorescence:* X-ray fluorescence is introduced as a technique for analyzing the elemental composition of materials, particularly metals. * *0:17** The Challenge:* The video begins with a broken X-ray fluorescence machine purchased off eBay, which sustained further damage due to poor packaging during shipping. * *0:54** Initial Assessment:* The machine, a CMI900 Oxford Instruments unit, is shown to be capable of both elemental analysis and coating thickness measurement. * *1:09** Repair Begins:* The first video focuses on the repair of the unit and its accompanying PC, addressing both mechanical and electrical issues, as well as extensive damage to the PC. * *1:54** Interlock System:* The machine has four interlock switches to ensure safe operation of the X-ray source, highlighting a focus on safety. * *2:39** X-Ray Unit:* The core X-ray unit, containing the source, detector, and motors, is removable and connected by a mass of wires. * *3:33** X-Ray Tube Controller:* A dedicated board manages the X-ray tube and various interlocks. * *3:49** High Voltage:* The unit uses a 115W linearly connected transformer and a separate high-voltage power supply for the X-ray tube. * *4:07** X-Ray Fluorescence Head:* The main X-ray fluorescence head is examined, revealing a stepper motor for stage movement, a camera for sample viewing, an X-ray tube, and an X-ray shutter. * *5:31** Camera Test:* The camera, initially suspected to be faulty, is tested independently and found to be functional. * *7:30** Sample Analysis Area:* The area facing the sample contains numerous optical and mechanical sensors for proximity detection and collision avoidance. * *8:32** Detector:* The detector has a stepper motor-controlled window with an interlock switch. * *9:39** Reassembly:* The unit is reassembled with about 6,000 zip ties, and the high-voltage power supply is reconnected. * *10:49** Computer Issues:* The accompanying PC is in poor condition, with damaged components and a broken hard drive. * *12:25** Computer Repair:* The video card is replaced, the hard drive is cloned to an SSD, and the PC is made operational. * *13:17** Further Troubleshooting:* After getting the software working, no signal is detected during measurement attempts. * *13:53** X-Ray Verification:* A radiometer is used to confirm the presence of X-rays, indicating that the X-ray source and shutter are functioning. * *14:14** Detector Tube Bias:* The high-voltage power supply for the detector tube is identified as a potential issue. * *14:53** High-Voltage Power Supply Repair:* The high-voltage power supply is found to be faulty, with a failed PNP transistor in the oscillator circuit. The transistor is replaced, restoring the power supply's functionality. * *17:57** Additional Issues:* Further problems are discovered, including malfunctioning optical detectors for stage limits, dead LEDs for sample illumination, and a misaligned camera. * *19:39** Final Steps:* The identified issues are addressed, and the unit is prepared for further testing and analysis. * *19:55** Preview of Next Video:* The next video will cover the theory of operation and include a range of measurement experiments. I used gemini-1.5-pro-exp-0827 on rocketrecap dot com to summarize the transcript. Cost (if I didn't use the free tier): $0.03 Input tokens: 23307 Output tokens: 792

[@byronwatkins2565]

It is dangerous to do, so extreme care must always be observed; but, you can short out the interlocks with alligator shunts to operate it while it is open. Be sure to open the X-ray's HV while it is open to avoid a lethal dose of X-rays though.

[@deanlonagan1475]

..Shariah watches Electroboom too much...