Exum Instruments Inc. has launched the next generation Massbox®, advancing its proprietary Laser Ablation Laser Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (LALI-TOF-MS) platform. The company designed the new system to meet demand from materials scientists, geoscientists, metallurgists, and battery developers who require faster, more sensitive solid sample analysis.
Massbox remains the only analytical instrument that combines 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 light elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen.
The new platform introduces three core advancements. An airlock system reduces vacuum pump-down time to under one minute. A bottom-loading sample holder supports components of different sizes in the same session. A direct-injection TOF increases ion transport efficiency and delivers high sensitivity while removing minimal material.
“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.”
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The company positions the next generation Massbox for battery research and manufacturing, where it supports lithium mapping, Solid Electrolyte Interphase (SEI) characterization, and trace element analysis for R&D and process control. In geoscience, mining, and exploration, the system delivers ppm-level detection and rapid elemental mapping. In metals and advanced manufacturing, it supports trace-level detection and three-dimensional elemental analysis for alloy development, failure analysis, and quality control.
Oregon State University’s College of Engineering has adopted the platform. “We are thrilled to welcome the next generation of Massbox to Oregon State University,” says Chih-hung Chang, Oregon State University Professor, School of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering. “From the moment I learned about Massbox’s LALI-TOF-MS technology, it was clear that its distinctive capabilities overcome long-standing limitations in existing analytical tools. Building on an already strong foundation, this new generation delivers transformative advancements in analytical performance, speed, and versatility across a broad spectrum of sample types. We are excited to harness these innovations to accelerate our research and development in advanced materials and drive new discoveries.”
Exum will showcase the next generation Massbox at its April 9, 2026 webinar and at TMS 2026 Annual Meeting & Exhibition in San Diego, California.
This article is a rework of a press release issued by Exum Instruments.
