Industrial Microscopes

Introduction

A reliable microscope is an essence for effective diagnosis and professional measurements. The microscopist performs the inspection of materials, prepare an analysis report then a supervisor makes a proper decision. There are so many details on the objects that cannot be seen by a regular microscope. Suitable microscopy parts, optomechanical components, camera, and software are required to achieve such a goal.

BIOIMAGER’s metallurgical microscopes offer high magnification with reflected and transmitted light. Metallograph microscopes allow the user to view opaque items at high magnification. Specialty uses for metallurgical microscopes include use as measuring instruments for measuring thin films, electroplating coatings, grain size, surface inclusions and defects. Our metallurgical microscopes are available in binocular and trinocular models with both upright, inverted and boom stand microscope systems.

Metallurgical microscopes are available with brightfield only or brightfield and darkfield. There is a great explanation of imaging modes here and metallurgical microscopy basics and application here. The high magnification of metallurgical microscopes is perfect for viewing items that won’t allow light to pass through them (such as metals, coated films and solid objects where defects must be detected.) All metallurgical microscopes have the option to add a microscopy camera and software for capturing images and making measurements.

1. Metallurgical Microscope Types

Metallurgical microscopes are divided mainly to 4 categories:

1) Upright Microscopes with reflected light only, in which the light comes from top lamp-house and is used for non-transparent samples

2) Upright Metallurgical Microscopes with reflected and transmitted lights, in which light can come from top and bottom light sources and can be used to examine the transparent and non-transparent samples.

3) Inverted metallurgical Microscopes which includes a lamp house for reflected illumination. Bioimager offers economic external light source to be able to use for transparent samples

4) Boom Stand Metallurgical Microscopes

Upright Metallurgical Microscope with Reflected light only	Upright Metallurgical Microscope with Reflected & Transmitted	Inverted Metallurgical Microscopes	Boom Stand Metallurgical Microscopes

Please select the products from the left side category list or search bar.

2. Imaging Capabilities

a) BF or DF? By default all metallurgical microscopes come with brightfield (BF) imaging. If you need to have darkfield (DF) imaging, you do need to decide during the purchase time as upgrading such a feature will not only be costly but also will result in loosing the money you spent on BF module and also the obj lenses. Switching between BF and DF is always super easy, just move a lever.

b) DIC Nomarsky or not? DIC Nomarsky imaging needs a polarizer and analyzer. Make sure your microscope does / will come with polarizer, analyzer, slot for DIC insert and also which objective lenses are supported for DIC imaging.

Having DIC Nomarsky is always costly. If your microscope allows having a DIC imaging but your budget does not permit, make sure you can upgrade that by simply purchasing the extra parts without discarding your current obj lenses or setup.

Differential-Interference-contrast image of cast iron with spheroidal graphite, 500X magnification, captured with ProgRes® C14

3. The 3D Profiler

one of the most interesting and useful feature of the metallurgical microscopes is having a 3D profiler which allows measurement of the height and/or thickness of a sample. This is a great tool for inspection of the materials or scaffold are made in three-dimensional, such as 3D tissue or dental cements. BIOIMAGER has recently added an output format of .stp to the constructed 3D microscopy images then you can easily print out what you observe under microscope.

3D Profile with automated Z focus at 10 nm resolution	3D Profiler with tilting stand

4. Illumination Guide for Transmitted & Reflected Light

Transmitted Light

Specimen Type	Imaging Technique
Transparent Specimens – Bacteria, spermatozoa, cells in glass containers, protozoa, mites, fibers, etc.	Phase Contrast Oblique Illumination
Light Scattering Objects – Diatoms, fibers, hair, fresh water microorganisms, radiolarians, etc	Darkfield Illumination Phase Contrast
Light Reflecting Specimens – Colloidal suspensions, powders and minerals, liquids	Phase Contrast Dispersion Staining
Amplitude Specimens – Stained Tissue, naturally colored specimens, hair & fibers, insects and marine algae	Brightfield Illumination
Fluorescent Specimens – Cells in tissue culture, fluorochrome-stained sections, smears and spreads	Fluorescence Illumination
Birefringent Specimens – Mineral thin sections, liquid crystals, melted and re-crystallized chemicals, hairs & fibers, bones & feathers	Polarized Illumination

