Question 1:
Know what kind of microscope is suitable for the sample you want to test before buying.
Microscope can be divided into different functions according to the observed samples: generally, there are metallographic microscope, polarizing microscope, stereoscopic microscope, biological microscope, fluorescence microscope and so on. The usage of different functional microscopes is different. For example, polarizing microscope is mainly used to detect anisotropic nonmetallic materials, such as geological ores. Metallographic microscope is mainly used to observe, identify and analyze the internal structure of various opaque materials such as metals. Suitable for factories, mines, universities and scientific research departments. The instrument is equipped with a camera, which can shoot metallographic pictures, measure and analyze the pictures, and edit, output, store and manage the images. Stereo microscope is suitable for micron-scale actual effect analysis, fracture detection, inspection of electronic industry production line, inspection of printed circuit board, and inspection of welding defects (printing dislocation, edge collapse, etc.). ) in the inspection of printed circuit components, single-board PC, and all areas where the surface of the sample needs to be carefully observed. Using measurement software, you can measure all kinds of data. Biological microscope is mainly used in medical diagnosis, laboratory test, teaching and research in medical and health fields, schools and scientific research units. So before buying, you have to find out what the sample you want to observe, so that the merchant can recommend you a suitable microscope.
Question two,
Do you want an upright microscope or an inverted microscope?
Before answering this question, we should first clarify the difference between an upright microscope and an inverted microscope:
Metallographic microscope, also known as material microscope, is mainly used to observe the structure of metal structure, which is divided into vertical metallographic microscope and inverted metallographic microscope.
Orthogonal metallographic microscope images positive images during observation, which brings great convenience to users' observation and identification. In addition to analyzing and identifying metal samples with a height of 20-30mm, it is widely used in transparent, translucent or opaque substances because it conforms to people's daily habits. Observation targets larger than 3 microns and smaller than 20 microns, such as structures and traces on the surfaces of cermets, electronic chips, printed circuits, LCD substrates, films, fibers, granular objects, coatings and other materials, can have good imaging effects. In addition, the external camera system can be conveniently connected with the video screen and computer to observe, save, edit and print real-time and dynamic images, and combined with various software to meet the needs of more professional metallographic, measurement and interactive teaching fields. The inverted metallographic microscope uses the method of optical plane imaging to identify and analyze the microstructure of various metals and alloys. It is an important tool for metallographic research in metal physics. It can be widely used in factories or laboratories for casting quality, raw material inspection or metallographic analysis of materials after technological treatment, thus providing intuitive analysis results. It is the key equipment for quality appraisal and analysis of casting, smelting and heat treatment in mining, metallurgy, manufacturing and machining industries. In recent years, because the microelectronics industry needs high-power plane microscope technology to support chip production, metallographic microscope has been introduced into this field and is constantly improving to meet the special needs of the industry. Inverted metallographic microscope, because the observation surface of the sample coincides with the surface of the workbench, the observation objective is located below the workbench and looks up. This observation form is not limited by the height of the sample, and it is convenient to use, compact in structure, elegant in appearance, large in supporting area, safe, stable and reliable, low in center of gravity and comfortable to observe.
In addition to the standard configuration, the inverted metallographic microscope also has the function of direct image output through technical upgrading, and can be easily connected to a computer for intelligent processing according to technological requirements. To put it simply: the positive sample is placed below and the negative sample is placed above. The upright objective lens is down and the inverted objective lens is up. In other words, the inverted lens is under the stage and the test surface of the test block is placed on the stage. At this time, the lens is facing down, the test block is inverted, and the lens observes the test surface from bottom to top.
The lens is placed on the stage, and the test surface of the test block is placed on the stage. At this time, the lens is on the stage, the test block is placed on the stage, and the lens observes the test surface from top to bottom.
After selecting a certain microscope according to the sample, consider whether to choose an upright microscope or an inverted microscope, which can basically refer to the above points. At the same time, you should also consider your existing sample preparation conditions, because the upright microscope has higher requirements for sample preparation, while the inverted microscope is relatively low.
Question three,
What is your budget?
At present, the microscopes on the market are mainly made in China and imported. Generally speaking, the price gap ranges from several times to ten times. You can decide whether to buy a domestic microscope or an imported microscope according to your existing budget. But if your budget is adequate or there is no fixed budget, I suggest you buy imported microscopes. Of course, Bian Xiao here does not deny that domestic microscopes have made great progress in recent years, but in terms of optical path design and mechanical stability, domestic microscopes are still far below the quality of imported microscopes. From the perspective of long-term investment, the service life of imported microscopes (Bian Xiao here refers to foreign imported microscopes, except those produced by joint ventures) is generally about 60 years, while domestic or some joint venture brands have some problems such as unclear and unstable imaging quality within a few years after purchase. If we choose a domestic microscope, we will consider optical density brands and high-end products: generally, it is infinite, the objective lens is flat, the working distance is long, and the eyepiece is large field of view. Low-end products: Generally, the objective lens is limited achromatic or semi-flat achromatic.
Question 4,
What's the price of the microscope?
Many people who buy microscopes have asked us such a question, that is, "how much is a microscope?" Or "how much is the XXX microscope?" Generally, our answer will be "What configuration do you need?" Or you just want to get a general idea of the price of the microscope. It is estimated that we will only give a vague price range, and the price difference is very large. The key reason for this result lies in the configuration of the microscope. In fact, buying a microscope is very similar to buying a computer-everything should be configured according to your requirements. For example, you need several observation modes (affecting the number of objective lenses), whether you need software, whether you need CCD, etc. These requirements have greatly affected the quotation of microscopes. You should know that the most important and valuable convenience of the whole microscope is the objective lens, and its quantity will greatly affect the price of the microscope.
Matters needing attention
In the process of purchasing a microscope, the above are just the most important points. In the actual purchase, there are still many small details that consumers need to pay more attention to, and they need to refer to the opinions of some colleagues and friends and their own needs to make the final purchase decision.