Exum Instruments launches next generation Massbox
New platform delivers faster operations, enhanced performance, and greater versatility for materials scientists, geoscientists, metallurgists, and battery developers
3 Mar 2026
Exum Instruments next generation Massbox®
Exum Instruments Inc. has launched its next generation Massbox®, a significant advancement of its proprietary laser ablation laser ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LALI-TOF-MS) platform.
Developed to meet the growing demands of materials scientists, geoscientists, metallurgists, and battery developers for faster, more sensitive solid sample analysis, every component has been tailored specifically for the LALI-TOF-MS process. The result is a system that pushes the boundaries of what solid sample chemistry can achieve.
Massbox is the only analytical instrument to combine dual-laser ionization (LALI) with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. It enables simultaneous quantification and spatial mapping of all elements from lithium to uranium in a single measurement, including traditionally challenging light elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen.
The next-generation platform extends these capabilities through three core advancements:
- An airlock system cuts vacuum pump-down time to under one minute
- A versatile bottom-loading sample holder allows components of different sizes to be analyzed in the same session
- A direct-injection TOF maximizes ion transport efficiency, delivering high sensitivity with minimal material removed
Next generation Massbox is designed to serve demanding applications across multiple industries. In battery research and manufacturing, it enables lithium mapping, solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) characterization, and trace element analysis at the speed required for demanding R&D and process control.
In geoscience, mining, and exploration, ppm-level detection and rapid elemental mapping make it ready for the full complexity of geological work. In metals and advanced manufacturing, trace-level detection and three-dimensional elemental analysis support alloy development, failure analysis, and quality control.
“Our mission at Exum is to re-think how we measure the world around us. The next generation Massbox isn’t an iteration — it was driven by relentless development, deep physics, and groundbreaking engineering to advance our core LALI-TOF-MS technology,” says Exum Instruments CEO and CTO, Jeff Williams.
“I am extremely proud of our team of mechanical engineers, analytical chemists, and software developers who have applied their decades of experience with modern analytical instruments to a true market-disrupting technology. This instrument embodies what I envisioned years ago when I founded Exum,” he added.