 

Reflected Light

Specimen Type	Imaging Technique
Specular (Reflecting) Surfaces – Thin film, mirrors, polished metallurgical samples, integrated circuits	Brightfield Illumination Darkfield Illumination
Diffuse (Non-Reflecting) Surfaces – Thick and thin films, rocks & minerals, hair, fiber, bone and insects	Brightfield Illumination Darkfield Illumination Polarized Illumination
Amplitude Surface Features – Dyed fibers, diffuse metallic specimens, composite materials, polymers	Brightfield Illumination Darkfield Illumination
Birefringent Specimens – Mineral thin sections, hair & fibers, bones & feathers, single crystals, oriented films	Polarized Illumination
Fluorescent Specimens – Mounted cells, fluorochrome-stained sections, smears and spreads	Fluorescence Illumination

5. Analysis and Measurements

Field / Sample	Image	Attributes, Measurement Features, Analysis
Ceramics, composites, Plastic		location, size and shape Grain Size Surface Examination Internal void analysis Crack and Failure Analysis
Food		Analyze aerated food products Crystal Size Microstructure
Metals		Grain Size Porosity Phase Microhardness Oxidation/corrosion Nodularity and Flake Surface
Particles & Porous materials		Particle Count, Size, and Distribution Particle Tracking & Velocity
Cosmetics		Powder/Particle Sizing Skin Pore Size Analysis Skin Wrinkle Measurement Skin Color Analysis Hair Growth Hair Pigmentation Scalp Health Irritation/Spots analysis
Glass, films, coatings		Film Thickness Grain Size Geometry
Textile / Fibers		Abestos Fiber Analysis Paper porousity, orientation, roughness, count and diameter
new materials		Nano Metal Preparation Grain Sizing

These features can be analyzed with Image Pro Plus or Image Pro Premier.

 Analysis Example: Fiber Separation Analysis

The application is designed to separate and measure crossing fibers on images. The fibers on the images can be straight or bent. It can be used to measure distribution of thin inclusions or asbestos fibers. Researchers have been looking for an easier way to measure the lengths and widths of overlapping fibers. Most researchers end up manually measuring fibers – a process that is not only time consuming, but can introduce inconsistencies. Now, with the Image-Pro Premier Fiber Separation App, it is possible to measure and classify the length and thickness of overlapping fibers with one click. This App is designed for applications where the entire fiber is visible in the image.

 

6. Sample Images / Applications

Sample: Duplex steel, damaged rotor blade etching: Beraha III, Camera: ProgRes® C5, Courtesy of: Cloeren Technology/Germany	Sample: PC board, Camera: ProgRes® C14, Courtesy of: ProgRes® Application Lab	Sample: Blower grinding tool, Camera: ProgRes® C14plus, Courtesy of: ProgRes® Application Lab
Sample: stone on stereo microscopes Camera: ProgRes® C7, Courtesy of: ProgRes® Application Lab	Sample: compound from graphite and powder, Camera: ProgRes® C3, Courtesy of: Hoffmann & Co. Elektrokohle AG, Austria	Sample: fluid channel fo a press button Camera: ProgRes® 3012, Courtesy of: HSG-IMIT Microtechnology
Sample: detail of a SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device), Camera: ProgRes® C3, Courtesy of: MPQ of Radio Astronomy, Bonn, Germany	Sample: rolled metal sheet, Camera: ProgRes® C14, Courtesy of: MPI for Iron Research GmbH	Sample: Wafer im DIC Camera: ProgRes® C14plus Courtesy of: Promicron
Sample: Cast Iron (spherulitic graphite iron),  Camera: ProgRes® C5, Courtesy of: Cloearen Technology, Germany	Sample: new formation of cristobalite in glass, Camera: ProgRes® C14plus, Courtesy of: Institute of Ceramic, Glass and Building Materials of the Mining Academy	Sample: TWIP Steel, Camera: ProgRes® C14, Courtesy of: MPI for Iron Research GmbH

7. Video Tutorial: How To Use a Compound Light Microscope

See Polarized and DIC Imaging Video tutorials at their pages.